FOR KIDS ONLY

Kids Day – September 13

State College Area School District web site

Top Activities that Teens Do:

1) Sports - baseball, basketball, soccer, skiing, snowboarding, skating, hockey, field hockey, skateboarding, track and field, football ultimate Frisbee, swimming, the list goes on.....
2) Go to movies at the theatre
3) Play video games
4) Watch T.V.
5) Play on the Computer, Surf the Web
6) Chat on the Internet - MSN, ICQ
7) Read books
8) Do homework
9) Go shopping
10) Hang out with friends
11) Rollerblading
12) Go to dances
13) Go on Dates
14) Go to Parties
15) Learn to drive
16) Work
17) Work out at the gym
18) Listen to music
19) Talk on the Phone
20) Gossip
21) Read magazines
22) Collect things
23) Volunteer in the Community
24) Baby-sit younger children
25) Go out for dinner
26) Start a businesses
27) Make WebPages
28) Paint, draw, sculpt and sketch
29) Write short stories and poetry
30) Play! – Yup, you are never too old to play!

31) Rent movies and video games
32) Shop online
33) Have sleepovers
34) Redecorate their bedrooms
35) Plan for the future - schools and career options
36) Hang out with siblings
37) Make a difference in the community or schools - i.e., join student counsel
38) Experiment with their images - i.e., dye their hair or get their nose pierced!
39) Go on group dates
40) Travel with their families or their schools
41) Go camping
Source: http://www.teensadvisor.com/teen-activities.html

Underage Drinking

Materials below are drawn from the PA Liquor Control Board’s website http://www.dontletminorsdrink.com/intervention/overview.shtml

As your body grows, so do the temptations that affect it. While drinking alcohol may seem like a harmless way to have fun, it is dangerous and can be deadly. Learn the facts about underage drinking before you have to face them. There’s a reason why the legal U.S. drinking age is 21.

Important Terms Regarding Alcohol

Alcohol poisoning

Drinking too much in a short amount of time can give a person alcohol poisoning, which is a serious medical condition that can result in death. If you think someone has alcohol poisoning, call for help immediately.

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning can include irregular breathing, excessive vomiting, unconsciousness, and cold, bluish skin. Know what to do in the event of alcohol poisoning by downloading the PDF below.

Good Night or Good Bye? (Alcohol Poisoning: Know what to do)

Alcoholism

You might think of alcoholism as an adult problem, but it’s a disorder that can start with underage drinking. In fact, if you start drinking before the age of 21, you’re more likely to develop an addiction because your body is still developing. Also, if you have a family history of alcoholism, you may be more likely to develop a problem.

Symptoms of alcoholism may include cravings for alcohol, repeated, excessive drinking, withdrawal symptoms when cutting back on drinking, and higher tolerance to alcohol.

Alcoholism can cause many social and health problems. Long-term addiction can lead to life-threatening conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver.

High-risk drinking

Drinking large amounts of alcohol (about five or more drinks) during a single occasion is considered high-risk drinking. It’s an especially big problem with inexperienced drinkers, such as high school and college students. Teens who engage in high-risk drinking are more likely to damage property, have trouble with authorities, have hangovers, and experience injuries than those who do not.

Someone who is participating in high-risk drinking may be visibly intoxicated. High-risk drinking can lead to blackouts, vomiting, and alcohol poisoning.

Peer pressure

Peer pressure is the influence that people who are about the same age have over each other. It can be both positive and negative. This is a very real pressure that you face every day, but is never a good reason to drink.

There are many ways to turn down alcohol when being pressured to drink. You can say something like, “No thanks, I don’t want to get kicked off the team,” or “I’m not feeling too well, I’d better not.”

Avoid being pressured into drinking:

Think through the situation. It’s too easy to act first and think later based on what you’re feeling at the time. Think about the consequences. It could save you a headache later, and could even save your life.

Be prepared ahead of time. Know what you will say when tempted with alcohol. Know your values and where you stand on issues like alcohol, drugs, and sex. Then, don’t let yourself down. Stand up for what you believe.

Think of yourself as a leader and take the initiative to walk away. Choose something positive to do instead—a hobby, a sport, or having fun with some friends who aren’t drinking

It is well known that alcohol impairs your learning and memory. It also interferes with your ability to form new memories. Drinking large amounts, especially in a short period of time, can cause partial or complete blackouts—the inability to remember events that took place while a person was drinking. Drinking affects your coordination, balance, concentration, reflexes, vision, reason, and judgment. It can also cause slurred speech, dizziness, and vomiting.

Alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream, where it is carried to the rest of your body. Some of the parts of your body it affects are:

• Liver - The liver filters blood, but can only metabolize alcohol at a limited rate. Excess alcohol invades the liver cells and this can lead to diseases such as cirrhosis and cancer.

• Stomach - Alcohol can make you sick to your stomach and can cause ulcers and other problems in long-term drinkers.

• Heart - Alcohol can overwork your heart. This can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.

• Brain - Alcohol kills your brain cells. It depresses your central nervous system. This means it impairs your coordination, balance, concentration, reflexes, vision, reason, and judgment.

Biological Impacts of Alcohol Use: An Overview

The stimulating effects you get from alcohol are not caused by feelings of joy. They’re caused by a slowing of your brain functions. Alcohol abuse leads to liver and heart problems, stomach ulcers, and blood conditions.

http://www.oregoncounseling.org

Alcohol’s Effects on Teens

With the adolescent body changing so rapidly, it’s easier for alcohol to cause problems. Early use of alcohol can lead to alcohol dependence later in life. It can also lead to extended memory loss by actually shrinking parts of the brain. And, even though many kids think they’re drinking to alleviate stress, depression or anxiety, alcohol actually increases those problems. This research looks at the many consequences that result from alcohol use by minors.
 

It is important for you and your friends to make the right decisions when it comes to alcohol. Drinking isn’t worth getting kicked out of school, losing your job, having to pay fines, and possibly even going to jail.

Personal Consequences

If you drink underage...

• You could lose privileges and your parents’ trust.

• You could get expelled from your school, sports teams, or extracurricular activities.

• Your grades and schoolwork can suffer due to brain cell damage.

• You could hurt your ability to get a job after graduation.

• You can more easily become a victim of date or acquaintance rape.

• Your poor decision-making can lead to pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

• You can hurt the development of your coping skills and emotional maturity.

• You will have a greater chance of addiction (alcoholism).

Legal Consequences

• Underage Drinking - It is illegal for anyone under 21 years of age to possess, purchase, attempt to purchase, consume, or transport any liquor, malt, or brewed beverages.

• Driving Under the Influence - If you’re under 21 years of age and caught driving with any measurable amount of alcohol in your blood, you may be arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI).

• Misrepresentations of Age - It is illegal for anyone under 21 years of age to knowingly and falsely represent himself or herself to be 21 or older to any licensed dealer, distributor, or other person, for the purpose of obtaining any liquor, malt, or brewed beverages.

If you commit any of these offenses, you can:

• Lose your driver’s license for up to 90 days (starting on your 16th birthday, if you are younger).

• Have to pay fines of up to $300 plus court costs.

• Spend up to 90 days in jail.

Health Consequences

Not only does drinking underage have personal and legal consequences, it also has serious health consequences.

Middle School/High School Students

The PA Liquor Control Board has recommended these links for Middle School and High School Students to check out:

Girl Power!
This website will let you know what alcohol can do to your body. It’ll also give some advice on how to deal with someone in your family who may have a problem with alcohol.
http://www.girlpower.gov/girlarea/bodyfx/alcohol.htm
http://www.girlpower.gov/girlarea/notalone/index.htm

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
This peer leadership organization offers student-to-student prevention and intervention tools for dealing with underage drinking, drug use, impaired driving, and other harmful decisions.
http://www.sadd.org/

The Cool Spot
Go to this website to learn the truth about alcohol use among teens. Find out the facts about what alcohol can do to you, and also learn how to deal with peer pressure.
http://www.thecoolspot.gov/

Youthinaction.org
This website was created as a way for you to get involved in limiting alcohol access in your communities. Here you’ll find links to other underage drinking websites as well as information on joining with local law enforcement to set up programs in your community.
http://www.youthinaction.org/index.cfm?cID=getFacts&scID=targetedLinks

Free Vibe
With an emphasis on how alcohol is marketed to teens, this website tells you how to separate the truth from fiction and what to do if your friend or parent has a problem with alcohol.
Alcohol Information: http://www.freevibe.com/Drug_Facts/alcohol.asp
If your friend has a problem: http://www.freevibe.com/stepup/index.asp
If your parent(s) has a problem: http://www.freevibe.com/talking/index.asp

Century Council
Operating under the premise of open communication, this non-profit center provides a wealth of programs dedicated to helping you learn about the issues of drunk driving and underage drinking. A variety of innovative CD-ROMs are available for you to watch.
http://www.centurycouncil.org/main/students.html

Alcohol and Drug Information
This “Tips for Teens” website answers common questions about alcohol, tells you how to figure out if your friend has a problem with drinking, and lets you know the facts behind underage drinking.
http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/ph323

Al-Anon/Alateen
This website introduces you to the Twelve Step Program and encourages help and education with alcohol abuse through like-minded experiences.
http://www.al-anon.alateen.org

Girlshealth.org
Girls can go to this website to see what effects alcohol can have on their bodies. You’ll also learn the truth behind high-risk drinking, underage drinking laws, and alcohol addiction.
http://www.girlshealth.gov/substance/alcohol.htm

Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free
This website tells you what alcohol can do to you (now and later in life), offers solutions for dealing with peer pressure, and provides a huge list of resources for learning more about underage drinking.
http://www.alcoholfreechildren.org/en/audiences/youth.cfm

Check Yourself – Alcohol Quiz
Take an alcohol quiz at www.checkyourself.com where you also find stories, message boards, videos and information to "check" your relationship with drugs and alcohol.
Click here to take the alcohol quiz.

A Guide to Safe & Sober Event Planning
This website will help you and your parents set up non-alcoholic parties. In addition to a list of party themes and calendars, resources are also provided for getting your school and other kids involved in the process.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/alcohol/PartiesRock/section1-3.html

Party Right at Graduation
Graduation is an important time in your life: a blend of accomplishment, relief, and stress that could cloud your judgment. That is why it’s important to talk to an adult role model before you attend any graduation parties where alcohol may be served. Teens should be made aware of the dangers of alcohol consumption. The lowering of inhibitions and loss of memory from drinking could lead to bad decisions such as drunk driving, fighting, vandalism, and unsafe sex. And, even worse, alcohol poisoning could kill you.
http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/media/NIAAA_Grad_Flyer_NEW.pdf

Top 10 Things I Bet You Didn’t Know About Underage Drinking
The information found in the below PDF was developed and reported by a group of Altoona Area teenage Girl Scouts, who participated in a project to reduce underage and high risk drinking in the Blair county communities. The girls came up with a comprehensive list of the top ten things that most teens probably don’t know about underage and high risk drinking. The project was supervised by the Altoona Regional Health System Drug and Alcohol Prevention Office with a grant from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB).
http://www.dontletminorsdrink.com/downloads/girlscout.pdf

Elementary Students

Links for Elementary Students to check out:

Poster
This downloadable poster will tell you what to do if you’re ever in a car with someone who has been drinking alcohol.
http://www.madd.org/docs/5rules.pdf

KidsHealth
Did you know that most kids think drinking is not cool? Go to this website and find out what else the other kids are saying about drinking alcohol.
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/poll_alcohol.html
 

Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free
This website tells you what alcohol can do to your body and helps you deal with other kids who are trying to make you drink.
http://www.alcoholfreechildren.org/en/audiences/youth.cfm

PLCB Kids’ Zone Page
With games, puzzles, songs and more, this website helps you have fun while learning all about alcohol. You can even get your own membership card!
http://www.lcb.state.pa.us/webapp/edu/youth/elementary/index.asp?eduNav=|32527|

New Statistics on Underage Drinking

Though some students believe that underage drinking isn’t a big problem or that there is nothing they can do to make it go away, current data has revealed startling new facts in regards to the problem’s growth and effects. Below are just a few of the recent findings.

Brain Development Statistics

Fifteen to sixteen year olds in treatment for alcohol dependence perform more poorly on tests of memory and attention than healthy control subjects.

Cognitive impairments have been detected in adolescent alcohol abusers weeks after they stop drinking.

Adolescents might be able to stay awake and mobile at higher blood alcohol levels than their adult counterparts, all the while being more vulnerable to alcohol-induced cognitive impairments and, perhaps, brain damage.

Substance Use and the Adolescent Brain: An Overview with a Focus on Alcohol

Studies Show That Girls Drink More Than Boys

In 2004 alone, 1.5 million adolescent girls started using alcohol compared to only 1.29 million boys.

In 2005, 58.1 percent of males age 12 or older were current drinkers, higher than the rate for females (45.9 percent). However, among youths age 12 to 17, the percentage of females who were current drinkers (17.2 percent) was higher than that for males (15.9 percent).

Adolescent girls are more likely than boys to drink to fit in with their friends, while boys drink largely for other reasons and then join a group that also drinks.

Eighteen percent of teenage girls reported drinking alcohol in the past month compared to 17.2 percent of teenage boys.

Average Trial Age of Alcohol

In a survey of Americans age 12 to 17, the average person took their first drink before age 13.

Every day in the United States, over 5,400 kids under age 16 have their first full drink of alcohol.

Youth who use alcohol before age 15 are four times more likely to be alcohol dependent than adults whose first drink is at the legal age of 21.

Twelve- to fourteen-year-old high-risk drinkers consume 92 percent of the alcohol consumed by their age group.

In a national study, 17.1 percent of eighth-graders reported having at least one drink in the past 30 days, and 14.1 percent had been drunk at least once in the past year.

A study of 12 year olds found that children who were more aware of beer advertising expressed an intention to drink more often as adults than did children who were less knowledgeable about the ads.

A 1996 study of children age 9 to 11 found that they were more familiar with the Budweiser frogs than Tony the Tiger, the Power Rangers, or Smokey the Bear.

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/3566.html
http://camy.org/factsheets/index.php?FactsheetID=5

Source: PA Liquor Control Board: http://www.dontletminorsdrink.com/studstudgroups/stats.shtml

WORD FIND

Some kids say they drink because they've got nothing to do, but if you look around, you'll find lots of fun, healthy things to do! Here's just a few suggestions:

Print out this page, and then see if you can find these activities in the puzzle below. The words might go across, backwards, up, down, or diagonally!

Source: PA Liquor Control Board

IF do links, this would be good one which below is from….probalhy not include unless delete some above.

http://www.lcb.state.pa.us/edu/cwp/view.asp?a=1346&q=555026&eduNav=|32527|

105 Timber Ridge Road
State College, Pennsylvania  16801
A Centre County United Way Collaborative Effort
814-237-6191