Wake Up Call

Wake Up Call Special Presentation

Tuesday, December 10th, 2019

Viroqua Middle School/High School

6:30-8:00 PM

Parents, grandparents and community members are invited to attend an eye-opening presentation taking place on Tuesday, December 10th from 6:30-8:00 PM at Viroqua Middle School/High School. This event is sponsored by Vernon County Department of Human Services and Crawford County Department of Human Services.

The rise in the use of vaping devices and other substances among youth is a growing concern. Are you familiar with carts? Dabs? Box mods? If you have young people in your life, you should be. The Wake Up Call presentation, a program of Your Choice, provides practical information on current drug trends, a walk-through of a teens' bedroom with more than 20 red flags that could indicate substance abuse, and proactive parenting strategies to keep your child substance free. The presenters, both with lived experience, combine their personal stories, experience working with students and families, and sharing things they wish they would've known into an engaging, real and unique presentation. This presentation is a MUST SEE for parents, grandparents, teachers, community members and other adults who are influential in the lives of youth. Attendees will also receive a Wake Up Call Handbook, a 30+ page comprehensive resource guide with current drugs trends, signs of abuse, hiding places and relevant paraphernalia, parenting tips and resources all in one place.

Our goal is to educate parents, teachers, community members and other adults who are influential in the lives of youth so they know what seemingly innocent items can be an indication of substance abuse.

*This event is for adults only (21 years of age and older).  

Register for this free event at https://wakeupcallvernoncounty...

For questions about this event, please contact a Your Choice team member at yourchoice.live@yahoo.com.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:

Sandi Lybert, Founder Your Choice to Live, Inc - Sandi's personal experience with her son, Tyler's addiction and her passion for helping others led her to leave her career in banking to start Your Choice to Live, Inc.  In 2017, Sandi was named the Waukesha County Champion of the Year for her efforts to promote and improve the quality of life in Waukesha County.

Ashleigh Nowakowski, Executive Director, Your Choice to Live, Inc. - Ashleigh Nowakowski has been working in the substance abuse prevention field since 2009. Her work includes speaking in middle and high schools, teaching in health classes, and working with high risk youth in the Detour program. Ashleigh also has experience working with youth who are concerned about a loved one’s substance use. Ashleigh has her Master’s degree in Public Administration. 

WHY ATTEND THIS PRESENTATION:

Schools across the Midwest report that vaping and marijuana devices are the two most common contraband items students are getting caught with in school.

Across the United States, e-cigarette use, also known as vaping, is reaching epidemic proportions among teenagers. According to the American Lung Association, more than 3.6 million U.S. middle and high school students have reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.

There are many health concerns with e-cigarette use. Although some don’t contain nicotine, e-cigarette juices use liquid nicotine extracted from tobacco and can contain as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes. There are also concerns about increased exposure to toxins, including heavy metals, chemical compounds, and other fine particles that may get absorbed into the lung. Additionally, e-cigarettes can be used as a delivery system for other drugs.

According to the Surgeon General's health advisory, about one third of middle and high school students who used e-cigarettes used them as a delivery device for marijuana. A study released in September 2018, reported two million middle and high school students vaping marijuana; equivalent to 1 out of 11 students. Health officials are concerned about this growing trend "because cannabis use among youth can adversely affect learning and memory and may impair later academic achievement and education.”

With the development of technology, kids have more access to information than ever before. If a person wants to get “high”, all they have to do is search the internet. Drug deals are continuously conducted on social media apps such as snapchat. As parents, it’s hard to keep up with all the latest trends. This presentation will address these issues as well as give practical advice on how to prevent use and keep children substance free. Research shows that teens who consistently learn about the risks of drug use from their parents are up to 50% less likely to use substances.