Blog Category

The Things Kids Do

Looking Forward To The New School Year

Looking Forward To The New School Year

The Wellness & Prevention Center has been supporting families as they return back to school for five years, and there are some common concerns that we hear from teens, families, and educators each year. I have been in touch with administrators at our middle and...

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Youth in the Spotlight

Youth in the Spotlight

The Wellness & Prevention Center believes that empowering youth is key to successful prevention efforts and building healthy communities. In March, we honor the young people who choose to make a difference in the lives of their peers and community. From campus...

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Because I Love You (BILY) Parent Support Group

By Gina Sisca Hazlett When Susan Parmelee asked me to write a guest Wellness & Prevention column the answer was an easy yes. The Wellness &  Prevention Coalition was established to bring resources together that support healthy youth and families in South...

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Under Pressure: Coping With Teen Pressure

I have asked Ashley Granger to write this month’s column as a preview to our January Teen Toolbox panel presentation. The pressures on our teens continue to increase, and sadly suicide is now the 2nd leading cause of death for youth ages 11-24, second only to...

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Keeping Spirits Bright

As we transition from Thanksgiving into the winter holidays, I find myself both excited and a little anxious as in the past I was known in my family for being so worried about the perfect Christmas that I often turned into the Grinch. Now, a few years older and wiser,...

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Congratulations Graduates, Celebrate Safely

June is an exciting time of year, particularly for our high school graduates and their families. May and June are also the months where youth impaired (this includes illegal substance use, distractions and cell phone use) driving accidents peak. Tie a red ribbon on...

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Do You Know About the Juul? Your Teen Probably Does.

Acetaldehyde, benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, isoprene, lead, nickel, n-nitrosonornicotine, and toluene have been found in e-cigarettes and vapes. Sadly, the FDA decided to allow Phillip Morris to advertise a vaping device as “safer than cigarettes.” And even more...

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Parents: The Homecoming parade and dance almost here.

Parents:With the Homecoming parade and dance almost here, have you set some guidelines and expectations for your teen while they’re out celebrating? Drugs and alcohol may be present at any of the events before and after the parade, game and dance, so it’s important to...

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We All Need to Talk About Accidental Overdoses

Monday was International Overdose Awareness Day. An average of five people died of overdose every hour in the United States in 2011 and overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death nationwide, according to the Center for Disease Control. Sadly, most families...

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“It is not just weed”

The data is in that medical marijuana laws have not significantly increased the number of youth using marijuana. However there is concern that newer blasé attitudes towards marijuana amongst adults and kids have resulted in more frequent use among youth and an...

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