Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 1 Marie Harris Ana Jimenez Nayeli Perez Gabe Tirado Reuben Whitsitt Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 2 Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 3 Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 4 • Mission Statement • Research Questions • Needs Assessment • Solution Description • Solution Criteria • Solution Choice Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 5 Our presentation will provide you with our statistics of why teens are so vulnerable to drug use and what we as a community can start doing now before it’s too late Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 6 The Effects of Drugs and Teens The Effects of Drugs and Education The Effects of Drugs and the Community The Effects of Drugs and Future Generations Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 7 42 % of Women Survey 57 % of Men Survey Ethnicity : Hispanic / Latino 75% White 16% Asian 3% African – American 3% Other 6% Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 8 English Surveys : 153 Spanish Surveys : 35 Age Range: 6 % Under 15 Years Old 59 % Between 15 – 20 Years Old 18 % Between 21 – 25 Years Old 5 % Between 26 – 30 Years Old 11 % 30 Years or Older Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 9 Primary School Middle School Some High School High School Diploma Some College College Diploma 2% 1% 36% 24% 33% 7% Are you a United States citizen ? 84% Yes 14% No Did you vote in the last elections ? 23% Yes 76% No Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 10 41 % • 3% • 2% • 3% • 12 % • 8% • 35% • 3% • 22 % • Marijuana Inhalant Methamphetamines Ecstasy Tobacco Cocaine Alcohol Other None Of The Above Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 11 Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 12 Watsonville High School Watsonville Adult School Watsonville Library Watsonville Plaza Pajaro Valley High School Watsonville Cabrillo Campus UCSC Downtown Santa Cruz Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 13 Survey Question : Is You Family open –minded about Illegal Drugs ? 44 % Yes 52 % No Parents Teens Community Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 14 Local Activities for Kids to go After School and/or Weekends FREE of cost to Parents and Kids More Education offered to Parents and Kids about Drugs and it’s effects Parent Involved in the Community Volunteer Work Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 15 Survey Question : Have you attended school under the influence of any illegal drugs ? 66 % Yes 31% No Survey Question : Do you think drugs have an effect on your education ? 68 % Yes 29 % No Many teens don’t finish high school because of drug abuse Kids don’t do any healthy activities after school Parents aren’t really involved in their kids lives Kids attending school under the influence of drugs Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 16 Survey Question : Do you want to attend college or a University ? 82 % Yes 14 % No Survey Question : Did you do drugs to fit into a specific group ? 13 % Yes 82 % No Insufficient communication between Parents and Kids Not enough emphasis on After school Activities The pressure to try drugs and join gangs Not enough classes for Parents and Kids about Drugs Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 17 When Kids come home under the influence of Drugs or Alcohol When Parents no longer have control over their own Kids Mood Swings / Depression Grades Drop Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 18 Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 19 How Old Where You The First Time You Tried Drugs ? 10 Years old 7% 11 Years old 21% 12 or 13 Years old 12% 14 or 15 Years old 26% 15 years or older 10 % Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 20 Did you resort to illegal drugs because of family problems ? 25% Yes 70 % No Does anyone in your household use any illegal drugs ? 22% Yes 73% No Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 21 Do you think drugs keep you from succeeding and reaching your goals ? 58 % Yes 40 % No Did a family member introduce you to drugs? 25 % Yes 71 % No Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 22 Are you addicted to any illegal drug ? 12 % Yes 86 % No Are you using more than one illegal drug ? 15% Yes 86% No Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 23 Conclusion from surveys : drug abuse is not being introduced through family drug abuse is being introduced through the community family problems is not a key part of drug abuse in teens focus on younger children about drug use Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 24 Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 25 Solution #1 :Design more after school programs FREE of charge for parents and kids Solution #2 : Informative classes for Parents about Drugs, and how it effects on the community Solution #3 : Making volunteer work more appealing for Kids Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 26 Design more after school programs • Design an outreach / after school program that will facilitate both the interest of kids and make parents be part of it. • Having workshops and activities for both parents and kids • Community involvement • FREE of cost for parents and kids Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 27 Informative classes for Parents about Drugs, and how it effects on the community On – going classes about drugs and it’s effects for both parents and kids Weekend seminars about drugs and teens Fun and creative ways of informing kids about drugs Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 28 Making volunteer work more appealing for Kids Getting together with places where volunteer work is available so that a plan can be designed to make teens more involved in volunteer work for the community YMCA Salvation Army Youth Center Second Harvest Food Bank Jacob’s Heart (Etc ) Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 29 Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 30 1. Meets everyone’s needs 2. Doesn’t cost too much 3. On – Going Classes 4. A program designed for both Kids and Parents 5. Making kids responsible for their actions not the parents 6. Effectiveness Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 31 Solution : After school programs Informative classes Volunteer work Meets everyone’s needs XXX XXX XX Doesn’t cost too much XX X XXX On – Going Classes X XX XXX Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 32 Solution : After school programs Informative classes Volunteer work Designed for both kids and parents XX XX XXX Making kids responsible XXX X XXX Effectiveness XX X XXX Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 33 Making volunteer work more appealing to younger kids Making it an incentive, to show them responsibilities at an early age Making it fun and creative Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 34 To educate parents, kids, and the community about drugs and its effects To bring parents and their kids closer so that communication exists To Stop the statistics of kids using drugs at such a young age Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 35 To get support from the community to implement our solutions Advertise our solutions through seminars and brochures Having dedicated people working on the task of helping our teens, and educating them about drugs. Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 36 To get the communities support for programs designated for kids extra – curriculum activities free of charge for parents and kids Funds for this program to be created through advertisement or parent involvement Drug awareness programs for parents and kids Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 37 • Kids attending school under the influence of drugs • Kids not being responsible for their own actions • Kids not continuing with their education • Kids and parents not having a healthy relationship Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 38 What are the consequences Of meeting the Needs : • Kids attending school not under the influence • Kids being responsible for their actions • Kids having an open relationship with their parents • More college graduates Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 39 As parents we need to talk to our kids about drugs and it’s effects to the body – not only once but many times, keeping a close relationship with your kids will keep you informed of what they are Involved in. . Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 40 Watsonville area: YMCA Youth Center cal - SAFE The children and youth program Spring 2008 - Digital Bridge Academy 41