Welcome to another issue of The SADDvocate! Winter is arriving, holidays are upon us, and students everywhere are looking forward to a break! From all of us at the SADD National office, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season.  Have you registered your chapter this year? ALL chapters are asked to register once each school year so that we know your chapter is active and we have the current advisor's contact information. Registration takes just two minutes, can be done online, is completely free - there are no dues or membership fees - and you'll receive a chapter certificate and a free poster. So what are you waiting for? Click here to register now. Chapters that registered after November 14 will receive their certificates before Christmas.Our goal is to ensure that every SADD chapter has the latest news, so we're counting on you to help spread the word about The SADDvocate. Please encourage all of your SADD chapter members to sign up on sadd.org, or send a list (spreadsheets preferred, with columns for first name, last name, and email address) to Chris Egan, SADD's Director of Field Services, at cegan@sadd.org. Sometimes school computer filters prevent students and advisors from seeing The SADDvocate properly, in full color with graphics. You can view every issue in our online archive. This issue will be posted to the archive later today. A good source of regular SADD news is our Facebook page. Please "like" our page today, and encourage your friends to do so as well! Links to all our social networking pages are on the bar at left. |
 | Programs and Resources |
 Did you know that registered SADD chapters are free to use the SADD logo so long as use is consistent with SADD's Graphic Standards Manual? You can download high-resolution logos in a variety of formats (including .eps vector graphics) by clicking here. Remember that the logo is only available to chapters that have updated their registration THIS SCHOOL YEAR, as ALL chapters are asked to do annually. Click here to update your registration now.
 December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. During this month, chapters are asked to pay special attention to the growing problem of drugged driving. The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has put together a teen drugged driving toolkit that's full of facts, statistics, and activities that your chapter can put on - this month or at any time of the year. Click here to download it.
 Don't forget to register your chapter's National Drug Facts Week activity. Held January 27 - February 2, 2014, this week attempts to shatter the myths around drugs and drug abuse with scientific facts from drug researchers. There are a whole series of activity ideas, toolkits, and other resources available at drugfactsweek.drugabuse.gov.
 SADD Shines Day will be held Wednesday, February 5, 2014. This is a day to celebrate SADD and the difference it makes nationwide. The theme is "Youth Lighting the Way," and centers around the use of homemade lanterns as a colorful addition to celebratory activities. You'll receive a special email later this month with more details about the day. For now, mark it on your calendars!
 The Taylor Hooton Foundation works to address appearance- and performance-enhancing drug (APED) use by teens. Recently, their logo was redesigned to add a "+" symbol. An asterisk has been informally attached to professional sports records tainted by steroid use, while the Foundation's plus symbol indicates hard work and clean effort. You can see some of the eye-opening research about teen APED use - it's a lot more than you think - by clicking here. Also, check out the Foundation's compelling "Numbers" video here.
 The Jennifer Claire Moore Foundation is holding their annual National Peer Program Conference, in partnership with our friends at the National Association of Peer Program Professionals (NAPPP). The conference will be held February 10-12, 2014, at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear, Alabama. This conference is designed for adults helping to supervise peer programs, such as SADD chapter advisors. For more information, click here. |
| Contests, Grants, and Awards
|  The application process for the 2014-15 SADD National Student Leadership Council (SLC) is now underway! SLC members work directly with SADD National staff to develop programs, plan the national conference, represent SADD at national events, and more.
Current juniors and seniors in high school are eligible to apply. Are you interested in this incredible opportunity? The first step is to contact your SADD State Coordinator (if there is one in your state), because many of them have a process to designate a single nominee from their state. If you're in a state without a State Coordinator you may request an SLC application by contacting Nicole Cheschi at ncheschi@sadd.org. Please note that a SADD chapter may nominate only one student, and only one student will be chosen from a given state. Applications are due by Monday, January 27, 2014.
 Act Out Loud is an annual contest that your chapter can enter to earn $1,000 cash - just for participating! Just commit to hold a safe driving rally next April or May, turn in some simple t-shirt and poster ideas by certain deadlines (the first one is coming up next week), and your chapter will take home $1,000 and a free toolkit stuffed with promotional items - and a chance to win the grand prize of $10,000! But you have to hurry - only the first 220 teams to enter will receive cash and the toolkit - and more than 160 have already signed up! To register your chapter, visit actoutloud.org. Make sure to choose SADD in the "National Organization Your Team Represents" field - and good luck! |
| Spotlight on SADD Chapters |
This monthly column highlights the extraordinary work SADD chapters are doing across the country. Want to see your chapter in the Spotlight? Send news and a good group photo to cegan@sadd.org.
 Battery Creek High School SADD from Beaufort, South Carolina, celebrated Gun Safety Awareness Day by asking students to sign a simple safety pledge in which they promise to never settle a dispute with a gun or bring one to school and encourage their friends to do the same.
 A number of chapters held events for younger students last month. One was Westbrook High School SADD from Westbrook, Connecticut. They held a "Fun Night" for 5th and 6th graders, with food, music, games, dodgeball, face-painting, and more. They used the opportunity to collect canned goods for their local food bank and provided materials with anti-drug messaging to the middle school students.
 Skaneateles High School SADD in Skaneateles, New York, also reached out to middle schoolers with their 20th annual "Be Cool Not Cruel" bullying prevention program. SADD students ran through activities designed to help students improve their school climate, conducting large group activities in the auditorium and smaller, classroom-based efforts.  Calumet High School SADD from Calumet Township, Michigan, set up an educational display about the risks of tobacco use outside their middle school's cafeteria and sent students over to staff it to spread the word to younger students about the dangers of smoking. This is an annual event, and besides educating the students, the school's custodian quit smoking after seeing it!  SADD chapters always help in the community, and many chapters use community service as a recruiting tool - bringing in new students to the chapter by putting the focus on service. Johnston Senior High School SADD from Johnston, Rhode Island, led a food drive for Thanksgiving and collected 42 cases of nonperishable items. They used a classroom competition to see who could collect the most canned goods. The school's National Honor Society joined forces by collecting money and raised enough to buy 75 turkeys for families in need. Those are just a few stories of the many wonderful things SADD chapters are doing. Congratulations to all these chapters - and to all of you who are working hard to make your schools and communities a better place. Material from local newspapers was used to prepare a portion of this report. Click photos to go to original articles if applicable. |
| SADD Store - Holiday Special! | 
This cool, SADD-branded Under Armour Victory backpack is way more than just a bag. A front laundry locker keeps sweaty gear away from the rest of your items, while tons of internal and external compartments keep you organized. All this in a highly water-resistant, insanely durable material that's quilted for everyday comfort. Click here to learn more!
 The SADD Store is also offering a special holiday deal - spend $100 or more now through December 31, and receive a free SADD-branded ornament - while supplies last. Just add the ornament to your cart and enter promo code SADORN13. Happy holiday shopping! To order, visit saddstore.org or call 1-888-608-6988. Remember to like the SADD Store Facebook page for news about special deals! |
| 2014 SADD National Conference |
 Registration is open for the 2014 SADD National Conference, Life is a Jungle: Join the Expedition. The conference will be held at the Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner just outside Washington, DC, from June 22-25, 2014.
Remember that there's an early bird discount of $50 if you register by March 15, 2014. Don't miss your chance at savings - click here to learn more. |
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