Are your children stressed? Tune into a live chat with Dr. Pope to learn how you can help them cope.

You’re Invited! LIVE FACEBOOK CHAT on Ways Parents Can Help Kids Manage Stress Join us on Wednesday, October 19 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT for a live Facebook chat with Dr. Denise Pope, co-founder of Challenge Success at Stanford University and author of Overloaded and Underprepared: Strategies for Stronger Schools and Healthy, Successful Kids. The discussion will explore ways that parents can help their kids manage their time better, stay focused and handle stress in today’s hectic academic environment. To participate in the chat, please “Like” and visit the Partnership’s Facebook Page at 12:00 p.m. EDT on October 19. The chat will take place right under the announcement image of Dr. Pope in the comment thread. Please make sure to refresh your browser throughout the chat to view all of the comments in real time and follow the live conversation. We invite you to submit questions in advance and Dr. Pope will do her best to answer them during the chat. Dr. Pope is featured in our new documentary film BREAKING POINTS, about Rx stimulant abuse among young people and the unhealthy ways teens cope with stress.

The Laughlin Children's Center is offering a four session workshop for teens and pre-teens on the practice of Mindfullness this October.  Many people use Mindfulness techniques to help focus on the present moment, increase self awareness, and reduce stress. 

For more information please the flyer below, or contact Heather Forsythe at karunayoga1@hotmail.com, 717-377-8639.

Screening "The Mask You Live In", May 5, 2016 at 6:30 at QV Middle School

Please join us for a special screening of The Mask You Live In at 6:30 on May 5, 2016 at Quaker Valley Middle School.  The film presents many of the challenges facing our boys and young men growing up today.

Here is the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc45-ptHMxo

Child care will be provided. Not recommended for children under 16 years of age.  

What if my child is the bully?

There are some excellent insights in this article from a mom who discovered that her daughter wasn't being so nice...

http://community.today.com/post/my-worst-nightmare-what-if-i-raised-the-bully

Help from College Admissions Officers

There is some very helpful advice in this article from college admissions officers...

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/17/advice-college-admissions-officers-give-their-own-kids/?_r=0

Suspect serious alcohol poisoning? Don't stall. Just Call (911 that is).

Mary Ciammetti wants everyone to know that in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and 28 other states, people can call to help an underage drinker without getting in trouble with the law. It's called medical amnesty.

Her underage son, Christian, died after binge drinking red bull and hard alcohol.  His college roommates didn’t know the symptoms, and thought they were doing good as they watched him until it was too late. 

“No one, no one, should ever die of this again,” Mary Ciammetti said.  “Everyone need to learn the symptoms of alcohol poisoning.” 

Please please spread the words “Don’t Stall. Just Call.”

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20160218_A_collegiate_binge_death__then_a_mother_s_crusade.html#gvt2zOLQwxwyxDFW.99

http://www.medicalamnesty.org/

College Entrance Pressure

Since the fall Bridgett and I have been having informal data gathering sessions with community members who work with our kids to get a pulse on how our kids are doing and how Youth Connect can help.  We heard a consistent message: that our kids are stressed by the pressure to get into elite colleges, and that this pressure is mounting at lower and lower grades.  We also clearly heard that this pressure is resulting in real risks to our kids in the form of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.  

A new report due out today from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, "Turning the Tide" documents the same message we've been hearing here in Sewickley.  Here are some highlights:

The study found that "rates of depression, delinquency, substance abuse and anxiety ... appear to be considerably higher in [middle and upper income communities]'"

"Kids are getting the message partly from the admissions process, but also from their parents that if they don't get into a certain kind of school they've failed in life and forever more will be behind..."  Frank Bruni speaking on CBS this morning in a discussion about the Harvard study. 

The report suggests that colleges put less emphasis on:

- standard test scores

- class rank

- number of AP classes

See links below for more information on this study.

Time will tell if the college admissions process changes as a result of this study.  In the mean time Youth Connect will remain mindful of the stress on our kids and we will be looking for ways to minimize that stress.  We hope you will too.

CBS News:

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/new-report-suggests-ways-to-revolutionize-college-admissions/

New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/20/opinion/rethinking-college-admissions.html?_r=0

The Wall Street Journal

http://www.wsj.com/articles/educators-seek-to-ease-pressure-in-college-admissions-process-1453249687