2006 Community That Cares Survey
Want to see crucial facts about Lorain County youth? Go on line at www.lorainadas.org. to read the results of the 2006 Community That Cares Survey which was completed by 10,523 county students from the 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, grades. The data is current, the information unambiguous. The student responses tell what is going on in their lives. The survey results underline why efforts such as our United Way funded Strengthening Families Program, The Lorain County Prevention Connection, the Athena & Atlas Programs, as well as other prevention services funded by United Way, the ADAS and Mental Health Boards and local foundations are so critical to our children.
County wide survey results were unveiled at a February Safe Schools Conference held at Lorain County Community College. The deep concern in the room of 500+ attendees-- who watched slide after slide of self reported thoughts and behaviors related to drugs, alcohol, violence, family, friends, neighborhoods--was palpable. Rightly so. Those are significant topics. Some are life challenging, others life enhancing…at times, even life saving. Adding to the importance of doing this survey is the fact that it has been used in 49 other states and several foreign countries to gather data on student tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use, violence, and family matters. This means that our students feed back is part of an 8 million completed questionnaire data base which allows for our youths' attitudes and behaviors to be compared nationally and regionally. The survey format also enables county authorities and individual school districts to learn how other communities improved on similar issues.
On what issues? . Tobacco, for example. The average age of first use for our 2,965 reporting 6th graders was 10.5 yrs old. For 8th graders, it was 11.4 yrs. In regards to alcohol, the average age for 6th graders first use was 10.5 yrs while the 8th graders reported first drinking at an average age of 11.7 yrs. Regarding marijuana, the average age for first use by 6th graders was at 11 yrs old, for 8th graders 12yrs.
If those "first use" figures don't alarm you, read no further, because the report from all our respondents that 1 in 10 of them at one time in the past 12 months came to school drunk, won't bother you either. Nor will the fact that 62% of our 9th and 60% of 12th graders say that alcohol and marijuana are easily available. Or that alcohol is still used despite 67% of these students acknowledging that drinking alcohol is risky, and 76% admitting the very real dangers of marijuana use.
That is just a portion of other eye opening survey information. Information which speaks to the prevalence of teen binge drinking, illicit drug use, suspensions from school, physical violence, carrying of weapons as well as whether children feel safe in their neighborhood, feel supported by family values, and have role models-each of which bears heavily on a child's healthy development, or the lack of it .
For a frame of reference the survey compares Lorain County's survey results with national data. Equally important is the comparison of 2006's survey results with those of 2003. For example, on the improvement side, data indicates that local past 30 day use of alcohol has been reduced, as has hitting with intention to harm and selling of drugs at school. Still needing improvement are items such as involving families in positive activities, family attachment issues, and the sense that positive behavior is being rewarded within the community.
Most importantly, each school district now has individual student body profiles of competing risks and assets. Parents, too, have a point of reference on which to focus self reflection and family building. As for community leaders…how about a serious call to action for safer and healthier youth?
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| Save The Date: |
Wednesday, June 6
Pick A Project Meeting
Lincoln Community Center
8:30 a.m.
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