|
By FAITH DeAMBROSE
Approximately 100 area residents gathered on November 29 at George Stevens Academy to participate in a community forum titled “A Cry for Help” sponsored by Peninsula Area Team for Health.
The aim of the forum was to address the problems of underage drinking and to provide PATH with a course of action to limit future teenage consumption. A panel of community members formed by PATH included John Bannister, town selectman and proprietor of Merrill & Hinckley’s; Jody Douglass, head of school of George Stevens Academy; Arnold Greenberg, director of Liberty School; Mark Hurvitt, superintendent of School Union 93; and Scott Kane, Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputy who serves in Blue Hill.
Kane told the audience that in his 18 years as a police officer he has attended “a lot of meetings just like this” when the community feels as if they are in a “crisis stage. Everyone gets involved and wants to know where to point their finger—here we are again, like reruns on television in the spring—I guess we are in another crisis stage,” he said.
Kane said that families need to send clear messages to their youth. “If you stop and look at family members and those near and dear to us, you can ask, ‘What message am I putting out there?’”
Many panels members suggested that the turnabout should begin at home. “Parents need to line up to their responsibility,” said Bannister. “I don’t want to feel like it’s our fault for not building a playground or a skate park—this is a parent/child issue.” He said that if parents do not take a stand with their children, the children will think, “We did it, we got away with it, we went home, we didn’t get in trouble—let’s do it again tomorrow.” He said parents need to remove themselves from being their child’s friend and focus on being their parent. “Parents need to know when to say no—it only hurts the first four or five times.”
Knowing where children are and what they are doing, said Kane, is where parents should begin. “I hate to break it to you, but just because your child says he or she is at Johnny’s or Susie’s house…They could be somewhere else.”
Arnold Greenberg suggested that mixed messages about intoxicating substances are being sent to children on a daily basis through television and advertising. “Selling cigarettes and drinking is so much a part of our culture now.” He said he also believes that some children are becoming bored and are “not fully engaged in their life,” which could lead to depression. “Drinking is an escape they feel from the pain and uncertainty of life.”
Greenberg also said that children need to be involved in the dialogue and suggested that the next forum contain the children that are actually being discussed.
Jody Douglass advocated for honest dialogue between parents and children to explain what is acceptable behavior for both parties. “Almost every day, if listening carefully enough, I hear a story about drugs or alcohol in the school,” she said. “And there need to be guidelines for students to establish conversations as they grow and begin to make decisions about their life.”
Mark Hurvitt said that when he thinks about underage drinking he thinks about “drinking and driving.” He said that because nine towns filter into area high schools he is concerned with students driving. “I am relieved when there is a major event and no tragic stories appear the next day in the newspapers.”
High divorce rates and the absence of one or more parents was suggested as contributing to the problem. “We have to worry about the parents that aren’t around, the parents that do not talk to their kids—we have to help these kids because they will grow to one day become a part of our community,” one resident said.
Linda Williams from the Maine Office of Substance Abuse said that parents are not totally to blame and suggested the audience look to the formation of strategies to combat the problem such as the perception of risk or consequence. She said that if children feel that there is a risk of getting into trouble or getting hurt they might think twice. She said that it has been medically proven that the brain continues to develop into the adolescent years and children who drink run a risk of either harming their brain or becoming addicted to the substance.
Williams said that “alcohol consumption has been found to be a contributing factor among the top three leading killers of youth—accidents, suicide and homicide—in that order.”
About half way through the forum, smaller groups were formed to address possible ways action could be taken to combat the problem. PATH asked community members to list how they could help. When the groups rejoined the forum very few action items were addressed.
“Many in our group were interested in someone else taking action,” said Josephine Jacobs, “There were a lot of ideas, but most people felt they did not have a lot of individual time or capability.”
Penobscot Community School principal Allen Cole spoke for his group and suggested children establish a direct connection with other segments of the community such as the nursing home. The group also cited mentorship as a possible action item.
Greenberg addressed the need for sustainable activities in his opening statements. “We need to find alternative activities for these children. School buildings are empty on the weekends, we could use the library.” He said that although there is expense associated with providing viable activities for youth, that “not doing it is a lot more expensive. It is a lot more expensive socially, there are accidents and we will lose them.”
PATH Coordinator Linda Jaffe and President Ralph Chapman explained that since PATH is a non-profit entity it is able to secure grant money to aid in the development of programs to target the problem of underage drinking. “We are looking for input. If we can form a solid plan to move forward we can raise funds—we are prepared to implement” a course of action once it has been established. Jaffe said that PATH can be the organization to implement the ideas that people have.
Both Jaffe and Chapman urged members of the community to become involved in PATH and to bring any and all ideas to the table. For more information, contact PATH at 374-3257.
|
Blue Hill Selectman John Bannister shares his prospective with the audience.
Photo by Faith DeAmbrose
From left, Liberty School Director Arnold Greenberg, Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Kane speaking.
Photo by Faith DeAmbrose
From left, Union 93 Superintendent Mark Hurvitt, GSA Head of School Jody Douglass, Liberty School Director Arnold Greenberg speaking.
Photo by Faith DeAmbrose
Blue Hill Selectman and District 37 State Representative Jim Schatz offers his view on the subject of underage drinking.
Photo by Faith DeAmbrose
|
Cart