Teens in the News...

CAST holds Teen Leadership Training

Life of an Athlete

Friday, September 7, 2012 - Community Action for Safe Teens recently held a Teen Leadership Training Initiative at Hollis Brookline High School.

The training was led by N.H. Teen Institute and New Futures advocacy organization with efforts to promote leadership activities, encourage teens to make healthy choices, and advocate for social change on a local level. Twenty-two students from Souhegan Valley – Hollis Brookline High School, Milford High School and Souhegan High School – participated in the leadership and advocacy training and have made a commitment to move forward and encourage their peers to maintain a healthy, positive, drug free environment in their respective schools and communities. Funding for this program was provided by the Milford Hospital Association. CAST is a chartered committee of the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley Boys and the mission of CAST is to support and strengthen families, reduce the use/abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and encourage healthy choices by teens through increasing community awareness and action. CAST serves the communities of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Lyndeborough, Milford, Mont Vernon and Wilton. If you are interested in learning more about CAST or participating in any capacity please contact co-chairwomen Monica Gallant at 672-6115 or Paula Troie at 249-6792 or visit castnh.org.

For more information about BGCSV, call Susan Taylor at 672-1002, ext. 15, or visit svbgc.org.

Milford-Area Teens create Anti-Drug Public Service Announcements

Thursday, February 9, 2012 - Community Action for Safe Teens recently hosted a Media Power & You in Action Workshop in which 18 teenagers created three Healthy Choices public service announcements that will be broadcast locally.

These teens represented youth from the Hollis/Brookline, Milford, Souhegan and Wilton/Lyndeborough high schools. The training was provided by Media Power Youth, of Manchester. Media Power Youth members are the resident experts in teaching youth how media can be used to promote healthy choices and avoid at-risk behaviors.

In this workshop, students learned media literacy skills and how media markets alcohol and other substances. They learned how to develop “the positive message,” created their own skits and storyboards, and by the end of the day created their own public service announcements to be shared with their peers and community. These PSAs focused on underage drinking, marijuana use and prescription drug abuse, all of which can have dire consequences if not taken seriously.

Research indicates that one of the most effective ways of reaching out to young people is through their peers, and this is what these teens hope to do. The parents and community of these teenagers should be very proud of the work that was done as well as the attitudes and ideas that these teens are willing to contribute to society. These videos may be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=q253OmnC4Bs.

Funding for this project was provided by the Milford Hospital Association and the Hollis/Brookline PTSA. The mission of Community Action for Safe Teens is to support and strengthen families; reduce the use/abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; and encourage healthy choices by teens through increasing community awareness and action. CAST serves the communities of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Lyndeborough, Milford, Mont Vernon and Wilton. For more information, visit their Web site at www.castnh.org or call Monica Gallant at 672-6115 or Paula Troie at 249-6792. They are always looking for youth and community members who are interested in raising awareness and taking action regarding illicit substance use.

Student athlete leaders from Hollis/Brookline, Milford and Souhegan High Schools come together and encourage schools and communities to incorporate the Life of an Athlete program into their athletics. This comprehensive, proactive approach is a sure way to increase positive lifestyle choices for all members of the community.

The Life of an Athlete (LoA) is a comprehensive program developed by Olympic trainer John Underwood that identifies and works with all aspects of high school athletics, including coaches, athletic directors, administrators, parents, communities, prevention professionals, and athletes themselves with a proactive approach to athletic participation. For more info visit www.NHIAA.org.

Students take part in 'Project Sticker Shock'

Thursday, June 7, 2012 MILFORD – Community Action for Safe Teens (CAST) and members of the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley recently participated in “Project Sticker Shock,” a youth-led initiative to change adult attitudes about selling and providing alcohol to minors at Market Basket grocery store.

This public awareness campaign took place during prom and graduation season with the hope of deterring adults from purchasing alcoholic beverages for underage youth. Local youth from CAST and the BGCSV are part of a movement of youth state-wide working with participating stores to spread “Sticker Shock Waves” across the state in an effort to reach adults who might be tempted to buy alcohol for youth under 21. The yellow and black stickers stand out on multi-packs of alcoholic beverages and send the message: “Thank you for Keeping Our Kids Alcohol Free!” reminding buyers that providing alcohol to minors is harmful and a criminal offense.

“Adults should set a better example for kids and not provide alcohol to kids,” said Cole Gallant, youth member of CAST.

Project Sticker Shock is sponsored by CAST, a charter committee of the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley, Partnership for a drugfreenh.org, NH Division of Liquor Enforcement, the NH Dept. of Justice, Office of the Attorney General and the NH Dept. of Health and Human Services’ Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services.

CAST recently recognized Market Basket for its desire to manage the sale of alcohol responsibly and wanted to showcase this business as a partner in this effort. Juvenile Officer Mark Pepler of the Milford Police Department participated by holding containers of alcohol while youngsters applied the stickers.

“As a parent, I don’t want my teenagers drinking, and I don’t want other parents providing alcohol to my children or allowing my children to drink at their house. A strong community message is sent when a business like Market Basket takes responsibility for speaking out against underage drinking,” said Monica Gallant, cochairwoman of CAST.

Youth leaders from CAST, the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley and other local participating stores – Hollis Village Grocery Store, Harvest Market, both of Hollis; Walmart Supercenter, Amherst; Stop & Shop, Milford; Moulton’s and Homestead, both of Amherst – are working together to create a safer, healthier lifestyle by combating the problem of underage drinking.

Alcohol has been identified as the number one drug of choice among New Hampshire youth, and according to local youth, one of the easiest substances to obtain. This Sticker Shock campaign hopes to cause adults to think twice before making it any easier for youth to access alcohol.

CAST (Community Action for Safe Teens) works to support and strengthen families, reduce the use/abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and encourage healthy choices by teens through increasing community awareness and action. CAST serves Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Lyndeborough, Milford, Mont Vernon and Wilton.

The Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley strives to create opportunities that enhance the quality of life for youth of all backgrounds. To support its mission to help kids “be great” the BGCSV offers daily access to programs designed to help kids succeed academically, be engaged citizens, and adopt a healthy lifestyle. For more information about the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley and CAST (Community Action for Safe Teens) visit svbgc.org.