Pubdate: Sat, 13 Sep 2008
Source: News-Times, The (Danbury, CT)
Copyright: 2008 The News-Times
Contact:  http://www.newstimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/637
Author: Susan Tuz

STATISTICS TELL SOBERING STORY

Coalition Against Substance Abuse To Make Presentation To Parents Of 
Ridgefield Students

RIDGEFIELD -- A survey of Ridgefield High School  students done in 
April showed 26 percent of the student  body drank to excess on at 
least one occasion in the  previous weeks.

Of the 1,270 students who took part in anonymous  survey, 24 percent 
felt that it was important to use  restraint -- not to drink alcohol, 
use drugs or have  sex.

These statistics and more will be given to parents  Monday at 7:30 
p.m. in East Ridge Middle School in a  presentation by the Coalition 
Against Substance Abuse.

Coalition members Rudy Ruggles, who is also an MCCA  board member, 
and First Selectman Rudy Marconi and  Superintendent of Schools 
Deborah Low will speak.

"We'll talk about the concept of 40 Developmental  Assets that can be 
used and instilled in youths to help  them make positive choices and 
avoid risky behavior,"  Ruggles said.

The statistics were gathered from the survey "Attitudes  and 
Behavior: Profile of Student Life," designed by  Search Institute in 
Minneapolis and conducted by the  coalition.

Search Institute has researched what kids need to  succeed in life 
for 50 years.

Students were free to take the survey or not, and all  responses were 
nameless to encourage honesty.

About 29 percent of the students reported they had used  marijuana in 
the previous 30 days, and 9 percent  reported they used harder drugs, 
including LSD and  cocaine.

"These numbers are higher than the national average,"  Ruggles said. 
"But there is a direct correlation  between substance abuse and 
disposable income.

"Ridgefield's statistics probably aren't any different  from those 
found in other high-income communities  across the country."

Marconi said the survey showed "the rate of alcohol and  substance 
abuse increases from freshman to senior  years."

And avoiding sexual behavior "decreases at a dramatic  rate as kids 
move through their high school years."

"Parental involvement in their kids' lives, beginning  at the 
ninth-grade is at one level and shows a steady  decrease as their 
kids move through to their senior  year," Marconi said. "I'm not a 
trained counselor, but  I look at these statistics and see a correlation."

Some of the suggestions Ruggles will offer parents are  setting 
boundaries, having clearly defined rules with  consequences, and 
monitoring where their children are.

A strong show of caring and clear rules are necessary  for young 
people to learn to avoid risky behavior, he  said.

Some 58 percent of Ridgefield High School students who  answered the 
survey said they didn't feel their family  had this strong structure.

The survey's statistics on teen behavior don't have to  remain the 
norm in Ridgefield, Ruggles said.

"Parents can certainly make a difference by developing  trusting 
communication between themselves and their  children from the 
earliest stages of their children's  lives."

Marconi said the statistics are disturbing, but they  offer important 
information, showing parents need to  get involved and stay involved 
in their children's  lives.

The survey also shows the town is taking the right  steps to improve 
things through the coalition's  Transitional Instruction for Parents 
(TIPS) program of  classes for parents of fifth- and ninth-graders, 
Marconi said.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart