Youth:
Youth Presentation:
Your Choice has four different speakers share their stories with the children in an effort that each student would relate to a least one speaker.
Audience:
6th grade student presentations emphasize on peer pressure, the importance of choosing the right friends and the importance of family, and alcohol and tobacco as a gateway drug.
7th grade student presentations focus on peer pressure and have more emphasis on alcohol and drugs.
8th grade student presentations focus a lot more on the hardships and devastation that drugs and alcohol can do to a person and their family. This presentation also focuses on the new peer pressures that can be faced once they enter high school.
9th - 12th grade presentations focus on the devastation that alcohol and drugs can do to students now and to their future. This presentation will also focus on fatalities, non-fatal injuries and suicides involved with underage drinking and drug use. We will also stress the importance of don't start, if you have started, the importance of stopping now and to reach out if you have a problem.
After the speakers have spoken, the MC will open up the floor for questions. If no one has a question, the MC will toss Frisbees that have questions on them. Please view the DVD that is included to experience the personalities of our speakers.
Youth Health Class Education:
Students are walked through a power point presentation with personal experiences from two presenters, one in recovery and one not in recovery, woven into the presentation on the choice they have to use alcohol and other drugs - or not. The youth speaker in recovery answers questions about how his/her drug use began, what influenced him/her, the misconceptions they had about drug use, what addiction looked like in his/her life, how they found recovery and what recovery revealed about him/her.
In-between the educational segments are information, questions and thought-provoking metaphors which highlight:
- Information. You want honesty. Can you hear it?
- Addiction - what does that look like in the life of a suburban student?
- "It won't happen to me."
- The substances - prescription drugs, marijuana, steroids, heroin, alcohol.
- Did you know.?
- Internal conflicts - pain, pressure, parties, peeps.
- Not everyone does it. How and why.
- It's ultimately "your choice." Make it a choice based on truth.
If desired, we allow time for questions and answers or a brief discussion.
We provide each student with resources for help for themselves or a friend.
This presentation is designed for 50-55 minutes but can be edited for a shorter time allotment.
Parents:
Parent Night:
Parent's night is a great way for parent's to get a sneak peak of what their children will see. Parent night includes brief introductions from the youth speakers, information about the Your Choice Program and a chance to talk to parents who have children that are recovering from drugs and alcohol. Your Choice provides information on tips for parents, the signs of drug use, and information on where to get help. At the end of a parent night presentation, we get feedback from the parent's by requesting they fill out a comment sheet so that we can alter our parent night presentations to meet the needs of the parents.
"Parent Toolbox For Today" Parent Education:
This parent education component was developed by parents who wanted to learn more about drug and alcohol use, tips and signs of use and where to go for help.
This session features:
Recognize It
Why YOU as parents matter
Why DO kids use drugs/alcohol
What YOU can do
Communicate
Monitor how to spot drug/alcohol use
What to do if you spot drug/alcohol use
Followed by the experience of alcohol and drug use on families presented by the Your Choice Parent Speakers. Parents of children who got involved in the drug scene will share their personal stories on what went wrong and how it impacted their families. These speakers will be joined by our youth speakers for discussion and questions. Also, parents will be shown the Your Choice toolbox, filled with items that every parent needs to be aware of.
Community:
Community Presentation:
The Your Choice Community presentation combines a shortened version of the Your Choice Youth presentation with the Your Choice Parent Night.
Understand what addiction really looks like in the life of a suburban student, explained from young people who have lived it. Learn how to resist substance abuse, from youth who successfully said no or pulled back.
Students and parents stay together for the first 40 minutes of the program, then breakout to separate sessions for the remainder of the program. There will be time for questions.
Student Presentation- Your Choice young adults will candidly share their real life stories and personal experiences to present a clear picture of the consequences and rewards of the choices we make. Presenters are either recovering addicts or those who chose to stay away from alcohol and other drugs.
Parent Presentation- Parents of children who got involved with drugs and alcohol will give their perspective on what went wrong and how their child's abuse impacted their families. In a frank and insightful manner, these parents tell you what they wish they had known.
In-service Education:
Your Choice can provide education to teachers, law enforcement, bus drivers and businesses on these topics:
1) why kids use drugs and alcohol,
2) what you, as the community, can do,
3) how to spot drug/alcohol use,
4) trends in drug use
This presentation can be tailored to meet individual needs.
Your Choice One Family to Another Discussion
The Your Choice family can share their personal experiences one on one with a family in need. Our goals for this discussion is letting other families know that they are not alone and encourage them to openly talk about the problems they are facing and how they can work to resolve them.
Additional services:
· Your Choice representatives to be at school registration with a booth of drug/alcohol information for parents
· Provide brochures, information and resources for the school and parents
Please contact us for more information.
