commitment to supporting and celebrating health and futures filled with promise. Drug Free Duval has held Health Fairs at Bishop Kenny High School, Stanton College Preparatory School and St. Patrick’s Catholic School. Tese fairs focus on drug abuse, prevention and dealing with peer pressure. Programs like these are helpful throughout the year, but can make even more of an impact on students when an event like prom is on the horizon. “My parents and different presentations have shown me that I can have a great time at prom without being pressured into something bad,” says a Bishop Kenny student.
Several areas have implemented a
program through AAA called PROMise. First Coast high schools have pledge posters which can be signed as they enter prom, reminding them to stay safe. Te PROMise is composed of the following, “I promise not to drink alcohol or take drugs. I promise not to drive under the influence. I promise not to let my friends drive under the influence. I promise my parents I will get home safely.” Besides the agreement, AAA provides videos with personal testimonies of students who have experienced the effects of an alcohol or drug related car crash. Te hope of both the pledge and the videos is to truly instill how a bad decision can have disastrous long-term effects.
Careless decisions can be made any
day, but peer pressure can be worse around prom. Te Child Guidance Center specializes in helping teens manage their behavior. If you feel that drugs or alcohol may be a problem for your child, there are services available including counseling with a focus on substance abuse. Te goal is to assist children, teens and families in reaching their fullest potential. “Try to build good communication with your teenager,” says Dr. Teresa Rulien, CEO of the Child Guidance Center. “You don’t want to wait until the last minute to try and have a serious conversation because they aren’t going to listen. Decisions need to be made beforehand about anything bad that teens could come across. Tat commitment that was previously made needs to be something to stand by. Letting your child use you as their scapegoat is a good plan. If they feel uncomfortable in any way it’s important to have a safety net to fall back on. I always told my kids if they needed to blame my husband or me to do it. Doing this can help the teen out of a bad situation, yet make them still look cool,” says Dr. Rulien.
Parents, students and school
administration agree that prom can be both fun and safe. One mindless mistake can change life in the blink of an eye. Use all resources available and keep communication open with your teen. Tis way you can relax and snap a few photos before your teen is whisked away for an evening of enjoyment!
Photo by Cherish Live Dream Photography,
cld-photo.com
HERITAGE PUBLISHING, INC. © 2014
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