Parents often have many questions when it comes to keeping their teens safe, and SADD can provide answers.  Through SADD's Speaker Series, Chairman and CEO Stephen Wallace discusses ways to improve family communication and provides parents with information about how they can be even more influential when it comes to the choices their children make.

The Parent Power presentation provides parents with information about the real world of today's teenagers and outlines concrete steps they can take to help keep teens safe.  Family Focus brings parents and their teens together to explore the "reality gap" that often divides them so they can strengthen their relationship. These dynamic, thought-provoking presentations can be tailored to meet the needs of your school or community.

For more information or to book a SADD Speaker Series presentation, contact Nicole Cheschi at 877-SADD-INC (723-3462) or ncheschi@sadd.org.

Remember that next Tuesday, November 10, is Mix It Up at Lunch Day!  Encourage students to "mix it up" by sitting with different people at lunch on that day.  This program helps increase awareness of other students, break down cliques, reduce bullying and harassment, and improve the school climate.

We encourage SADD chapters to take the lead in planning Mix It Up at Lunch Day.  You can register your school on the Mix It Up map and download the organizer guides for more information.

Our friends at the National Association of Peer Program Professionals (NAPPP) asked us to make sure SADD advisors and others were aware of their Training Institutes.  These trainings are an excellent way for SADD advisors to enhance their skills and help make their SADD chapters more effective.  There are NAPPP Training Institutes coming up in late January in the St. Louis, Missouri, area and in late June in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Click here for more information.

Do Something is running their annual November food drive called "Feed the Need" to collect nonperishable food for local food banks.  The goal is one million pounds of food collected nationwide!  Click here to visit the Feed the Need site - there's a searchable database to find a food bank in your area.

Did you know that you should never use periods within "SADD"?  There are lots of other useful tips in SADD's Graphic Standards Manual, which you can download here.

Remember that the SADD logo is available in high-resolution versions in a variety of formats on the sadd.org website.  Chapters are free to use the logo in compliance with the Graphic Standards Manual, including in print and on t-shirts, websites, etc.  Click here to download the logo!

Most SADD chapters held activities during Red Ribbon Week in October.  Red Ribbon Week was formed in honor of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, a DEA agent who was murdered in Mexico by drug cartel members.  Across the country, SADD chapters and other groups hold drug education events in his memory.

Like many chapters, Danvers SADD planned a full week of events - decorating school grounds, conducting activities, and holding themed days, including one encouraging students to "buddy up" and dress alike to symbolize supporting each other to make healthy decisions.

Red Ribbon Week is one of the central yearly events for many SADD chapters.  Congratulations to Danvers SADD and all SADD chapters nationwide that held events during Red Ribbon Week!

If you'd like to see YOUR chapter featured in the Spotlight, be sure to let us know what you're doing!  Send news and pictures to Chris Egan, SADD National Director of Field Services, at cegan@sadd.org or the mailing address at the bottom of this newsletter.

Material from the Danvers Herald was used in this report.

 
For more information about any SADD Store product, visit saddstore.org, call 1-800-394-0090, or e-mail saddstore@workflowone.com. 

SADD is seeking innovative workshop proposals for the 2010 SADD National Conference, Under the Sea: Changing the Tide, which will be held at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida, June 27-30.   

Do you have expertise in youth leadership, chapter development, or advocating for change?  Do you have extensive knowledge in the areas of alcohol and other drug use, teen driving safety, bullying and teen violence, healthy lifestyles, or suicide prevention?  If so, please submit a workshop proposal!  All proposals are due by Friday, January 22, 2010.  Youth, adults, SADD chapters, and other organizations are all encouraged to apply!  Click here to download the workshop proposal form.

Online conference registration will be posted shortly along with more detailed program information, but students should start fund-raising today.  As we reported last month, the price for the conference remains unchanged from last year at $699 for students (quad occupancy) and $799 for advisors (double occupancy).

For all the latest conference information, visit sadd.org.