Winthrop casa stop act underage drinking prevention project - winthrop casa seeks to to reduce opportunities for underage drinking by increasing interaction with prosocial peers and decreasing overall…

Winthrop casa stop act underage drinking prevention project - winthrop casa seeks to to reduce opportunities for underage drinking by increasing interaction with prosocial peers and decreasing overall use. The first objective will be to expand drop in programming to increase access for middle school students. We will have a weekly drop in day for 6TH-8TH graders, on top of our regular programming, that will serve up to 25 youth each week. The second objective under the goal to increase prosocial interactions, is to have 9 half day programs for middle school students. Each half day we will hold a youth resource fair to help give youth a place to go during half days while connecting them with resources and activities to increase protective factors. We will also work to find scholarships for youth to participate in out of school activities that have a cost attached to them. The fairs will have games, food and prizes and will be open to all students. Community partners will bring tables to do outreach to youth and help connect them to resources they and their families might need. The third objective is to implement four youth lead community events for middle school students each year. The middle school youth participants will work with the high school aged youth staff and the program coordinator to plan and implement events that will encourage prosocial engagement as well as act as an alternative to participating in risk behaviors like drinking alcohol. Each season the youth will plan a free event for their middle school peers. Some examples might include a sports tournament in the winter, a dance in the spring, an outdoor movie event in the summer, and a haunted house in the fall. Another goal is to reduce opportunities for underage drinking by increasing opportunities to and reward for prosocial involvement. The first objective is to create accessible and meaningful opportunities for community service. Older young people creating safe spaces for younger youth creates a multitude of protective factors for both the participants. We see our high school students shine and feel confident as they serve as a positive role model for younger youth who benefit so much from positive interactions with older youth. We will partner with the WPS and national honors society to help provide the opportunity for 1500 hours of community service for high school students working with our middle school student programing. The second objective is to hold a youth awards ceremony. The coalition will form a committee of volunteers and stakeholders to plan and implement the event. Nominations will come from the residents and will look for young people who are doing things that make the community better. With a focus on those who may not get noticed for other things like grades, athletics, or theatrical talents, we will select winners to receive awards at a ceremony each spring. Last, our third objective is to provide the opportunity for high school students to have access to a job and be paid for their work with the middle school programs. We will pay youth staff to work 4 hours per week to help the implement middle school programs. These youth will become part of the casa youth advisory board and will receive all the training and professional development included in that role as well as serve as part of the youth branch of our decision making board of the coalition.