Friday, April 26, 2013

New Multi-Year STEM Mentoring Campaign – US2020 – Announced Today at White House Science Fair

Citizen Schools (Washington D.C.) April 22, 2013

"Today, leaders from ten prominent education non-profits and U.S. technology companies, including Fortune 500 firms Cisco, Cognizant, and SanDisk, announced the formation of US2020 at the 3rd Annual White House Science Fair. US2020 is an all-hands-on-deck initiative that aims to connect more science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professionals to students from kindergarten through college. 
Speaking at the Science Fair, President Obama said, 'When students excel in math and science, they help America compete for the jobs and industries of the future,' said President Obama. 'That’s why I’m proud to celebrate outstanding students at the White House Science Fair, and to announce new steps my Administration and its partners are taking to help more young people succeed in these critical subjects.'" Read More

New Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Survey Report Suggests Mentoring has Positive Effects on the Whole Child

Big Brothers Big Sisters (Philadelphia, PA) April 24, 2013

"The 2013 Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Survey (YOS) report reflects across-the-board gains for youth a year after being in a one-to-one mentoring relationship, as well as compared to their peers who do not have mentors -- with middle-school aged mentees outperforming their unmatched counterparts in every area measured.
The largest differences for the mentees when compared to unmatched youth were in the areas of social acceptance; which research ties to grade retention, school engagement, and perceived scholastic competence; a measure linked to grades and test scores." Read More

Survey: Nearly a quarter of teens drive while impaired

USA Today, April 25, 2013

"Nearly a quarter of teens — 23% — admit to driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or prescription drugs used illegally at some point, a new survey finds.
What's worse, they don't view themselves as a danger: Almost 20% of those who drink and drive say it improves their driving, a view shared by 34% of those who drive under the influence of marijuana.
Those are among findings of a new survey of 1,708 11th- and 12th-graders by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and insurer Liberty Mutual." Read More

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Survey Finds Teenage Drug Abuse Jumped 33 Percent In Five Years

Red Orbit, April 23, 2013

"A newly released national survey found that the rate of teens that are abusing prescription drugs has jumped 33 percent over the past five years.
 Published at Drugfree.org, the Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) found that 25 percent of teens have misused or abused a prescription drug at least once, a one-third increase since 2008. The study also found a troubling rise in the abuse of prescription stimulants. About 13 percent of teens report that they have taken Ritalin or Adderall when it was not prescribed for them." Read More

Even in Young Adults, Binge Drinking May Harm Circulation

HealthDay News, April 23, 2013

"When college-aged adults binge drink it may hinder the function of their blood vessels, a small new study finds, possibly setting the stage for later heart disease.
'Consequences of binge drinking may extend beyond just a bad hangover, and may actually interfere with the current and future cardiovascular health of young adults,' said Shane Phillips, senior study author and an associate professor and associate head of the department of physical therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago." Read More

Mayor Richard Moccia urging Norwalkers to volunteer as a mentor

The Hour (Norwalk, CT) April 24, 2013

"For the past seven years, Mayor Richard Moccia has volunteered his time in an effort to make a difference in the life of a Norwalk child.
Through weekly mentoring, Moccia's interaction has resulted in a rewarding experience for not only the child but also for himself.
In the hope that others might do the same, Moccia, in collaboration with Mayor John Harkins of Stratford, Mayor William Finch of Bridgeport and the United Way of Coastal Fairfield County's Mentoring Institute, have issued a "Mayors' Mentoring Challenge." Read More

Underage Drinking, Substance Abuse Subject of Community Conversation

Durham-Middlefield Patch (Durham-Middlefield, CT) April 24, 2013 

"As a member of our community we recognize that you have many time consuming responsibilities. We also know that your ability to influence our youth as a positive role model is significant and valuable. We believe this conversation is more important than ever in light of the recent incidents related to underage drinking and other risky behaviors by teens and young adults in our community.
The Durham Middlefield Local Wellness Council has joined Durham Middlefield Youth and Family Services (DMYFS) to sponsor a Community Conversation themed “..and how are the children?” The conversation is specifically designed to bring our community together to support our youth, increase awareness of underage drinking and substance use, and mobilize all to take action on behalf of our youth." Read More

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Parents can help their children avoid alcohol pitfalls during transition from high school to college

Science Codex, April 16, 2013

"Prior research has shown that the transition from high school to college is a particularly vulnerable time, associated with increased alcohol use and risk of negative alcohol-related consequences. While studies have examined the effectiveness of prevention programs to address this problem, few have examined which students may benefit the most. A study of student characteristics has found that parent-based interventions (PBIs) can be effective even among those students feeling high peer pressure to drink alcohol.
 'College matriculation is a vulnerable transition for many youth for many reasons,' said Michael J. Cleveland, research assistant professor at the Prevention Research Center at The Pennsylvania State University and corresponding author for the study. 'Increased freedoms and autonomy – from parental control and from the structure of high school – as well as instability – as new friendships and romantic relationships form – may lead to increased opportunities, and social pressures, for young people to experiment with alcohol and other substances.'" Read More

Most teen-drinking deaths aren't traffic-related

USA Today, April 17, 2013

"MADD is warning parents of teenagers that drunk driving is not the only underage drinking concern. Its analysis of federal data estimates that just 32% of underage drinking deaths are traffic-related.
When it comes to teens and alcohol, drunken driving is far from the only thing that should concern parents. 
That's the message from MADD, whose new analysis of alcohol-related deaths among people 15-20 estimates that 68% of fatalities connected to underage drinking are not traffic related." Read More

State Uses Alcohol Awareness Month To Regulate, Educate

CBS Connecticut (Hartford, CT) April 17, 2013

"The state Department of Consumer Protection is using this Alcohol Awareness Month to highlight the results of ongoing compliance and enforcement efforts to raise awareness when it comes to underage drinking. Commissioner William Rubenstein says the ongoing mission of the Liquor Control Division is to safeguard Connecticut residents by regulating those who distribute and sell alcohol." Read More

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Guilford parents tackle teen drinking, drugs at forum

New Haven Register (Guilford, CT) April 11, 2013

"Parents came together this week to open communication about issues affecting not only local adolescents, but young people across the country.
Issues discussed included underage drinking, drug use among teens and rules regarding house parties. 
Developmental Assets Youth Initiative hosted a World Café Tuesday night at the Nathanael B. Greene Community Center on Church Street. About 15 parents attended the forum." Read More

Hamden Youth Advisory Council Marks Positive Choices Week

Hamden Patch (Hamden, CT) April 12, 2013

"In observance of Alcohol Awareness Month in April, Hamden Youth Advisory Council (HYAC)’s Positive Choices campaign to prevent underage drinking and drug use will promote activities during Hamden’s Positive Choices Week, April 21-27.
During the week, 'positive' events are being held to encourage all Hamden youth and their families to learn and grow in positive ways and to make 'Positive Choices' to live a lifestyle free from the influence of alcohol and drugs." Read More

Community Conversation to address underage drinking

Town Times (Durham, CT) April 12, 2013

"On April 25, the Local Wellness Council with Durham and Middlefield Youth and Family Services will hold one of its series of Community Conversations, this one focusing on substance abuse and specifically underage drinking.
The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Durham Public Library and, according to Betsy Dean of DMYFS, it should be of interest to 'anybody who is invested in the community.'" Read More

David V. Ring: Mentoring is good for business

Stamford Advocate (Stamford, CT) April 12, 2013

"At one time, a student graduating high school meant they had acquired the skills and education necessary to succeed in college, or to pursue a career. While this is still true in many cases, it is becoming increasingly necessary to provide students with extra support and additional resources to help them be successful in both higher education as well as the workforce.
There is a clear need to standardize and elevate K-12 curriculums across the country to make our workforce more college and career ready."  Read More 

Friday, April 12, 2013

Sixth Annual Mentoring-in-Motion Event – Support mentoring programs!

Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park, April 6, 2013

"Celebrate the start of the summer at Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park. For the sixth year, Brownstone is helping to raise awareness of Connecticut children’s mentoring programs including Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, True Colors, the thirteen DCF one on one mentoring partners across the state and the Governors Prevention Partnerships which include 160 programs statewide. This year’s event will be held Saturday, June 15 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m." Read More

Smoking in Youth-Rated Movies Doubles: Report

HealthDay News, April 9, 2013

"Smoking scenes in youth-rated movies doubled in number between 2010 and 2012, and have returned to the same level as a decade ago, according to a new report.
The researchers said the increase -- which comes just a year after the U.S. Surgeon General warned that watching movies with smoking scenes causes youngsters to start smoking -- is a setback for national youth tobacco prevention goals." Read More

Using Study Drugs to Get Better Grades: Why You Should Think Twice

Huffington Post, April 9, 2013

"Between club meetings, sorority mixers, intramural volleyball games, and filling out applications to land that killer summer internship, who even has time to study in college anymore? With such chaotic lives, collegiettes today are typically professional procrastinators. But what's a collegiette to do when it's midnight and she hasn't even started studying for that 8 a.m. exam yet? Several college students across the country have found a risky solution: study drugs.
 Study drugs are prescription stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin that are used inappropriately to increase mental focus and productivity for the purpose of studying. Also called 'smart drugs,' they are commonly prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Used without a prescription, however, these drugs can be dangerous -- not to mention illegal. Despite the risks, about one in five college students reports using study drugs to get a short-term boost of energy for those dreaded all-nighters." Read More

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

CT Broadcasters Association And Big Brothers Big Sisters Public Service Campaign A Success

Hartford Courant (Hartford, CT) April 8, 2013

"A statewide public service campaign to recruit adult mentors for the Connecticut Chapters of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America was a great success, organizers say. In January - National Mentoring Month, the Connecticut Broadcasters Association (CBA) teamed up with the three state Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates for the first time to grow awareness of the importance of mentoring and increase the number of mentors for local youth.
'In January, our Connecticut chapters received over 600 calls from potential volunteers - more than double the number of calls we normally receive,' said Andy Fleischmann, president and CEO of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, the largest of Connecticut's Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies." Read More

ENRICH Mentoring Program Provides Unique After-School Activities for New London Youth

The College Voice (New London, CT) April 8, 2013

"'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.' This quote by Margaret Mead compellingly conveys and furthermore mirrors the roles that students at Connecticut College are playing as they impact not only the lives of others within our community, but also their own — ultimately changing this world one life at a time through the Extended Learning Time Program (ENRICH) here on campus.
'The State of Connecticut is looking at ways to increase learning and close achievement gaps, and with the partnership between the Ford Foundation and the Time Learning Center, to create extended learning time that is both active and engaging,' said Associate Dean of Volunteer Services Tracee Reiser." Read More

New national study examines marijuana use and prescription drug misuse

News Medical, April 9, 2013

"Individuals who use marijuana recreationally are more likely to misuse other drugs, including pain-controlling, but potentially addictive narcotics, sedatives and other prescription medications, than individuals who do not use marijuana, according to a new national study issued today by Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services.
The study also found that while marijuana was the most frequently abused drug of patients tested, individuals who used prescribed marijuana (prescription cannabinoids) were not more likely to misuse other drugs than non-marijuana users." Read More

Monday, April 8, 2013

Substance Abuse Will be Topic of West Hartford Town Hall Meeting

West Hartford Patch (West Hartford, CT) April 5, 2013

"Teen substance abuse will be the topic of discussion at the second Annual West Hartford Town Hall Meeting for middle and high school students and their parents, which will be held on Monday, April 8 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Town Hall Auditorium.
The free program, 'What's the Buzz? Choices and Consequences,' is designed to raise awareness, educate and empower the community to prevent underage drinking and prescription drug abuse and misuse in West Hartford." Read More

Big Brothers Big Sisters will ‘Bowl For Kids’ Sake’

Fairfield Sun (Fairfield, CT) April 5, 2013

"Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Connecticut (BBBSSWCT) is appealing to the community to support Bowl for Kids’ Sake, the organization’s biggest annual fund-raiser that raises money needed to carefully pair volunteer mentors with children who face adversity in staff-supported, long-term mentoring friendships. This year, the event at Nutmeg Bowl of Fairfield, 802 Villa Ave., on Saturday, May 4." Read More

United Way of Northwest Connecticut looking for local residents to volunteer as mentors

Register Citizen (Torrington, CT) April 4, 2013

"The United Way of Northwest Connecticut is spotlighting one United Way member to prove how easy it is to get involved with mentoring in Litchfield County.
Jennifer Ives-Groebl, assistant vice president at Litchfield Bancorp, volunteers with a mentoring program through Education Connection in Litchfield.
According to a United Way news release, the United Way Worldwide reached out to people in communities across the country in 2011 to join their One Million Mentors outreach initiative." Read More

New Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters Recruiter Seeks Volunteers For Latino Mentoring Program

Hartford Courant (Hartford, CT) April 5, 2013

"Elizabeth Suarez of Torrington has joined Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, Connecticut's premier youth mentoring organization. She will be Nutmeg's Latino Mentoring Program Recruiter. The announcement was made recently by management at the 47-year-old non-profit.
'This is a tremendous opportunity for me,' said Suarez. 'Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters has a Latino Mentoring Program that offers meaningful benefits to the state's Latino communities. My challenge is to make those communities more aware of Nutmeg's Latino Mentoring Program and to encourage Latinos, especially Latino males, to take part in it as volunteer mentors.'" Read More

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Drinking, drugs more common for kids of deployed

Chicago Tribune (New York, NY) April 3, 2013

"Teens and preteens with a parent deployed in the military may be more likely to binge drink or misuse prescription drugs, according to a new study.
Previous studies have found that with a parent's multiple deployments come higher levels of depression and more thoughts of suicide among children. But the new study is the first to focus on alcohol and drug use, senior author Stephan Arndt told Reuters Health.
'What was sort of surprising to me was that I had expected those effects for high school (students), but we saw it in sixth graders too,' said Arndt, a psychiatry researcher at the University of Iowa in Iowa City." Read More

Study Reveals 75% Of Teens Report Increased Knowledge From Prescription Drug Prevention Program

Market Watch (Orlando, FL) April 3, 2013

"Results released this week by the independent research firm Touchstone Research Institute, reveals the 2012 teen prescription drug abuse pilot program, WAKE UP!, to be a success. Compared to a benchmark survey of approximately 3,800 students conducted prior to the program launch, data shows that more than 75 percent of all respondents were significantly more aware of the dangers of misusing and abusing prescription drugs.
According to the U.S Office of National Drug Control Policy, most teens initially get prescription pills from family and friends, including straight from home medicine cabinets. Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic in the United States. More than one-third of those abusing prescription drugs in the U.S. are between the ages of 12-17. Deaths from prescription drug overdoses have become the second leading cause of accidental deaths nationwide, and the leading cause in as many as 15 states." Read More

Torrington High School hosts discussion on underage drinking and drug use

Register Citizen (Torrington, CT) April 3, 2013

"The Northwest Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking presented a well-rounded discussion about underage drinking and drug use with a panel of local experts in Torrington High School’s Little Theater Wednesday night.
The coalition includes representatives from Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, the Governor’s Prevention Partnership, local and state officials, Oliver Wolcott Technical High School faculty, the Torrington Police Department, the Torrington Public Schools Superintendent, administration, faculty, students and others." Read More

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

"Our Kids, Our Home, Our Community" A Prevention Discussion On Underage Drinking

Hartford Courant (Hartford, CT) April 1, 2013

"McCall Foundation's prevention department and the Northwest Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking presents 'Our Kids, Our Homes, Our Community', an event for parents and students in Litchfield County. The event will provide drug and alcohol prevention information through a panel discussion. The panel will be moderated by State Representative Michelle Cook, and features local professionals: Judge Thomas Upson, Torrington superior court for Juvenile Matters; Dr. Mark Prete, MD, FACEP, chief medical officer and emergency physician at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital; Paul Mahler, LCSW, McCall Foundation clinical director; Lt. Mike Emanuel, Torrington police department; and a person in recovery." Read More

The Governor's Prevention Partnership to Hold a Community Parents Forum at WestConn

HamletHub (Ridgefield, CT) April 2, 2013

"On Thursday, April 4th, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, there is a Community Parent Forum ~ Empowering your Kids to Feel Safe at the Midtown Student Center Theater (181 White Street, Danbury) on the Midtown Campus of Western Connecticut State University. Co-sponsored by the Governor's Prevention Partnership and local business, Praxair, this forum is designed to discuss and share resources and tools available to parents and other caring adults, enabling them to not only ensure that children feel safe, protected, and supported but to encourage youth to show respect for themselves and others. Time will be allotted for a question and answer session with the panelists." Read More