Wake Education Partnership presents "Skills for Life," a useful resource for parents who want to promote healthy life choices for their students
07.30.07

Welcome to the first edition of Skills for Life, a new electronic publication of Wake Education Partnership. We've created this newsletter to provide useful resources for parents who want to promote healthy life choices for their students. The resources we have included provide valuable references on a wide range of adolescent issues including alcohol, drugs, smoking, violence, advertising, and self-image.

 

 

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Think back to your teenage years…the start of junior high or middle school.  You were in a new environment and it was a time to meet new people and try new things!

Today's children face the same peer pressure, and even more media pressure, than you experienced as you were growing up.  Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco seem glamorous and teens struggle to live up to the images portrayed on television, in magazines, and on the internet.

In today’s newsletter, we’ve compiled some online resources that we hope will enable you to communicate to your children the importance of making healthy life choices as they begin the new school year.  These healthy life choices include saying no to harmful substances and yes to a positive self image.  Making healthy choices now will help ensure academic and professional success later in life. 

Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy and Drug Free

This web site from the US Department of Health and Human Services provides resources for talking with your child about tobacco, alcohol, internet safety and much more. Check out the “Conversation Starters” under Resources for ideas.

The Partnership for a Drug Free America

You may be familiar with this organization that has led a national drug-education campaign over the past twenty years.  Visit their site for a wealth of information on drug prevention, intervention, abuse, treatment, and recovery.  Read personal accounts, watch videos, and get up to date on the latest drug research.  This site also has a “Drug Guide” with images that can help you identify suspicious looking substances you may find in your child’s room.  You may want to share the teen section of this website with your child.

Kid's Health

This website addresses a wide range of children and adolescent health issues.  It contains articles on such topics as bullying, how to deal with feelings, peer pressure, and staying healthy.  The website is easy to navigate and also offers kid and teen resource pages.

The Lowdown on Drugs

Brought to you by the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, this trendy website is a great resource for teens and their parents to learn about the dangers of drugs.  This site is easy to understand and full of articles that your teen can relate to. 

Think back to your teenage years…did you know everything you know now?  Please take this opportunity to share with your teen the importance of making healthy life choices!
 

The Middle Schools Skills for Life Initiative is supported by a grant from Public Education Network (PEN). PEN’s mission is to build public demand and mobilize resources for quality public education for all children, especially poor and disadvantaged, through a national constituency of local education funds and individuals.

The Middle Schools Skills for Life Initiative is a three-year project intended to address the academic and nonacademic development needs of middle school youth to ensure that they are prepared for college, work and life. Wake Education Partnership is collaborating with the Wake County Public School System, Wake County Communities in Schools, Wake County Human Services and other community agencies to implement the middle school Skills for Life youth development initiative.
 
Wake Education Partnership is a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to making world-class schools possible in Wake County through business and community involvement. We play a critical role in bringing people together, raising the level of discussion through capacity building, and brokering information and relationships around key issues in public education. Founded in 1983 by Raleigh’s leading business, civic and political leaders, Wake Education Partnership serves as an independent link between the school system and the community to promote public responsibility for globally competitive schools in Wake County. Programs for 2007-08 focus on retaining effective teachers, developing effective education leaders, and ensuring healthy schools for all students.