Sign the Pledge and Attend Prom Looking Good for Less

As part of the Wood County Educational Service Center's School and Community-Based ATOD (Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug) Prevention Program's Parents Who Host Lose the Most campaign this year, we have teamed with several area vendors to help you save money for Prom and graduation!

Simply click this link to download and/or print our flyer. Then, parents and students both must sign the pledge to be responsible during this upcoming season of celebration. Present the signed flyer to one of the listed participating vendors to receive your discount!

Have a fun and safe prom and graduation season!!!

Current teen leaders teach future teen leaders

Wood County JTI and TI members, and prevention specialist from the Wood County Educational Service Center gather outside Rossford Junior High School during the JTI retreat March 18.

Wood County Teen Institute members on Friday helped light and pass the torch of leadership during the Junior Teen Institute retreat held at Rossford Junior High School.

The event March 18 event, put on by the Wood County Educational Service Center’s School and Community-Based ATOD (Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug) prevention program.

Teen Institute groups exist to allow students to teach each other strategies to be leaders in their schools and to be a student advocate and role model for a drug, alcohol and tobacco-free lifestyle.

Approximately 70 youth from across Wood County in grades 6 through 12 attended the event, which began after school and continued into the late evening.

Teen Institute (TI) members used the leadership skills they learned in TI to lead, teach, excite and energize Junior Teen Institute members, who will continue on into TI.

Friday’s event included a cookout; a hands-on, experiential learning activities; and engaging youth in fun, educational and team-oriented activities to enforce the theme of leadership and a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle.

Eventually, JTI members will learn these leadership skills and become leaders themselves during future JTI retreats, passing the torch to the next generation of youth committed to a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle.

Emily Cohen, a senior at Rossford High School, competes in a Minute To Win It game against other family group members. More photos from the event can be found here.

The Incredible Years class offered

Parenting can be tough. So can being a kid.

The Children's Resource Center, Bowling Green, is offering three sessions of The Incredible Years training beginning in March. You can choose to attend sessions in either Bowling Green, Perrysburg, or North Baltimore.

At the Incredible Years parent training, parents of children ages 3 to 8 will learn how to:
Increase children's self-esteem and self-confidence. Strengthen children's social skills Discipline effectively Boost academic success.

The 12-week classes will be held each Wednesday beginning March 23, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Jordan Family Center, 812 N. College Drive, Bowling Green. To register for this session, contact Kristin Nagel or Cindy Eckel at Children's Resource Center by March 16, at (419) 352-7588 or 1-888-466-KIDS.

A second option is to attend the class at the Owens Community College Childcare Center, located at 30335 Oregon Road, Perrysburg. That 12-week session will be held on Thursdays, beginning at 5:30. To register for this session, call Deb Goldberg or Bonnie McCourt at Children's Resource Center by March 17 at (419) 352-7588 or 1-888-466-KIDS.

Alternatively, you can register for the session that will be held at Church of the Good Shepherd, 119 W Broadway, North Baltimore. That 12-week session will be held each Monday beginning March 28, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Register for this session by March 18 by calling Angie Patchen at Children's Resource Center at (419) 352-7588 or 1-888-466-KIDS.

Classes are low-cost and space is limited. Child care is available. Light meals will be provided each week.

ADAPAO Medical Marijuana Position Paper Online

The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Association of Ohio has issued a position paper regarding medical marijuana. You can read the paper about this hot topic here.

The Incredible Years class offered

Parenting can be tough. So can being a kid.

The Children's Resource Center, Bowling Green, is offering two sessions of The Incredible Years training beginning in February. You can choose to attend sessions in either North Baltimore or Rossford.

At the Incredible Years parent training, parents of children ages 3 to 8 will learn how to:
Increase children's self-esteem and self-confidence. Strengthen children's social skills Discipline effectively Boost academic success The 12-week classes will be held each Wednesday beginning Feb. 9, from 1:00 to 3 p.m. at Rossford WSOS/Rossford United Methodist Church, located at 270 Dixie Highway, Rossford. To register for this session, contact Bonnie McCourt or Cindy Eckel at Children's Resource Center by Feb. 3 at (419) 352-7588 or 1-888-466-KIDS.

Alternatively, you can register for the session that will be held at Church of the Good Shepherd, 119 W Broadway, North Baltimore. That 12-week session will be held each Tuesday beginning Feb. 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Register for this session by Feb. 11 by calling Angie Patchen at Children's Resource Center at (419) 352-7588 or 1-888-466-KIDS.

Classes are low-cost and space is limited. Child care is available. Light meals will be provided each week.

Class helps parents in effort of Guiding Good Choices

Are you concerned that when your child goes to middle school, he or she will be overwhelmed and not make wise decisions? If so, the Guiding Good Choices® workshop is for you.

Guiding Good Choices® is an interactive five-week program for all parents of children in grades 4 through 8. In a lively and open atmosphere, parents will learn specific strategies to help their children avoid adolescent problem behaviors and develop into healthy adults. Parents will learn to set clear family guidelines, as well as practice skills to strengthen family bonds, help their children develop healthy behaviors and promote children’s responsibilities in the family.

The program is being offered by the Wood County Educational Service Center, through the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative.

Research demonstrates that children who have strong relationships with their parents develop better social and emotional competencies. These skills, in turn, help them succeed in school and make healthier life choices.

The program points out that one of the key elements to building a strong, supportive family unit is to establish firm boundaries and expectations for children. Guiding Good Choices® encourages parents to set clear guidelines for their children in order to develop healthy beliefs and standards. This foundation will, in turn, provide children with the ability to refuse and resist when confronted with potential problem behaviors. You might say it provides the “hand rails for life’s slippery slopes.”

Three different sessions will begin in January:

• Every Thursday beginning Jan. 13, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Indian Hills Elementary School in Rossford.
• Every Tuesday beginning Jan. 18, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at North Baltimore Public Library.
• Every Monday beginning Jan. 24, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Lake Elementary School.

The workshops are free for attending parents. Light refreshments, child care, and door prizes will be provided each week.

For more information, contact Greg Bonnell at (419) 354-9010, ext. 228.

Parent Project starts January 11

Parenting is a difficult job, and there is no instruction manual. The Parent Project was designed to connect the love and care parents have for their teens with the skills and support necessary to navigate the job of parenting.

As a participant in the 8-week Parent Project® class offered by the Wood County Educational Service Center, you can expect to learn effective communication strategies and other helpful parenting skills. Additionally this series will include important information regarding adolescent depression, alcohol and other drug use and the influence of music and media on today’s youth.

Many parents attending Parent Project® have had difficulty identifying appropriate limits and enforcing consequences consistently. Parents who attend the Parent Project® are more likely to see their child’s attendance at school improve, and to require less school-based disciplinary resources as parents find powerful interventions at home with which to bring about change in their children. The motto of the Parent Project® is “Parents are the answer … when they have the tools they need.”

Presented in an educational format, parents are trained for a low fee of $20, which covers the cost of the accompanying 180-page workbook. If the entire course is completed and the parent has attended all of the required sessions, the $20 fee will be refunded. A class for teens also is offered at no additional charge.

The next session will be held Tuesday evenings from January 11 through March 1, at Rossford High School. The first class will begin at 5:30 p.m. The remainder of the classes begin at 6 p.m.

For more information or to register, contact Lorrie Lewandowski, Wood County Educational Service Center, 1867 N. Research Dr., Bowling Green, OH, 43402. Phone: 419-354-9010, ext. 113. E-mail: llewandowski@wcesc.org.

You also can find more information and register by visiting www.parentproject.com and click on “find a class in your area” in the top right-hand corner.

The local Parent Project program was featured in a radio news segment that was broadcast Jan. 27, 2010 on the Morning Show hosted by Dave Horger on WBGU 88.1 FM. Listen to the segment on BG Gizmo by clicking here.

Registration will be limited to the first 30 people responding.