Wood County Prevention
Eastwood Local Schools- October 2017
Let's Talk- Kyla McCoy
http://nbc24.com/news/local/students-hold-opiate-forum-to-drive-community-conversation
Red Ribbon Week- Allie Lucas
Monday: PJ Day “Follow Your Dreams. Don't Do Drugs"
Tuesday: Hawaiian Day "Lei Off Drugs"
Wednesday: Nerd Day "Be Smart, Don't Do drugs"
Thursday: Halloween Costumes "Scare Away Drugs!"
Friday: Wear Red "Red-y to live drug free"
In addition to these fun days, OSA also had a table set up every morning where anyone who participated in the theme for the day could write their name down and put it in the bucket for their grade. Every day there was a drawing and one lucky person in each grade would receive a fun prize. Red ribbon week is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness about harmful drugs and alcohol, and bring the school together.
Team Recovery- Ashley Hodulik
One Step Ahead/ Junior Teen Institute
One Step Ahead (OSA) is a drug free leadership program 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.
If you are in middle school the group is called Junior Teen Institute. Same concept different name.
Our meeting times for One Step Ahead will be the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month at 7:20am in the Eagles Nest.
November JTI Meetings:
Tuesday November 14th during AA
Monday November 27th during AA
Start Talking: Know! To Foster Empathy for Bullying Prevention
October is National Bullying Prevention Month.
In the previous tip, Know! The End of Bullying Begins With YOU, we learned that in 2016, more than one in five students reported being bullied, and that regardless of what position a child is in - a target, bully, or bystander – they are at increased risk for a variety of mental health and behavioral problems, including substance abuse.
In addition to positive role modeling and conversations specifically telling students, “It is never ok to hurt, harm, or humiliate another person with your words or behavior,” we can further help prevent bullying by fostering empathy.
By definition, empathy is the power to understand perspectives other than your own; the ability to recognize and share the emotions of another person. Essentially it is, “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.”
Experts say empathy is an essential life skill that all youth should be taught to master, and that those youth who are more empathetic tend to perform better in school and have healthier relationships. It is a popular belief, in fact, that a person’s emotional intelligence or emotional quotient (E.Q.), which includes one’s ability to empathize, carries more weight than a person’s intelligence quotient (I.Q.) when it comes to determining one’s overall success in life. Empathy is also an essential factor in teaching youth what bullying is and how NOT to engage in it.
Here are some ways to teach and strengthen your students’ ability to empathize (according to TeachHub.com):
- Be a positive example: Your students spend a great deal of time with you and your influence is mighty. Keep in mind that they are learning from your character and behaviors as much as they are from your academic instruction. Be a consistent, positive role model of empathy, showing a caring, compassionate, understanding attitude toward your students and others.
- Create the environment: Establish an environment of trust and understanding within your classroom, so that students are more likely to open up and be open-minded toward others.
- Include lots of stories: Stories are perhaps the closest thing we have to “Walking around in someone else’s skin.” They make us more human and develop our ability to understand and sympathize with others’ experiences.
- Work on communication strategies: The idea here is to help students find the words to express their feelings, in both their speaking and their writing.
- Offer collaborative group tasks: As students work together they experience somewhat of a group molding that brings them together, sharing in victory or sometimes in defeat. In either case, they experience it together and that allows them to practice empathy with their peers.
- Identify shared values and differences: Provide opportunities for your students to be open with one another through discussions and activities to learn what others’ perspectives might include.
- Free and structured interaction: Having students freely interact within the classroom can help to build bonds between groups and open the door to mutual understanding.
While some students are naturally more empathetic than others, it is truly a skill that can be fostered and strengthened. As instructors, you are in a position to help build bridges between individuals with diverse perspectives, teaching them to look beyond themselves and be mindful, understanding, respectful, and considerate of other student’s complex emotions, feelings, and experiences.
In The Media
Here are a couple of news articles to keep you updated of what is going on in our society. It is important to know this type of information when it comes to educating your youth.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sc-fam-sober-dorms-1017-story.html
On-Site Prevention Specialist- Hannah Madaras
I am the On-Site Prevention Specialist for Eastwood Local Schools. I am in the district every Tuesday and Friday.
My responsibilities:
- Problem Identification (Referrals: Behavior, ATOD use, social support)
- Life Skills Education Classes in HS
- Class Action Education Classes in HS
- Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainer
- One Step Ahead Advisor
- Junior Teen Institute Advisor
Email: hmadaras@eastwoodschools.org
Location: Eastwood High School, Sugar Ridge Road, Pemberville, OH, United States
Phone: 419-833-6411
Twitter: @ewprevention