Pubdate: Mon, 30 Oct 2006
Source: Pacific Daily News (US GU)
Copyright: 2006 Pacific Daily News
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Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1122
Author:  Mark-Alexander Pieper

AWARENESS, POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES KEEP YOUTH ACTIVE

Substance abuse can lead to a host of problems in a young person's 
life, from addiction to trouble with the law and even early pregnancy.

Education and providing youth with alternatives to drugs is key to 
the community's fight against drug use.

With this in mind, dozens of teens, children and adults were on hand 
at Ypao Beach Park Saturday for the National Red Ribbon Week Drug 
Free Carnival.

Two decades ago drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered Kiki 
Camarena, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent, in 1985. The 
murder sparked what is now the oldest and largest drug prevention 
program in the nation -- the Red Ribbon Campaign, according to the 
U.S. DEA Web site.

The campaign began the tradition of wearing a Red Ribbon as a symbol 
of intolerance toward the use of drugs.

Each year the last week of October has come to be recognized as 
National Red Ribbon Week and on Guam several activities have been 
planned to show the community's commitment to a drug-free Guam.

Saturday's carnival -- which featured musical performances and games 
- -- wrapped up the week's worth of events.

Juanita Blaz, program director for Island Girl Power, said the 
participation in this year's carnival by teens and civic 
organizations was encouraging.

Island Girl Power, Sanctuary Inc., SKIP, Youth for Youth and several 
middle and high school organizations set up booths offering snacks, 
information about their respective programs and photos of recent activities.

The Pacific Daily News' Project RAP -- "Real Alternatives to Teen 
Pregnancy" -- was among the event's sponsors. The nine-month project 
wraps up this month and another outreach event is in the works. 
Project RAP's focus is to decrease the number of teen pregnancies on island.

Issues are related

While the Red Ribbon Week carnival was focused on substance abuse 
prevention, Blaz said it's all related.

"Drug use, teen pregnancy, domestic violence among youth -- it all 
ties together," she said.

"These are things kids can get involved in when they have problems 
with self-esteem. That's why we and these other groups here try to 
provide kids with other activities and outlets. You get a child 
active in something, part of something, they start to build 
self-esteem and they eventually develop a sense of community pride 
and these are all things that have been shown to decrease activity in 
illegal drug use and sex at an early age."

Cathrina Palomo, a community program aide from Benavente Middle 
School, said not only having children and teens take part in 
community activities is important, but also getting parents involved is vital.

She said that by making parents aware of the activities their 
children are in they can provide support by reinforcing the message 
that what the kids are doing is good.

Keep kids active

Dededo resident Maria Ramos, 28, attended the Saturday event with 
family. The mother of an infant, Ramos said she is learning what she 
can now to be prepared for when her son is older and could be exposed 
to the temptations of drugs and sexual activity.

"We're going to make sure he's active in sports and in the 
community," she said.

"I think it's very important to get the youth involved in something 
because it expands their horizons," she said. "So often a lot of what 
they see on Guam is all about relationships -- getting together with 
someone early, having a child early -- and they think that's what 
it's all about.

"A lot of our children are very talented, they just need an outlet to 
develop and display those talents," Ramos said. "That's why events 
like this are good because it shows these kids that there is 
something else out there."
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MAP posted-by: Elaine