Recent Events
 

Teen Game Night, at Mountaineer Field in Montpelier

CVNDC sponsored the Vermont Mountaineers Teen Night on June 13, 2010. Teen volunteer and Girls/Boyz First mentee Billy Fisher throws the first pitch as board members and staff look on.
Prevent Underage Drinking: A Panel and Community Discussion Panel
How can we effectively inoculate our kids against binge drinking and drugging? How many traffic accidents are due to alcohol? What kinds of strategies can parents use to keep teens safe and also instill a sense of camaraderie and “coolness”?

These questions were the subject of a panel discussion organized by Central Vermont New Directions Coalition on May 12th at Montpelier High School. About 40 participants listened to short presentations by four panelists: Dr. Mark Depman, Director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Central Vermont Medical Center, Tony Facos, Montpelier Chief of Police, Chip Keinath, Montpelier High School SAP counselor, and Karlynn Koenemann, mother of four boys. There was ample time for questions and answers following the presentations.


Panel Recap: National Alcohol Data

Dr. Depman provided information on how the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) measure is interpreted. 3-4 drinks will usually result in a .08 BAC. A women can drink the same number of drinks as a man and have a 30% higher BAC. In Vermont the under 21 BAC limit is .02, that is only 2 drinks. Nationally, 50% of traffic accidents are due to alcohol. 39% of fatalities in car accidents are due to alcohol. 31.4% of college kids admit to drinking and driving.

Effective Vaccination: Parents & Language

According to Dr. Depman, the key to prevention is to talk about alcohol and drugs early, as early as age six. Get your kids comfortable with the words and the language. It won’t be as peer energizing for them when the other kids begin to talk about it. They will be more likely to ask you questions, not peers. The car is the best place to talk. Use real words like alcohol, not “booze”. Intoxicated, not “drunk”.

Law Enforcement and Teen Drinking:

Tony Facos explained what the TASP – Teen Alcohol Safety Program is. The first two times an underage youth is caught drinking it is a civil offense after that a criminal offense. The youth is always given the choice to participate in the TASP program to avoid having a record. Tony also presented consequences of social host laws that hold landowner’s responsible for providing alcohol, even if they are not present at the party.

Facos used to lead the START, (Stop Teen Alcohol Risk Team) program, which began in 1998 after an underage drinking/driving accident took the lives of two Montpelier High School students. It’s now a statewide program.

Student Assistance Program:

Chip Keinath talked about the importance of asking for help. He identified this as a big stumbling block for most people. He expressed concern that “we don’t talk, we don’t trust, and we don’t feel”. He encouraged parents to leave the door open for communication with their children. He agreed that it takes time, energy, and concentration to raise a healthy kid.

Parenting Choices:

Karylnn Koenneman shared strategies that she and her husband have implemented over the years while raising four boys. She mentioned a lot of family support in town and good coaches who have helped raise her boys. She encouraged praising kids when they do right, not just emphasizing when they make bad choices.

Listed below are Humorous House Policies that her family follows:
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* We have lots of kids coming through our house and everyone knows these rules and they still come over.
* There are no drinks allowed into the house. We provide the drinks. If a kid brings in a drink we ask them to throw it away.
* If a kid comes over and then leaves, he cannot come back into the house. It’s not okay to leave and party and then come back.
* We check to see what other kid’s curfews are. It is important to know kid’s friends. Some kids have no boundaries.
* If they spend the night they have to give us the keys to their cars, so I know they won’t go out driving.
* Kids need to be involved and have an outlet with other kids.

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* You can also over-structure your kid’s lives, it’s a fine line.
* It’s important to have a plan on how you want to raise your kids and have expectations for them.
* FFF, means Forced Family Fun. Family time is important. We will make our kids go hiking with us. At first they might complain but they end up having a good time.
* Open conversations are important, with four boys sometimes it’s locker room talk. Kids need to know they can come to you. Remember there are a lot of great kids out there doing great things. It’s important to focus on the positive with your kids.

The goal of the panel presentation was to provide participants with knowledge about Vermont social host laws, parenting strategies, and local drug and alcohol prevention and treatment resources. Panel organizers were realistic that one panel could not answer the multitude of questions and concerns about current Youth Risk Behavior Survey data, or stop underage drinking. The panel was one opportunity for open dialog and discussion about a complex and emotionally charged topic. There will be many more prevention activities offered in the months ahead! Stay involved, and stay connected!

To get involved in our parent/community group, please contact: Ivy Zeller, CVNDC, izeller@myfairpoint.net, Lori Rose, loriraerose@yahoo.com, or Carolyn Scoppettone, ccoryvt@yahoo.com.
Many thanks to Community Connections for sponsoring this event!
Smoke Free Zone
In September and October, Central Vermont New Directions Coalition participated in the DOH’s Make Your World a Smoke Free Zone campaign. We distributed second hand smoke information to local businesses, daycares, medical centers, preschools and elementary schools. Area retailers received free grocery bags with the Smoke Free Zone logo on one side and Vermont Quit Network logo on the other, explaining that when it comes to secondhand smoke the only safe exposure is no exposure.
Surviving Adolescence: Simple Ways to Understand and Help Teens and Pre-teens

Monday, October 5,
5:30-7 pm
Montpelier High School Library

The evening included a live presentation, DVD excerpts from the superb talk given by Michael Nerney at U-32 last spring, and time for questions and discussion.

Have you ever seen or heard something and said: “This is it! This is so important I have to share it” Well… THIS IS IT!
Come Learn:

  • How the teen brain works
  • Why teens do what they do
  • Better ways to talk and listen to teens
  • How you can help protect teens from drug and alcohol use
Presented by: Ivy Zeller, Central Vermont New Directions Coalition, 223-4949, izeller@myfairpoint.net  

Smoke-Free Zone at Langdon Street Cafe
smoke free zone CVNDC helped Langdon Street Café purchase 2 new cigarette butt receptacles outside their café. They have initiated a smoke free zone 10 feet from their entrance between the hours of 8am and 8pm. They were concerned about cigarette liter on the sidewalks. According to co- owner, Ben Matchstick, things are going well and people are using the receptacles.
4th Annual Teen Game Night at the Mountaineer Game
On June 14th, twelve youth volunteered to help sell raffle tickets, throw free tee shirts into the stands, give out tobacco prevention information and receive recognition on the field during pre-game ceremonies. This is the 4th year that CVNDC and youth have sponsored a Mountaineer game. This year our organization was recognized throughout the game, received half the proceeds from the 50/50 raffle, and had our logo and a prevention message printed on all game tickets. Also the Mountaineers continue to print a prevention message on the back of all the baseball cards given away at each game.

Our free tee shirts were available in 4 colors, 3 sizes and all had “Winning Athletes Don’t Smoke” printed on the back! Very popular!

Thanks to all the volunteers that helped make this a very successful night, and a win for the Mountaineers!
Mascot Skip and youth get ready to throw the first pitch!
Sticker Shock Campaign
Students spent the day going to stores with Central Vermont New Directions Coalition, doing a project called Sticker Shock. They put stickers on packs of beer educating consumers about Vermont’s social host liability law. The group went to Montpelier, Calais, and East Montpelier stores. Any adult who provides alcohol or allows parties with underage drinking to happen on their property can be fined up to $10,000 and or serve up to 10 years in jail under the social host law in Vermont. Dudley’s Store in East Montpelier, the Maple Corner Store in Calais, Shaw’s Supermarket, M&M Beverage, and the Hunger Mountain Coop in Montpelier participated in the Sticker Shock event in June.
Maddy Cowan and Maia Barbero Menzel place stickers on beer packs warning adults that buying alcohol for minors is illegal!  
Wellness Day at U-32
Recently, students at U-32 found out how to keep their mind and body healthy during times of stress and anxiety. On May 13th, students participated in various classes that did not include Math, English or a foreign language. Instead, students took workshops on yoga, strength and conditioning, healthy relationships, sound & vibration healing principles, mindfulness meditation, body image, eating disorders and identity, and the harmful effects of substance use and abuse. David Ball, a graduate of Spaulding High School, was the keynote speaker. He gave an inspirational speech about achieving one’s goals by working hard, practicing, and believing in oneself. At right, students practice yoga with Meg Chisholm. wellness day
Langdon Street Cafe Creates Smoke-Free Zone
Langdon Street Cafe please don't smoke Students from Main Street Middle School helped Langdon Street Café in Montpelier kick off its new smoke-free policy on April 15, 2009. Customers are now encouraged to keep all café entryways smoke-free. Students swept the area clean of cigarette butts, created sidewalk chalk art, and helped install the café’s colorful new signs. The event was co-organized by Central Vermont New Directions Coalition and Langdon Street Café.
Mock Car Wreck
Montpelier High School students experienced what it might feel like to lose a loved one as a result of a DUI. VT Teen Leadership Safety Program (VTLSP) students, Central Vermont New Directions Coalition and many other partners staged a mock car wreck on the recreation field April 30th. Students acted out the after effects of a fatal crash caused by a drunk driver. Realistic looking injuries were created using make-up and fake blood. Law enforcement, ambulance and fire department personnel were summoned to the mock crash as the scene was played out, and performed their duties as they would in real-life situations. All students viewed the crash scene and then attended an assembly led by VTLSP, giving the student body an opportunity to discuss the crash scene and the events surrounding the mock crash.
mock car crash
 
Driver and passengers get out of the vehicles after the crash.
Kick Butts Day
kick butts day nicotine is addictive CVNDC partnered with Main Street Middle School and U-32 High School in March to help students STAND OUT…SPEAK UP…and SEIZE CONTROL AGAINST BIG TOBACCO. CVNDC staff worked with students to place tobacco post-it notes on lockers, doorways and windows around the school. They also set up tobacco information and display tables in the main hallway. Students were encouraged to sign postcards addressed to the executives of the top 10 movie producers and executives. 75 to 100 postcards were filled out in both schools. The Student Assistance Counselor created a quiz for the students based on the facts on the post-it notes. If the students successfully completed the quiz, they received a tee shirt or pack of cards. Kick Butts Day is the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids’ annual celebration of youth advocacy, leadership and activism.

Past Events

mentor dance-a-thon Dance-a-thon at Capital Plaza
Friday, January 16, 2009, 7:00-11:00 pm
Sponsored by Girls/Boyz First Mentoring Program
call 229-4798 for information

Media Inside/Out Summer Camp

July 21-August 1, 2008 at Barre Tech Center.

Students learned video editing using state-of-the-art FinalCut Pro(tm) software. Campers created their own movies while learning how to think critically and deconstruct media messages.

Mountaineers Baseball Teen Game Night

July 18, 2008, Montpelier Recreation Field

Addiction & Recovery: a 6-Week Educational Series

April 15-May 20, 2008. Central Vermont New Directions Coalition, in partnership with New Directions for Barre, Friends of Recovery-VT, Community Connections, and Turning Point Center of Central VT, offered a weekly evening event featuring viewings of the popular HBO Addiction Series and presentations by Tony Folland, Jack Hall, Deb Haskins, Patty McCarthy, and Joelen Mulvaney. The evenings were well-attended and offered the community a chance to educate themselves on addiction and recovery processes while enjoying food and discussion.

Town Hall Meeting on The Impact of Alcohol in Vermont

90 youth and adults attended the “Town Hall Meeting ” April 10, 2008 at the Vermont State House Cafeteria in Montpelier, sponsored by Central VT New Directions Coalition, Friends of Recovery-VT, VT Drug and Alcohol Coalition, Association of Student Assistance and SAMHSA. After hearing from a panel about teen and young adult alcohol use, treatment, alcohol-related crime in Vermont, and addiction and recovery, participants had an open discussion about underage alcohol use. For every $1 spent on substance abuse in Vermont, approximately 97 cents goes to public programs affected by substance abuse (such as corrections), whereas only 3% goes to prevention and treatment.

Middle School Poster Contest

Over 100 students from 6 schools entered the March 2008 "8 out of 10 Vermont Teens Don't Smoke" Poster Contest. The winning entries received gift certificates to local businesses and lots of public recognition.

First Place Winner: Meredith Andrews, 8th Grader at Orchard Valley Waldorf School. Second Place Winner: Beth Maguire, 5th Grader at Union Elementary School. Third Place Winner: Alyssa S. Barrett, 6th Grader at Main Street Middle School.
 
Honorable Mention: Alex Stetter, 5th Grader at Union Elementary School.   Honorable Mention: Zivah Solomon, 6th Grader at Doty Elementary School.

High School Musician Showcase

Substance-free Teen Talent Night at Langdon Street Cafe on Saturday, February 16, 2008 packed the house with a diverse crowd of listeners who enjoyed the talented stylings of young musicians, singer-songwriters, and full bands performing a wide variety of genres including jazz, rock, punk, classical, beatbox, and folk. Click here for a you tube video of the showcase.