Pubdate: Wed, 14 Feb 2007
Source: Barrie Examiner (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007, Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2317
Author: Chris Simon

STEERING TEENS AWAY FROM CRIME

Safety Essay Earns Local Student Cash

Sabrina Denoudin wants to keep her fellow teens from committing crime.

She believes there is a solution, and has promptly been awarded for 
her efforts. The 14-year-old Barrie Central Collegiate student wrote 
a paper on how society can steer students away from breaking the law, 
as part of a community safety essay contest sponsored by Sinton 
Transportation and Barrie MP Patrick Brown.

Denoudin was given a $500 scholarship check from Sinton, which will 
be used to pay expenses for attending Trinity Western University in 
British Columbia.

"Mostly, I wrote this essay because I realized that a lot of people 
benefit from the knowledge of what elementary and high school 
students have to go through, what we do in our spare time and why we 
do it," she said, standing in the main foyer at the Barrie Police 
headquarters Friday afternoon. "A lot of kids go into drugs. When 
they go into drugs, it's either because they can access them at home 
(or at school). There's so many kids out there who can easily access 
drugs. We need to make (drugs) less accessible."

The essay was written over three days during the winter break. Dozens 
of Barrie students entered the contest, which was judged by a panel 
of community leaders from the Barrie Police, fire and emergency 
services and government.

Brown says the contest has helped students become involved in 
community safety issues.

"It's a great way to get young Canadians interested in promoting 
public safety," he said, noting the contest was influenced by a 
similar one held in the Ottawa area.

"Sometimes you have people complain the laws are too difficult, or 
that police aren't your friend. (Denoudin's) response was to work in 
partnership with the police. She said the Youth Criminal Justice Act 
wasn't strong enough, she talked about deterrents, she used stats to 
back up her point."

Police chief Wayne Frechette says the effort shown by contest 
entrants was encouraging.

"So many times kids are talked about in terms of being the problem, 
here they are being the solution," he said. "It's really encouraging. 
It gives young (students) like (Denoudin) the opportunity to show 
(their) stuff."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman