Teens train for leadership at state level

Seventeen youth from throughout Wood County attended the Ohio Teen Institute Leadership training program. The event was held July 18-22 at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.

Students who attended included Kandie King, Amber Studyvin, and Breanna Reardon, all from Lake; Diamond Lorenc and Jeremy Teneyck, both from Penta Career Center; Ashley Baisden, Jessica Simon, and Jennifer Noykos, all from North Baltimore; Carli Kehres, from Eastwood; Kaylyn Haynes, Andrea Howard and Dustin Boltin, from Northwood; Christina Hohman, Bridget Cushard, and Emily Gerken, from Bowling Green; and Katie Rodriguez, and Emily Cohen, both from Rossford.

All students were able to attend through scholarships provided by the Wood County Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board through the Wood County Educational Service Center’s alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention program. The students are members of the Wood County Teen Institute programs offered through their schools.

Through the program, students develop skills to become positive leaders within their schools and communities. They also are equipped with the knowledge and abilities to not only make positive choices for themselves, but also to encourage their peers to make healthy choices.

Throughout the week, students participated in small discussion groups, attended workshops, listened to motivational speakers, and participated in a talent show.

“The only regret that I have about OTI is that I didn’t come sooner," said Gerken. "The enthusiasm and excitement prepared me to make a difference in my community.”

“I loved my family group," added Kehres. "They are all my new best friends. I can’t wait to go home and text them.”

The week-long program also included training for adults interested in or currently working with youth. ATOD on-sites Michelle Von Lehmden (Otsego) and Tonya Lentz (Elmwood) attended state T.I. for this advocate training.

On-site Jeanine Lindquist (Lake) attended as a State T.I. staff member.

Former Wood County T.I. members J.C. Gospadarek, Sean Williams, and Sarah Rutz; and current North Baltimore T.I. member Ashlee Quantic, also attended as youth staff.

Wood County T.I. members and leaders at State T.I. training.

A Fair Fight Against Underage Drinking

On Saturday, July 17, the Wood County Educational Service Center participated in Bradner Day in the Park.  

The Wood County Educational Service Center had a booth at the event to survey attendees on their perception of underage drinking in Wood County.  The surveys were conducted by the Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol Street Team. This team is comprised of teen leaders from Wood County schools who are promoting the media campaign, The New Cool. This campaign, which will go into full swing with the beginning of the school year, is designed to engage youth to make positive choices as alternatives to underage drinking.

Fun giveaways and coloring pages were also part of this booth that had lots of participation from Wood County children, teens and adults throughout the day.

The New Cool Street Team will also have  a booth at the Wood County and Pemberville fairs, both in August.

 

Photo: The New Cool Street Team members (from left) Emily Nelson, Jessy Schulte, and Hannah Jacobs look on as a community member fills out a survey.

Upcoming class may be missing manual for parenting

Parenting can be tough. So can being a kid.

The Children's Resource Center, Bowling Green, is teaming with the Jordan Family Development Center, located on the campus of Bowling Green State University, to offer The Incredible Years training.

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 June 29; July 6, 13, 20, 27; Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; and Sept. 7 and 14. Each class will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Jordan Center, located at 812 N. College Dr., Bowling Green, Ohio.

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

Register by June 23 by calling Angie Patchen at the Children's Resource Center at (419) 352-7588 or 1-888-466-KIDS.

Wood County youth rewarded for drug-free leadership

On June 10,  73 Wood County students who are members of Teen Institute were awarded for their hard work throughout the year with a trip to Cedar Point. 

Teen Institute emphasizes peer leadership and positive life skills development.  Members must commit to being drug free.  There is a Teen Institute group in each Wood County high school.

This year, area Teen Institute members participated in two area retreats as well as helped facilitate a retreat for the members of Junior Teen Institute which is open to junior high students.  Members also worked with Red Ribbon efforts in their individual districts, as well as other local drug free leadership activities., including an effort to send toiletry and food items to our troops overseas and various fundraising efforts to support the Cocoon Shelter in Bowling Green.

Teen Institute is a program offered through the Wood County Educational Service Center. Funding  is provided by the Wood County ADAMHS (Alcohol Drug Addiction Mental Health Services) Board and ODADAS (Ohio Department Alcohol Drug Addiction Services).

Drug testing has great impact on use

The six school districts involved with the Federal Grant for Drug Testing in the Schools through the Wood County Educational Service Center recently concluded another year of testing. To determine the impact of the drug testing program, the students were asked to complete a survey to determine attitudes. The results were compared to last spring's survey results and the outcomes were dramatic.

Monthly marijuana use decreased from 7 percent to 3.6 percent, while monthly alcohol use decreased from 15.4 percent to 9.8 percent. Yearly use of marijuana was even more pronounced, decreasing form 10.6 percent to 6.5 percent, with yearly alcohol use decreasing by more than 10 percent, dropping from 31.6 percent to 21 percent. To put this in perspective, the 2009 National Partnership Attitude Tracking Survey found that marijuana use by students in grades 9-12 increased by 19 percent for yearly use, and monthly alcohol use increased by 11 percent.

The survey seems to indicate that the expanded drug testing, made possible by the grant, has been very effective in changing not only attitudes, but actual student behavior.

BG Teen Institute sends students to state conference

Bowling Green High School's Teen Institute is proud to announce that three Bowling Green High School students have been chosen to attend the state-wide Ohio Teen Institute conference.

Seniors Bridget Cushard, Emily Gerken, and Christina Hohman will represent BGHS at the event which will take place at Kenyon College from July 18-July 22. Ohio Teen Institute (OTI) is a week long drug free leadership conference for high school students. Through the program, students develop the skills to become a positive leader within their schools and communities. Students are also equipped with the knowledge and abilities to not only make positive choices for themselves, but also to encourage their peers to make healthy decisions.

Parent Project starts July 8

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 July 8 through August 26 at the Wood County Educational Service Center, 1867 N. Research Dr., Bowling Green. 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: wcesc_ll@nwoca.org.

Registration will be limited to the first 30 people responding.