FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (EASTON, MD – July 11, 2010)
Talbot Youth Hope to Get the Word Out on Drug Free Activities
Three friends from Easton High School have embraced the initiatives of the Talbot County Youth Coalition for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention and hope to bring awareness to area youth about their upcoming activities this summer. Jazmine Gibson, Emily Merriken, and Heena Paracha, all of Easton, agree that what motivates them is making a difference in the number of drug and alcohol-free events being offered for teens in Talbot County.
Merriken comments, "It's sad to read the stories about the drug and alcohol incidents in the newspaper. We need to be creative to think of fun alternative activities for youth here."
The three juniors are part of the Talbot County Youth Coalition's core planning group and comment, "We need to get more people involved in planning events, especially since most of the members of the Coalition are juniors and seniors."
The Talbot County Youth Coalition for Alcohol and Other Drug Use Prevention is a teen organization founded a year ago to encourage and support drug-free youth, establishing clear no tobacco, alcohol or other drug use. The Coalition's program, open to youth ages 13 to 18, stresses youth community development and personal growth, where teens play key roles in program, agenda, decision-making and activities while developing leadership skills.
Merriken states, "If you get too bored, you can turn to drugs and alcohol to be accepted socially. It's cool to be invited to some of these parties."
Gibson adds, "Teens don't think that there are actually fun things you can do that aren't related to drugs and alcohol. We hope to help youth stay away from partying and using alcohol and drugs by offering fun and attractive free alternatives."
The group hopes to entice other county youth organizations to participate with them in events, such as the upcoming Ultimate Frisbee Tournament on July 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Elks Lodge on Dutchman's Lane in Easton.
Paracha says, "We need to get new ideas, like the Ultimate Frisbee Tournament, that will attract more teens to our events."
Pictured left to right are Jazmine Gibson, Heena Paracha, and Emily Merriken, all juniors at Easton High School and members of the Talbot County Youth Coalition.
Paracha and Gibson are attending the Youth-to-Youth Conference in Rhode Island this summer and hope to bring back innovative ideas that other youth organizations are using successfully.
Gibson adds, "Our organization's name can be misleading because teens often think we are just informational and not fun. They think they are going to come and be lectured by us. What they don't know is that we just want to provide a safe place to have fun."
All three women have spent their high school years giving back to their communities. In addition to serving on the Talbot County Youth Coalition, they have been involved with Project Idlewild, The Dixon House, SHOP Club at Easton High School, Talbot Mentors, The Humane Society, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, and with mission projects. Merriken hopes to become a meteorologist and plans to attend college in North Carolina; Gibson is interested in psychology and plans to attend college in Massachusetts; and Paracha plans on going to medical school.
The Talbot County Youth Coalition is sponsored by Talbot Partnership for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention. For further information about the Youth Coalition e-mail info@talbotpartnership.org or call 410-819-8067.
