Page 10 - May 2013

Youth News Chehalis Tribe Students of the Month Oakville Receives Funding to for April Reduce Underage Drinking Halle Colson (9-12) Oakville has been selected to Healthy Youth Survey found that Halle is a senior at Todd Beamer High receive funding to reduce youth teen drinking is going down, more School in Federal Way. She currently alcohol and other drug use, than 115,000 youth reported using has a 3.7 GPA. She is in her fourth and create a healthier and safer alcohol in the past 30 days. Because season playing Varsity Fast pitch for community environment. The the teen brain is still developing, school as starting catcher and also support includes funding for alcohol use during this time can plays outfeld. Her favorite subjects are training, technical assistance, and permanently damage learning and Creative Writing and Photography. community and school-based memory, and impairs judgment and Halle enjoys helping at church, is prevention services. impulse control. This puts teens at currently serving as a leader for a greater risk for serious injuries and middle school youth group, and Oakville is one of 52 communities death. is looking forward to serving on a statewide currently participating mission trip at a shelter for abused in a Prevention Redesign Initiative “A number of factors were women and children in Guatemala this (PRI), funded by the state considered in selecting Oakville summer. She also loves to read and is training to ride in the Seattle to Department of Social and Health for services”, said Wilma Weber, Portland bicycle ride in July. Services’ Division of Behavioral coalition coordinator from Grays Health and Recovery (DBHR). PRI Harbor County Public Health. Halle will attend University of Colorado Boulder next fall, studying supports new or existing coalitions “These included a variety of data Education or English. in partnering with parents, youth, regarding substance abuse along educators, health professionals, law with Oakville School District’s Farley Youckton (6-8) enforcement, faith leaders, tribes readiness to beneft from these Farley is in the 8 grade at Winlock and local government. Coalitions services. This is a great opportunity th Middle School, where he is regularly will identify their highest prevention for the youth and the community of named to the Principal’s List (a needs, plan and implement Oakville.” greater honor than Honor Roll), evidence-based strategies, leverage is enrolled in the Select Robotics local resources and evaluate the The local coalition is in the building class, and plays on the baseball impact of selected programs. phase and Weber encourages team. Outside school, Farley enjoys any community member who is football, playing games, and hanging “Our goal in redesigning and interested to join the coalition to out with his friends. He recently got targeting our state prevention help plan and support programs that his braces off and he is very happy services is to leverage enough will be meaningful and impactful about his new mouth. resources in high-need communities for the Oakville community. You to achieve greater reductions in can contact her at 360-500-4069 or Payton Simmons (K-5) substance abuse and the harm it wweber@co.grays-harbor.wa.us. Payton is attending Rochester causes,” said Chris Imhoff, DBHR’s Also, please stop by the public Elementary in the 2nd grade. Her Director. “Community leaders are health table at the “Healthy Choices, favorite subject is science. For fun, prepared to use these resources to Healthy Lives” health fair at the Payton likes to dance and attend help young people make healthy Chehalis Tribal Community Center th powwows. choices and succeed,” added Imhoff. on May 16 to learn more. She says the reason she is such a PRI will focus a larger amount of State and county data from the good student is “because I always leveraged resources in targeted Washington State Healthy Youth pay attention.” communities over several years, Survey is available at: with the primary goals of reducing th Payton hopes to be a teacher when underage drinking among 8 and www.AskHYS.net th she grows up. 10 graders, improving academic performance, and reducing juvenile Information and tips for parents for From the Education Department: As a reward for their commitment crime. Alcohol kills more youth preventing underage drinking can be to school and personal growth, each student of the month will receive than all other drugs combined. found at: a $50.00 gift card from the Education & Development Department. Congratulations, Keep up the good work! While the 2012 Washington State www.StartTalkingNow.org Page 10 chehalistribe.org  greatwolfodge.com  luckyeagle.com  eagleslandinghotel.net