Vision
Racine County is a place where youth assets are increasing and all youth are healthy, involved and successful members of the community.
Mission
The Racine County Youth Coalition engages agencies, business partners, communities, families and schools, to promote and foster positive change in community practices, public policy, and youth programming in order to build assets and reduce risk behaviors including substance abuse among all Racine County young people.
Interested in joining the RCYC?
Contact Megan Kroes at Focus on Community for more information. (262) 632-6200 rcyc@focusracine.org Have information for the RCYC newsletter? Contact Erin Morey. (262) 632-6200 erin768@yahoo.com |
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Racine County Town Hall on Underage DrinkingThe Racine County Youth Coalition and Focus on Community, Inc. are hosting a Town Hall meeting on the issues of underage drinking in Racine County on Monday, April 23, from 6-8 pm, at Washington Park High School, located at 1901 12th Street in Racine.
Presenters for this public forum meeting will be from Your Choice, a drug and alcohol awareness program led by both youth and adults who have had first-hand experience with the devastation of underage substance abuse.
Students of all ages, parents, and community members are all encouraged to attend. Family passes to Marcus theaters will be raffled off throughout the evening.
For questions on this event, please contact Megan Kroes at 262.632.6200 or rcyc@focusracine.org.
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More Work Needed To Stop Youth Tobacco Use
More work needs to be done to keep young Americans from using tobacco, including creating smoking bans and increasing taxes on tobacco products, the U.S. Surgeon General's office said in a report released Thursday.
Almost one in five high school-aged teens smokes, down from earlier decades, but the rate of decline has slowed, the report said.
It says it's particularly important to stop young people from using tobacco because those who start smoking as teenagers can increase their chances of long-term addiction. They also quickly can experience reduced lung function, impaired lung growth, early heart disease and other health problems like asthma.
More than 80 percent of smokers begin by age 18 and 99 percent of adult smokers in the U.S. start by age 26, according to the 920-page report, which is the first comprehensive look at youth tobacco use from the surgeon general's office in nearly two decades.
Click here to read the full article.
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Study Finds Link Between School Bullies and Substance Use
 Students who bully their classmates are more likely to use cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana, compared with their peers who aren't bullies, a new study suggests.
"Our findings suggest that one deviant behavior may be related to another," lead author Kisha Radliff of Ohio State University said in a news release. "For example, youth who bully others might be more likely to also try substance use. The reverse could also be true in that youth who use substances might be more likely to bully others." Click here to read the full article. |
Cuts to Prevention Fund Jeopardize Efforts to Improve Health, Reduce Costs
In a shortsighted move that will cost lives and money, Congressional negotiators have agreed to significantly cut one of the most important disease prevention initiatives ever adopted by the federal government to help pay for an economic package. The agreement cuts the Prevention and Public Health Fund, created by the 2010 health care reform law, by $5 billion - more than 25 percent. These cuts jeopardize the great promise of the prevention fund to improve health and reduce health care costs that drive government budget deficits.
Cutting the prevention fund is penny-wise and pound-foolish. The chronic diseases and unhealthy behaviors the prevention fund is intended to address impose tremendous costs on our health care system and government budgets. Tobacco use alone costs $96 billion a year in health care bills. Health care costs are crippling our nation's economy. The commitment to preventing disease, not just treating disease, is critical to reining in America's health care costs. Click here to read the full article. |
 The above proclamation signed by Governor Walker on March 22, 2012 proclaims April 2012 as "Teenagers Drinking Alcohol Awareness Month" to coincide with the statewide Parents Who Host Lose the Most Campaign.
Click here to view a larger version of the proclamation.
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An Asset a MonthSearch Institute has identified 40 positive experiences and qualities that all of us have the power to bring into the lives of children and youth, which are called Developmental Assets. For many people, the assets have become a source of ideas and inspiration in the face of frustration and even despair.
 Boundaries and ExpectationsYoung people need clear rules, consistent consequences for breaking rules, and encouragement to do their best.
Family Boundaries | Family has clear rules and consequences, and monitors the young person's whereabouts.
School Boundaries | School provides clear rules and consequences.
Neighborhood Boundaries | Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people's behavior.
Adult Role Models | Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
Positive Peer Influence | Young person's best friends model responsible behavior.
High Expectations | Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well. Looking closer at the Assets
Boundaries are important to young people because they give clear messages about what's expected. By the same token, caring adults who expect young people to do their best help them to learn good judgment. Every day young people face many options and choices. Boundaries and expectations provide young people with the support they need to choose wisely.
Here are the FactsResearch shows that the more young people have clear, consistent boundaries and high expectations, the more likely they are to grow up healthy. Search Institute has identified six assets in the Boundaries and Expectations category that are crucial for helping young people succeed. Results for Racine County Youth For more information on the 40 Developmental Assets, visit www.racinecountyyouthcoalition.org.
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RCYC Member Spotlight---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christina Converset
Community Outreach Coordinator
Burlington and Waterford
In her own words: I have been working to help communities my whole teen and adult life; working with Focus on Community for the last eight years. Prior to that I was active in my high school to help teens make a difference and continued in my adult life working for other school districts, the Franciscan order, the City of Burlington, and The Transitional Living Center (a homeless shelter in Burlington).
When I am not working I am thinking about our programs. I also work with teens in my tri-parish youth program and as a retreat director with the TYME OUT youth center in Stone Bank. I have two grown children, Elizabeth is studying Cultural Anthropology in California and Andrew lives with his Dad in Burlington creating and caring for their own business. I love history, especially church history, and having fun in all forms; traveling, snowshoeing, hiking, roller-coaster-ing, and healthy risk taking behaviors. I would still like to sky-dive, bungee jump, zip line, and go to the Pro-bowl in Hawaii.
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Next Racine County Youth Coalition Meeting
May 10, 2012 11:30-1:00 Mount Pleasant Municipal Building
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