Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: ATOD prevention, Chris Remele, Don Hooton, Eddie Slowikowski, IADDA, Illinois Teen Institute, ITI, Jim Dedera, Laura Kelly, leadership, Logan Wilde, MWAH!, Princeton High School, Tei Street, Tim White
On Sunday, July 17, over 300 youth participants, adult sponsors, and ITI volunteer staff joined together at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, to kick off the 38th annual Illinois Teen Institute (ITI). For five remarkable days youth and staff worked together to learn about Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug (ATOD) prevention. ITI 2011 staff and presenters took the theme ‘WrITIng Our Future’ and wove it throughout a week of general sessions, workshops, and discussion groups. As Natasha Bedingfield so eloquently sings in her song “Unwritten”, the youth were reminded, “…today is where your book begins”!
Kicking off the week, The Amazing Tei Street, a national motivational speaker, took the youth on a journey to discover the “amazing” that is within them. Tei had the youth and adults singing, dancing, and laughing! Everyone left Tei’s session feeling inspired and motivated– a perfect start to a phenomenal week! A very special thank you goes out to Tei for her generosity and dedication to the ITI program.
Other presenters included Don Hooton from the Taylor Hooton foundation, MWAH! Performing Arts Group (which included two ITI participants as cast members), Eddie Slowikowski, Tim White, and Jim Dedera just to name a few! Workshops ranged from ATOD prevention and social norms marketing, to understanding dating violence, leadership development, and the healthy benefit of laughing!
A key component of ITI is for youth participants to take what they learn and put it into action. Throughout the week youth meet in Community Action Teams (C.A.T.). These teams, made up of youth from the same school or geographical location, work to create an action plan for positive change in the community! IADDA will keep in touch with the youth throughout the year to hear about their successes and provide support and resources!
In addition to work shops and general sessions participants are engaged during small group discussions and other planned social bonding activities. Through these experiences, the youth share their beliefs, thoughts and perceptions surrounding ATOD prevention and other teen issues. The discussion groups allowed them to process and reflect on the speakers and events at ITI. Planned evening social activities are a tradition. Sparking the creative side, youth participated in the annual ITI “Tuesday Night Live” talent show. The performances were breathtaking to say the least. Amazing talent was among us! Finally, Wednesday evening rounded out the week with the celebration dance!
As Thursday came around, the youth and staff were surprised how quickly the week went by! Closing ceremonies focused on celebrating the work accomplished throughout the week and recognizing a few special people. The 2011 Community Action Team award went to Princeton High School. As a new Operation Snowball Chapter, the Princeton group has been extremely successful, implementing several events throughout the 2010-2011 school year that emphasized living a drug and alcohol free life. The “Unsung Hero” award went to Chris Remele. Chris was a former participant that now serves as a volunteer staff member at ITI. His upbeat and positive energy were felt throughout the week! Logan Wilde received the Roy Rogers the III Legacy Award and Laura Kelly received the Youth Staff award.
Another amazing ITI year goes down in history! Thank you to the staff, presenters, and participants for making the magic of ITI continue! You are greatly appreciated, and we look forward to ITI 2012!
Filed under: Illinois Teen Institute | Tags: IADDA, Illinois Teen Institute, ITI, Mid level Institute, MLI, Sarah Potter, Shelly Musser
Shelly Musser, IADDA’s External Program Coordinator, has resigned from IADDA after five years with our Association. Shelly began her career with IADDA as a Special Projects Coordinator, but quickly moved into the position of External Program Manager, where she oversaw the Illinois Teen Institute (ITI) and Mid-Level Institute (MLI) for the past four years. Under Shelly’s leadership, ITI participation has steadily increased. While we are sad to see her go, we extend our best wishes to Shelly on her next endeavor – you may see her around the Capitol in her new role as Associate State Director for the March of Dimes. Good luck, Shelly!
We are pleased to announce that Sarah Potter has been hired to fill the vacant External Programs Manager position. In this role, Sarah will oversee ITI and MLI, and will also assist with member services. Sarah’s career reflects an ongoing commitment to helping young people live healthy, productive lives. She has specialized experience in developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving human service programs. Prior to joining IADDA, Sarah was the President of Creative Alliance LLC, a consulting group serving non-profit organizations, government agencies, and small businesses.
Sarah brings both prevention and public policy experience to the position. She previously served as Professional Development Specialist at Prevention First (PFI), providing training and technical assistance to state funded prevention agencies. Prior to her service with PFI, Sarah was Program Specialist for Attorney General Lisa Madigan. In this role, she developed effective statewide strategies to reduce drug impacts and built public support for better drug policies. She also provided leadership to communities in the areas of truancy and delinquency prevention, court diversion programs, and balanced and restorative justice. Early in her career, she served a workforce development board in California, crafting competitive bidding opportunities. Sarah holds Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Public Administration degrees from Southern Illinois University.
Sarah is eager to apply her ATOD prevention and program administration expertise toward ITI and MLI. She intends to expand the programs through targeted community outreach, building volunteer capacity, and establishing ITI as an evidence-based model. Please help us give her a warm welcome! She can be reached at 217-528-7335 x16 or spotter@iadda.org after August 22, 2011.
Filed under: Governor Quinn, Illnois Alcoholim nd Drug Dependence Assocition, Mary Jo Davis, Operation Snowbal, substance free
Proclamation Encourages Illinois to “Maintain healthy, substance-free lifestyle”
(Springfield, IL) October 1, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn has proclaimed October 2010 as Operation Snowball Month, encouraging youth to maintain a healthy and substance-free lifestyle.
“We thank Governor Quinn for his proclamation because we think a message from the governor could help to deter youth from drinking and abusing alcohol,” said Mary Jo Davies, the Illinois Operation Snowball program manager.
Operation Snowball, an Illinois statewide non-profit organization, which is partnered with the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, encourages young people to avoid drugs and alcohol abuse.
“Operation Snowball focuses on prevention messages that aim primarily at the high school students because at this age they understand the idea behind prevention,” said Davies.
Operation Snowball has more than 120 chapters totaling 50,000 youth.
For more information regarding Operation Snowball, please visit its Web site: http://www.os-it.org.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: District 113 Operation Snowball, drug prevention, Great River Operation Snowball, Greater Fox River Valley Operation Snowball, Mary Jo Davies, Naperville Operation Snowball, operation snowball, underage drinking prevention
(Springfield, IL) April 20, 2010. High school students from Quincy, Naperville, Decatur, Elgin, and Highland Park in April walked away with top prizes in a statewide contest to produce youth anti-drinking, anti-drug YouTube videos.
Chapters from across Illinois submitted videos to the competition sponsored by Operation Snowball (OS), a statewide non-profit organization that encourages young people to avoid drugs and alcohol abuse.
Great River OS of Quincy won first place and received a $1,000 cash prize.
Naperville OS snagged second place and Greater Decatur Macon County OS took third. Both earned a $750 cash prize. Fourth and fifth place and the two $500 cash prizes were won by Greater Fox River Valley OS and District 113 Highland Park.
“This contest was designed to encourage youth to develop video messages that could deter their peers from drinking and abusing alcohol,” said Mary Jo Peavy Davies, the Illinois Operation Snowball program manager.
Operation Snowball, partners with the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, has more than 130 chapters totaling 50,000 youth.
“Operation Snowball focuses on prevention messages that aim primarily at the high school students because at this age they understand the idea behind prevention,” said Davies.
“The video contest was an unique opportunity for these students to develop their own powerful video message on underage drinking prevention and have their creative talent displayed on YouTube before a national audience,” said Davies. “We are very proud of the winners.
The contest received funding from the Larry and Lillian Goodman Foundation.
The videos are at: http://www.youtube.com/user/OperationSnowball?feature=mhw4
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Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Mary Jo Davies, monitoring the future, operation snowball, prevention, substance abuse prevention
Marijuana Use Shows Signs of Increasing; Prescription Drug Abuse Continues Upward Trend
Washington, D.C. – The 2009 Monitoring the Future Survey, released Monday by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan, showed that while there were slight decreases in the use of cocaine and methamphetamine among youth, marijuana and prescription drug abuse showed no signs of slowing down. In fact, marijuana use among adolescents increased gradually over the past two years after years of declining use; and past year rates of Vicodin and OxyContin abuse increased during the last 5 years among 10th graders and remained unchanged among 8th and 12th graders.
Several drugs showed signs of increasing with attitudes softening for drugs such as marijuana, ecstasy, inhalants and LSD. For example, the percentage of 8th graders who view occasional marijuana use as potentially harmful dropped to 44 percent, compared to 48 percent last year. In addition, the perception of “great risk” associated with marijuana use declined among 8th and 10th graders.
“The 2009 Monitoring the Future survey is a wake-up call to all of us. It shows that our teens still don’t understand the dangers of abusing prescription drugs, such as Vicodin and OxyContin; and they don’t realize the harm that marijuana use can cause,” said Mary Jo Davies, Program Manager, Operation Snowball, Inc. “Beliefs and attitudes about these drugs are going in the wrong direction. The decreases of perception of harm around marijuana and inhalants are especially concerning, as that often leads to an increase in use.
“Operation Snowball plays a critical role in addressing drug abuse in schools and communities throughout Illinois and the world and in implementing strategies to change attitudes and availability. But we need to increase our investment in substance abuse prevention in order to make a dent in these problems. More young people need to get the message that these drugs are harmful if we are to reverse these trends, but our chapters can’t do it alone. We need the help of everyone in the community.”
More information on the 2009 Monitoring the Future Survey is available at www.monitoringthefuture.org.
Operation Snowball is an alcohol and other drug use prevention program focusing on leadership development to empower youth to lead drug-free lives. Over 140 chapters provide opportunities for youth and adults to work together in a spirit of cooperation to plan, implement and evaluate a community-based alcohol and other drug prevention program. Snowball chapters act as change agents in their communities. They work on community campaigns such as Red Ribbon Week, and Alcohol Awareness Month. Chapters go beyond “just say no” to embrace a more complete and effective strategy to prevent harmful behavior and promote healthy communities. Learn more about Operation Snowball at www.os-iti.org.
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Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Governor Quinn, Operation Snowball Month, Red Ribbon, substance abuse prevention
Governor Pat Quinn Issues Proclamation to Boost Youth Group Efforts to Deter Youth Alcohol, Drug Abuse in October
Red Ribbon Week Salutes Federal Anti-Drug Agent Killed In Line of Duty
(Springfield, IL) September 24, 2009. As a means to boost awareness among Illinois youth around substance abuse prevention, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has proclaimed October as Operation Snowball Month in Illinois.
Operation Snowball, partnered with the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, has more than 130 chapters totaling 50,000 youth and encourages young people to stay drug-free by providing them with direct experience learning, according to Illinois chapter program manager, Mary Jo Peavy Davies.
“The program focuses on prevention messages that aim primarily at the high school students because at this age they understand the idea behind prevention,” said Davies.
“Group learning sessions present facts about drug and alcohol use and help students develop their own ideas before they are faced with situations in their future lives.”
Operation Snowball is expanding to include people of all ages into their program by creating “Snowflake” for junior high students, “Snowflurry” for elementary school pupils, and “Segue” for college students.
Operation Snowball chapters will celebrate Red Ribbon Week to promote healthy, drug-free lifestyles during the last week in October, Davies noted.
The first Red Ribbon celebration was organized in 1986 by parents and the red ribbon was adopted in honor of U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena who was kidnapped and killed while investigating drug traffickers in Mexico in 1985.
The campaign has reached millions of children and has been recognized by the U.S. Congress.
“Red Ribbon Week is a chance to be visible and vocal in our desire for a drug-free community,” said Operation Snowball, Inc. Board Chair, Patrick Ferrell. “Research shows that children are less likely to use alcohol and drugs when parents are clear and consistent in their opposition to substance use and abuse.”
For more information about Red Ribbon Week, visit http://www.bestofidea.com/rrw.php and visit http://www.preventionpartners.org/os to order Red Ribbon campaign materials.
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Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Governor Pat Quinn, IADDA, Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, Illinois budget, Illinois Budget — Tags: Don Moss, Illinois Department Human Services, Illinois Doomsday Budget, Illinois Human Services Coalition, Illinois poltics, Sara Moscato Howe
(Springfield, IL) – Governor Pat Quinn joined more than 5,000 human service supporters, clients, and workers at a rally at the state capitol in Springfield today to protest the looming 50% funding cuts to human service providers under the Illinois General Assembly’s “doomsday” budget that begins on July 1.
Under the “doomsday” budget, Quinn’s administration is warning 65,000 people will lose drug
Doomsday rally in the state capitol today. (Photo posted originally at Capitol Fax Blog) treatment, 175,000 will lose mental health care, 40,000 seniors will no longer have home healthcare aides, 9,000 foster parents will have their expense reimbursement halved, and more.
“This budget will destroy Illinois’ addiction healthcare system,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association. “Little will remain standing on July 1.”
The fiscal year 2010 state budget is facing a $9.2 billion deficit. Of that amount, $5 billion will cut from community human service providers.
The legislature cut $2.24 billion from the Illinois Department of Human Services, reducing, for example, Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse contracts to community services providers by 75%.
Lawmakers are in the state capitol this week mulling over possible options to avoid the human service budget cuts that Quinn has warned are coming without an income tax increase.
“It is absolutely essential that the legislature pass an income tax increase,” said Don Moss, Coordinator of the Illinois Human Services Coalition.
“For the sake of the private nonprofit human service delivery system throughout our state, the alternative, as they say, is too horrible to contemplate.”
The Illinois Human Services Coalition and SEIU joined IADDA as the rally’s co-hosts.
The legislature is in special session this week to grapple with the budget crisis.
