HICKORY COUNTY TEEN COUNCIL

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HICKORY COUNTYTEEN COUNCIL

• YOU GAIN WHEN YOU ABSTAIN!

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TEEN ADVISORY BOARD

• Initially, we came together to work with the
  health department to identify issues that
  teenagers in Hickory County deal with on a daily
  basis.

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Know it-prove it

• We identified 5 issues from our own observations,
  but have found out the issues are statistically
  proven.

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The Top 5 problems teens in Hickory Countydeal
with are

• Violence
• Teen Pregnancy (Sex)
• Tobacco
• Drugs
• Alcohol

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What we found out about Hickory County

• Child abuse and neglect has tripled from the
  years 1997 and 2001 in Hickory County. According
  to KIDSCOUNT 2002, child abuse and neglect
  increased from 31 to 93.
• Juvenile law violations increased from 16.2 in
  1997 to 37.2 in 2000.
• Research shows that physical or sexual abuse is
  part of 1 in 3 high school relationships.
  (www.ndvh.org)

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What we found out about Violence

• Children who live in a violent environment
  believe that this behavior is acceptable.
• According to researchers, the more violence teens
  witnessed, the more likely they were to smoke
  cigarettes or marijuana, consume alcohol, or use
  hard drugs.

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Hickory County Teen Pregnancy

• In 2003, 17 of the live births in Hickory County
  were to teenagers.
• Hickory County has almost twice the state rate
  for teen pregnancy.
• In 2003, 22 of the women who gave birth have
  less than a high school education.

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Teen Pregnancy

• Teen moms are less likely to complete their high
  school education.
• Women who have children as teens have more
  financial problems.
• Children born to teens in rural areas are less
  likely to receive adequate health, financial, and
  parenting support.

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STDs

• More than 65 million people in the United States
  are currently living with an incurable STD.
• An additional 15 million people (41,000 a day)
  become infected with an STD each year. Half of
  these will be lifelong infections.
• Source CDC, 2001

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Hickory County and Tobacco

• Approximately 30 of residents in Hickory County
  smoke tobacco.
• 43 of the sixth grade students surveyed in
  Hickory County reported to have smoked a
  cigarette in 2003.
• 13 of the same sixth grade students reported
  that they smoke cigarettes currently.
• The fifth grade students only had 1 student
  report to have smoked a cigarette.

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Did you know

• Cigarettes kill more than 400,000 Americans
  every year more deaths from Aids, alcohol, car
  accidents, murders, suicides, drugs and fires,
  combined.
• Almost 90 of adult smokers started at or before
  the age of 18.

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Drugs

• Drugs are not just a big city problem.
• Twelve to fourteen year olds that live in smaller
  towns are 104 more likely to use meth than those
  who live in larger cities.
• More teens are in treatment for marijuana than
  for treatment of all other drugs combined.

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Alcohol

• 1/3 of all Missouris youth begin DRINKING by the
  time they are 12 years old!

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Alcohol

• Children who begin drinking before the age of 15
  are four times more likely to develop alcoholism
  than those who begin drinking at age 21.
• 37 of eighth grade girls who drink regularly
  admit that they have also attempted suicide.
• Source National Institute on Alcohol and
  Alcoholism

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What can we do about it?

• We can work together to make it acceptable to
  abstain from violence, sex, drugs, alcohol and
  tobacco.

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Why Abstinence?

• Abstain To refrain from something voluntarily.
• Abstinence does not just relate to sexual
  behavior.
• Abstinence relates and should be taken on any
  behavior that could harm you or others.

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How do we abstain?

• Accountability
• The members signed a contract to fully abstain
  from the use of or promotion of drugs, alcohol,
  and any sexual activity.
• All members agreed to be an example and leader to
  their community and school.
• Members agreed to be accountable to every and all
  group members. Members agree to support and
  encourage one another.

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What are we doing about it?

• In our first year we
• Created a video on GOALS
• Created presentation
• Created brochures (printed by CMH)
• Gained support from CMH, Pathways, Community
  Improvements Coalition, Hickory County Community
  Foundation and local schools.

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Created a logo

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Mentored younger students

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Mentoring

• Mentors are held accountable to practice what we
  preach.
• Mentors team with younger students to present
  information on goal setting and decision making.
• Mentors encourage students to make their dreams
  come true.

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Mentoring Outcomes

• 87 of the 5th grade students signed a letter to
  stay tobacco free in 2003.
• All, but one, remained tobacco free.
• 85 reported they learned to make better choices.

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What we learned from them

• 37 of the students say they have never discussed
  personal relationships or teen pregnancy with
  their parents.
• An additional 23 of the students say they have
  only discussed it once with their parents.

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• 17 of the students think that if a teenage girl
  were to have a baby she will be much better off
  and happier.
• 28 disagree that abstinence is acceptable.

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What the younger students had to say

• I loved to have the teens come hang with us.
• I like the older kids coming in, I also liked
  to stay smoke free for the rest of my life.
• We got to speak our mind when we had mentors.
• I like getting to talk to a person that I know I
  can trust.
• I liked our mentors. They helped us understand
  stuff.
• I liked that they helped us find goals.

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TEEN COUNCIL GOALS

• We want to decrease the percentage of students
  who are involved with violence, sex, drugs,
  alcohol and tobacco.
• We want to increase community sponsored
  activities for teens in Hickory County.

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GOALS

• To have community Teen Council to develop and
  promote abstinence.
• To develop a Media Campaign and create
• a billboard, t-shirts, website, cable
  commercial, brochures, community presentations,
  etc
• Develop council to plan community projects and
  activities.

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Help us get the word out

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Contact us

• www.hickorycountymo.com
• or
• Hickory County Teen Council
• c/o HCHD
• P.O. Box 21
• Hermitage, MO 65668