Minnesota Student Survey offers snapshot of teen behavior

March 22, 2011

Eden Prairie News, March 22, 2010

By Leah Shaffer

For the most part, Eden Prairie teens are making the right choices, at least according to most recent results of the Minnesota Student Survey.

“It’s really strong percentages of kids who are doing the things that they know are going to help them be successful,” said Becky Hudlow, the Eden Prairie School District’s retired director of health services.

Hudlow has spent years at Eden Prairie Schools with an inside perspective on the mental and physical health of the district’s students. For the most part, she’s seen some positive trends over the years.

Alcohol and tobacco use continue to tick downward over the past decade. In the most recent student survey 85 percent of ninth-grade students report not drinking at all in the past year, along with 53 percent of 12th-graders.

“We see that trend going down since 1995, of kids using alcohol,” said Hudlow. Read more

Posted by johnbergstrand | Filed Under News | Leave a Comment 

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Our prevention NEIGHBORS

A new take on “Under the Influence”

Hear what Eden Prairie students report about drinking and drug use, and the important influence of parents: Tuesday, March 6, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., at the EPHS Performing Arts Center.
Whether you parent a kindergardener or high schooler, you may have questions on how to support your child in making good decisions and help guide them away from risky behaviors.
Learn about what Eden Prairie’s 6th, 9th and 12th graders report in our Minnesota Student Survey regarding decisions around alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. School staff and community representatives will then share the important role parents play and what you can do to influence decisions from elementary through high school years.
Bring your questions and a friend! Free, no registration required.


Did you know?

  • 3 in 10 eighth graders drink alcohol.
  • 1 in 5 teens binge drink.
  • Only 1 in 100 parents believes their child binge drinks.
  • Teen alcohol use kills about 6,000 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.


EP4Y guest articles in Eden Prairie News

Know the warning signs

Emotional
• Mood swings
• Flat affect
• Out of touch with feelings
• Extreme anger, depression
Family
• Arguments
• Withdrawal
• Fighting
• Irresponsibility
• Coming in late or not at all
• Scapegoat behavior
• Physically or verbally abusive
• Dishonesty, sneakiness
• Defiant, hostile
• Secretive, silent
• Destructive
• Money or articles missing or disappearing
• Finding drugs or paraphernalia
Work
• Chronic late arrival
• Inability to get along
• Irresponsibility
• Missing work regularly
• Accidents on the job
• Working below potential
• Getting fired
Law
• Minor consumption
• Possession charges
• Getting arrested
• Shoplifting
• Stealing
• Vandalism
Mental
• Poor concentration, distracted
• Memory loss
• Lowered attention span
• Lack of motivation
Physical
• Lazy, lethargic
• Change in appearance
• Tired
• Hangovers, sick
• Broken bones
• Car accidents
• Red eyes or using Visine
• Blackouts or passing out
• Weight loss or gain
• Getting beat up or in fights
• Suicide talk or behavior
• Overdosing
• Caught high or drunk
School
• Skipping school regularly
• Chronic tardiness
• Drop in grades
• Getting busted
• Change in attitude and behavior
• Conflict with school staff and students
• Suspension or detention
Sexual
• Negative change in sexual values
• Promiscuity
• Seductive dress, talk, behavior
• Negative change in values
• STDs

1 in 10 U.S. kids have alcoholic parent

More than 1 in 10 U.S. children live with an alcoholic parent and are at increased risk of developing a host of health problems of their own, according to a new government study.
Researchers at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admin (SAMHSA) analyzed national survey data from 2005-2010 and found that 7.5 million children (about 10.5 percent of the country's under-18 population) lived with a parent abusing alcohol during any given year.
Most of those (6.1 million each year) lived in two-parent households where one or both of the adults had a drinking disorder. Of the 1.4 million children who lived in a single-parent home where the adult had a drinking issue, the overwhelming majority (1.1 million) were in female-headed households.
The researchers said children living with alcoholics were at greater risk of suffering from a number of mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, and four times more likely to develop alcohol problems of their own.
SOURCE: http://1.usa.gov/yokgaa, 02/16/12.


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