Wake Up Call Presentation - City of Elmhurst Commission

Wake Up Call – Teen bedrooms can hide signs of drug & alcohol use. Learn common drug trends and what to look for.

Parents, grandparents, and community members are invited to attend an eye-opening presentation taking place on Tuesday, November 19th from 7:00-8:30 PM at Bryan Middle School. The City of Elmhurst Commission is hosting the event.

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION:
Your Choice to Live, Inc. will be presenting Wake Up Call, a substance abuse educational program. The program begins with information about current drug trends such as vaping, marijuana, alcohol and prescription pills. Next, attendees are walked through a life-size teen bedroom with more than 20 “red flags” that can signal drug or alcohol use. The bedroom identifies spots where drugs can be hidden, household items that can be used as drug paraphernalia and ways teens try to cover up drug and alcohol use. Lastly, attendees will learn practical prevention strategies to prevent substance abuse and where to go for help if they are concerned. Attendees will also receive a Wake-Up Call Handbook, a 30+ page comprehensive resource guide with current drug trends, signs of abuse, hiding places, and relevant paraphernalia, parenting tips and resources all in one place.

Our goal is to educate parents, teachers, community members and other adults who are influential in the lives of youth so they know what seemingly innocent items can be an indication of substance abuse.

*This event is for adults only (21 years of age and older).
*A resource fair with local support services will take place prior to the event from 6:30-7:00 PM.

For questions about this event, please contact a Your Choice team member at yourchoice.live@yahoo.com

Any person who has a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation to participate in this meeting, should contact Valerie Johnson, ADA Compliance Officer, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., City of Elmhurst, 209 N. York Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126, or call 630-530-8095 TDD, within a reasonable time before the meeting. Requests for a qualified interpreter require five (5) working days’ advance notice.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:
Sandi Lybert, Founder Your Choice to Live, Inc – Sandi’s personal experience with her son, Tyler’s addiction and her passion for helping others led her to leave her career in banking to start Your Choice to Live, Inc. In 2017, Sandi was named the Waukesha County Champion of the Year for her efforts to promote and improve the quality of life in Waukesha County.

Ashleigh Nowakowski, Executive Director, Your Choice to Live, Inc. – Ashleigh Nowakowski has been working in the substance abuse prevention field since 2009. Her work includes speaking in middle and high schools, teaching in health classes, and working with high-risk youth in the Detour program. Ashleigh also has experience working with youth who are concerned about a loved one’s substance use. Ashleigh has her Master’s degree in Public Administration.

WHY ATTEND THIS PRESENTATION:
Schools across the Midwest report that vaping and marijuana devices are the two most common contraband items students are getting caught within the school.

Across the United States, e-cigarette use, also known as vaping, is reaching epidemic proportions among teenagers. According to the American Lung Association, more than 3.6 million U.S. middle and high school students have reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.

There are many health concerns with e-cigarette use. Although some don’t contain nicotine, e-cigarette juices use liquid nicotine extracted from tobacco and can contain as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes. There are also concerns about increased exposure to toxins, including heavy metals, chemical compounds, and other fine particles that may get absorbed into the lung. Additionally, e-cigarettes can be used as a delivery system for other drugs.

According to the Surgeon General’s health advisory, about one-third of middle and high school students who used e-cigarettes used them as a delivery device for marijuana. A study released in September 2018, reported two million middle and high school students vaping marijuana; equivalent to 1 out of 11 students. Health officials are concerned about this growing trend “because cannabis use among youth can adversely affect learning and memory and may impair later academic achievement and education.”

With the development of technology, kids have more access to information than ever before. If a person wants to get “high”, all they have to do is search the internet. Drug deals are continuously conducted on social media apps such as snapchat. As parents, it’s hard to keep up with all the latest trends. This presentation will address these issues as well as give practical advice on how to prevent use and keep children substance-free. Research shows that teens who consistently learn about the risks of drug use from their parents are up to 50% less likely to use substances.