Newsletter MADD Teen Influencer October 2023: Substance Abuse Prevention Month
Teen Driver
Be Kind to Your
MADD Teen Influencer Summit Join us for the 2023 MADD Teen Influencer Summit on Saturday November 4th!
Safety Week
Mind
Know the rules of the road, whether you have your license yet or not!
Celebrate Red Ribbon Week with these suggestions from MADD Teen Influencer, Ben.
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By Brooklyn Morales This year, Teen Driver Safety Week takes place from October 15–21, 2023! This is an excellent time for parents to discuss with teens how important it is to stay safe on the road. Teen Driver Safety Week started in 2007, when multiple crashes involving high school students from Pennsylvania were brought to Congress’s attention. Senator Bob Casey, Congressman Charlie Dent, and fifty other co-sponsors proposed Teen Driver Safety Week in October of 2007. Teen Driver Safety Week It’s important that parents talk to
and show teens how to be more cautious. Parents tend to be the #1 influence in their teens lives. So, it’s very important for parents to set good examples, discuss any questions concerning driver safety, and let them know what the consequences are if rules are not followed. Some of the few rules to follow are; to always buckle up, not to drive while feeling tired or unwell, not to drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol, to limit
MADD Teen Influencer
October 2023
how many passengers are in the car, to eliminate distractions, and to go the speed limit. It is also very important for parents to teach their kids to always buckle up first. My mom always tells me that I have to buckle up before the car starts moving. If you or someone you know is feeling unwell but has somewhere to be, consider calling someone else to drive. Uber or Lyft are also always available, and the bus and bike riding are also choices. The rule to not drive under the influence is especially important. It already causes physical and mental damage to drink underage, but getting behind the wheel could lead to tragedy. Limiting passengers can help with driving anxiety, distractions, and the possibility of others dying in case of a crash. When people say to ‘eliminate distractions’ everyone first thinks of texting. Texting is. When people say to ‘eliminate distractions’ everyone first thinks of texting. However, other distractions can be putting on makeup, eating, listening to the radio, etc. I know we teens always see our parents doing some of these, they are more experienced drivers, and even though they are adults, it is always good to try to educate them on why doing these actions while driving could put people at risk. Lastly, speeding is just as important to not do. If you speed, you could end up hurting someone or getting a ticket. And those speeding tickets are not cheap! All in all, Teen Driver Safety Week is a very important time for parents to educate and teach teens how to be safe on the road. The declaration of Teen Driver Safety Week is in honor of the lives lost to reckless driving and to help educate teens on how to prevent more lives from being lost.
Nominate an Influencer of the Month! Do you know an influential teen who is a great role model? We would love to spotlight them! Click on the icon to the left or use the link below to share why they should be MADD's Influencer of the Month!
TINYURL.COM/MADDIOTM
MADD Teen Influencer
October 2023
By Ben Haworth Celebrate Red Ribbon Week 2
“Be Kind to Your Mind” - How to
Since its launch in 1988 to honor the death of Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, Red Ribbon Week (October 23_31) remains one of our nation’s largest and oldest drug prevention awareness campaigns. This year’s theme is, “Be Kind to Your Mind. Live Drug Free.” The theme was submitted by Danielle Helm, a Youth Service Coordinator from Russell County Middle School in Russell Springs, Kentucky. The idea
Invite a law enforcement officer to speak at school assembly about the dangers of drug use. Invite parents as well or create two separate events. We do this event every year at my school during the month of October and it has quite an impact on both parents and students. During sporting events, promote Red Ribbon week by handing out red ribbons along with information to students and parents. This can be especially successful during a football homecoming game or any game where there is a large school community in attendance. Start a Red Ribbon Club at your school that meets frequently to promote drug prevention year round. Include an article in your school newspaper behind this is that drug use alters brain development and inhibits growth. Using drugs reduces the levels of dopamine, endorphins, and seratonin in our brains, all essential ingredients that help us feel happiness in a natural way. In addition to participating in annual Red Ribbon photo and PSA video contests, students, their caregivers, and teachers can use this week as an opportunity to speak to children about the dangers of drug use. Here are some tips and creative suggestions to get your school or organization more involved and celebrate this important week in your community.
MADD Teen Influencer
October 2023
Does anyone at your school play in a band? Create your own Red Ribbon Rock Show! You can raise awareness and bring students together all in one fun, celebratory evening. Reach out to local government officials about declaring October 23rd-31st Red Ribbon Week in your community. Simply make a pact with your friends to stay drug free and hold each other accountable. about the importance of staying drug-free.
However you choose to celebrate Red Ribbon Week, I plan on using this week to unplug and reflect on my own personal development and focus on self-care. By taking a break from social media and excessive cell phone use, this is a perfect opportunity to be “Kind to My Mind” by removing outside distractions and concentrating on the things that matter most like spending quality time with family or just simply going for a long walk to unwind. Research
has shown that having strong family relationships are a great source of protection against alcohol and drug abuse among adolescents. Developing healthy family relationships can improve on a parent’s ability to communicate good choices to their children. Whether you decide to throw a big Red Ribbon Week assembly at your school or spend a quiet evening playing a board game with your family, remember to take care of yourself and always, “Be Kind to Your Mind”. Share how you plan to “Be Kind to Your Mind” and celebrate Red Ribbon Week! Tag us
MADD Teen Influencer
October 2023
2023 MADD Teen Influencer Summit Saturday, November 4th, 9am - 2pm 11425 Rivera Road Whittier, CA 90606 3
Join us for our 7th Annual MADD Teen Influencer Summit! This free, fun, interactive event welcomes students, parents, and prevention professionals for networking, resources, community service hours, and chances to win raffle prizes. The goal of the event is to positively impact knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of youth around underage drinking and impaired driving through leadership development opportunities provided through the MADD Teen Influencer Group. This year’s youth workshops include mindfulness, public speaking, and MADD’s signature Power of You(th). Parents will enjoy a panel discussion to learn best practices for connecting with their teen, recognizing signs of drug use, and preventing risky behavior. Attendees can register at https://tinyurl.com/MADDCATeen2023 and will receive a goodie bag and t-shirt, plus lunch will be provided. For more information, contact Melissa Estelle at (714) 677-2556 or Melissa.Estelle@madd.org.
Ask A Teen Influencer Looking for some advice? Each month our MADD Teen Influencers will offer helpful tips based on questions submitted by other teens. You can submit questions anonymously with the link below or by clicking on the icon to the left. TINYURL.COM/MADDTEENADVICE MADD's mission is to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking. The purpose of the Teen Influencer Group is to provide leadership development for teens by training them to be peer-to-peer educators. These teens provide MADD with the youth perspective and use their voice to educate the public. By reducing and then eliminating underage drinking, these teens will help MADD end drunk driving.
@MADDCalifornia
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