Contact Us
2800 Montvale Dr.
Springfield, IL 62704
800-252-8951 ext. 115
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Greetings!
I would like to welcome you to our Illinois Drug Education Alliance's Best of IDEA publication. We are proud to serve as a statewide volunteer organization that promotes prevention efforts throughout the State of Illinois in alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse for students, parents, and community members. January 2011 has arrived with many exciting challenges and as an organization we are pleased to provide leadership in the area of prevention throughout the state. I hope that you will join us in our efforts to promote healthy living and making healthy choices and decisions during the upcoming year. Sincerely, Scott Horsch IDEA President
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Meet The IDEA Youth Board - Jacob Dickey
Jacob, a Senior at Gibson City - Melvin Sibley High School is the President of the local SADD chapter and a student leader for GCMS Project Ignition. While holding his State FFA Degree, Jacob serves as president of the local FFA chapter and as the Section 17 FFA treasurer. Jacob is involved with music and is a member of the GCMS band program. He also has been a two year member of the Illinois FFA Band and the National FFA Band. He was selected to be a member of the John Phillips Sousa Collegiate Honors Band, based in Boston Massachusetts, and performed in ten concerts in Europe this past summer. He also serves as the speech team captain, the scholastic bowl team captain and as co-chair for student council. Jacob is an Eagle Scout and a member of the Boy Scouts of America. He is also a member of the freshman orientation program, Interact club, the Junior Alderman program and volunteers for local organizations in the community. In his spare time, Jacob enjoys watching football, playing the piano, going storm chasing, eating, laughing, working for school activities, selling vegetables at the local farmers market, reading, writing, working on projects, eating more and playing dodgeball. |
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Youth Board Update
The IDEA Youth Board is certainly having an eventful 2011! Everyone got back together in January for more fun and a ton of planning. After the success of their Grandparent's Day prescription drug campaign and Trick or Treat campaign bringing awareness to the effect that alcohol has on the adolescent brain, they are preparing to kick off yet another awesome campaign in February focusing on healthy relationships!
On top of that, they are working hard gearing up for Dome Shift! Let's make year two even better than last year! The board is currently in the process of getting a concrete date set. Keep an eye on IDEA's website for the latest updates concerning Dome Shift and the healthy relationships campaign.
Speaking of the website, look for some neat changes there in the near future as well! You'll have the opportunity to get to know your Youth Board a bit better and they'll get to share even more of the awesome work they are doing throughout the state.
One last thing, if you haven't 'liked' the Illinois Drug Education Alliance on Facebook, do it already! It's another great way to stay updated on anything happening with the board...and you may even get the chance to win a free goody from time to time!
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Binge Drinking Takes Toll On Teen Brains
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Preventing Drug Abuse Among Adolescents and Children - Risk and Protective Factors
Research over the past two decades has tried to determine how drug abuse begins and how it progresses. Many factors can add to a person's risk for drug abuse. Risk factors can increase a person's chances for drug abuse, while protective factors can reduce the risk. Please note, however, that most individuals at risk for drug abuse do not start using drugs or become addicted. Also, a risk factor for one person may not be for another.
Read more on NIDA's website...
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Elks Drug Awareness Essay Contest State Winner
 Each year, the Elks sponsor a drug awareness essay contest. The theme this year is "Not Now, Not Ever." The winner of the state competition for the 2010/2011 school year is Ally Pennington, a seventh grade student at Geff Grade School. She's also the younger sister of one of our Youth Board members! Her winning entry can be read below. Why do people do it? Do they think it makes them look cool? Well, get this through your head: drugs have no benefits at all. This is why I am choosing to be drug free! Drugs, like alcohol, smoking, and tobacco, are legal if used the right way. Although they aren't against the law, you still need to be careful. Many reasons why I would choose to be drug free are these: My absolute favorite sport is volleyball. If I did any kind of drug, I would no longer have enough energy to play. People that do any illegal or legal drugs when they are going through important stages of life, usually don't make a good living. I don't want to be like these people. Learning how to be drug free is easy. Choosing to be drug free is the hard part. As we become teens, we will have to make more and more tough decisions. Choosing to say 'no' is one of the big ones. In conclusion, kids, teens, and even adults need to be more careful and say no. If more people would do this, others would realize it is wrong. So what do you say? I say "not now, not ever!"
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Are you a teen in search of facts? A Friend who wants to help others avoid big trouble? A teacher who can use NIDA tools in the classroom? Then PEERx is for you! Click here to learn more about PEERx and how you can get involved.
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National Safety Council and The Allstate Foundation Teen Safe Driving Initiative
 Teens go from one of the safest modes of transportation - riding in a school bus - to the deadliest - driving in a motor vehicle - overnight. Motor vehicle crashes involving teen drivers not only kill 11 teens each day, they also kill other drivers and pedestrians. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of teens. More teens die in crashes than the next three leading causes of death - homicide, suicide and disease - combined! Turning over the keys to young drivers should be done with care and responsibility; and educating others about teen safe driving principles can help protect our teens. The National Safety Council (NSC) and The Allstate Foundation (TAF) know that with parental involvement, education and support for stronger teen driving systems, teen driving deaths can be reduced by 30 percent over the next four years. This cannot happen without support from Illinoisresidents. SADD State Coordinator, Robyn Block will be leading the Coalition in Illinois. Who we are: We are a coalition of concerned individuals who will improve Illinois's culture of teen safe driving. We will do this by reducing the number of teens killed and injured in crashes in Illinois while instilling a lifetime of safe driving attitudes and behaviors among young drivers. What we do: Through communications, research, and project management support from NSC and funding from TAF, we will grow the coalition by seeking out advocacy groups, law enforcement officials, injury prevention groups, public health practitioners, and members of the medical community, parents, teens and victims of teen motor vehicle crashes. With our voice, we will develop a support group of youth safety and opinion leaders and create an action plan through 2011. In May 2011, we will promote National Youth Traffic Safety Month to draw public attention to teen driving. Above all, we will influence legislators, parents and other stakeholders and educate them on how to keep teens - and others on the roadways - safe. When we start: The grant from TAF allows us to start work on this important mission now. The first teleconference with coalition members will be at the end of December 2010, and we will host a day-and-a-half long workshop in January/February.The coalition will develop ideas to bring major attention to May's National Youth Traffic Safety Month and further spread the mission. What you can do: IDEA is a part of this coalition and we are proud to have representation from our IDEA Youth Board involved as well. We need active participants who want to help change the culture of teen driving. It is up to us to develop an action plan to enact that change. With NSC support and TAF funding, we have the resources to change behaviors and make Illinois'sroadways safer. If you are interested in getting involved contact robyn@ilsadd.org for more information. |
Department Of Transportation Launches
The "Faces of
Distracted Driving"
Distracted driving killed nearly 5,500 people last year and injured 500,000 more. To learn more about the Faces of Distracted Driving web series and hear some of the stories behind the statistics, please visit www.distraction.gov/faces. |
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NHTSA Reports Drug Use Among Fatally Injured Drivers Increased Over the Last Five Years
Data shows 63% of the 21,798 drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2009 were tested for drugs. Of these, 3,952 tested positive for drug involvement -- 18% for that year. The report also showed drug use reported by states among fatally injured drivers up from 13% in 2005, to 15% in 2006, 16% in 2007, and 18% in 2008. Read More at NHTSA.gov
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2011: Your Year to Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is among the most common New Year's resolutions. In an effort to reach smokers and to help tobacco control programs and organizations reach smokers, CDC has developed resources that tap into the tradition of setting New Year's resolutions to encourage smokers to quit.
To read more or for more information on quitting and resources to share with loved ones who want to quit, visit the CDC's website. |
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