The first in a series of youth forums kicked off Tuesday night July 29 at Linsly. About 40 area youth participated in discussion groups that focused on coming up with ideas to help youth lead the way in tackling the underage drink problem in Ohio County. There has never been a youth activity like this in our area and it is much needed as the county ranks third in the state for this issue.
Many of the students in attendance have seen first hand how alcohol abuse among youth can cause death, injury, or broken families. The diversity of student background really added to the success of this forum. These young people came together for a common cause. They were thrilled that adults cared to listen as they shared what they knew. The students also worked together to come up with ideas that youth themselves could do to alleviate the problem.
The questions posed asked if they thought there was an underage drinking problem in our area, and they asked about the attitude that youth and adults have about underage drinking. Finally ending with what youth can do about it and how adults can help youth to make social changes regarding alcohol use among youth.
The students were amazingly open as they shared their thoughts about the problem and the solutions. Some youth shared their bad experiences using drugs and alcohol while others shared how they have been able to stay away from harmful substances altogether.
On a group level, the youth came together from different backgrounds and viewpoints and worked for social change. On an individual level, it seemed to give them an alternative view of what other young people go through and from this they gathered strength in their conviction.