{"id":2939,"date":"2021-10-18T06:24:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-18T06:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/?p=2939"},"modified":"2025-11-19T06:28:58","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T06:28:58","slug":"the-power-of-choice-high-school-edition-fall-2021-issue-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/the-power-of-choice-high-school-edition-fall-2021-issue-1\/","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Choice \u2013 High School Edition Fall 2021, Issue 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2939\" class=\"elementor elementor-2939\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d0e6867 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d0e6867\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9ff63c0 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"9ff63c0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f2a944 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6f2a944\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<style>\n@import url('https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Karla:wght@400;700&display=swap');\n* {\n    box-sizing: border-box;\n}\nbody {\n    font-family: 'Karla', sans-serif;\n    color: #404040;\n    line-height: 1.6;\n    margin: 0;\n    padding: 20px;\n}\n.article-container {\n    max-width: 1200px;\n    margin: 0 auto;\n}\n.header-section {\n    display: flex;\n    gap: 40px;\n    margin-bottom: 30px;\n    align-items: center;\n}\n.header-image {\n    flex: 1;\n}\n.header-image img {\n    width: 100%;\n    height: auto;\n    display: block;\n}\n.header-image figcaption {\n    font-size: 14px;\n    color: #666;\n    margin-top: 8px;\n}\n.header-text {\n    flex: 1;\n}\n.header-text h1 {\n    font-size: 32px !important;\n    line-height: 1.2;\n    margin: 0 0 10px 0;\n    color: #333;\n}\n.header-text .byline {\n    font-size: 18px;\n    color: #666;\n    margin-top: 10px;\n}\n.main-content p {\n    font-size: 20px;\n    color: #404040;\n    margin-bottom: 20px;\n    line-height: 1.8;\n}\n.two-column {\n    display: flex;\n    gap: 40px;\n    margin: 40px 0;\n}\n.column {\n    flex: 1;\n}\n.column h2 {\n    font-size: 22px;\n    font-weight: 700;\n    color: #333;\n    margin: 20px 0 15px 0;\n}\n.column p {\n    font-size: 16px;\n    color: #404040;\n    line-height: 1.6;\n    margin-bottom: 15px;\n}\n.column ul {\n    margin: 15px 0;\n    padding-left: 25px;\n}\n.column ul li {\n    font-size: 16px;\n    color: #404040;\n    margin-bottom: 12px;\n    line-height: 1.6;\n}\n.poster-image {\n    margin: 20px 0;\n}\n.poster-image img {\n    width: 100%;\n    height: auto;\n    display: block;\n}\n.separator {\n    border: none;\n    border-top: 1px solid #ddd;\n    margin: 40px 0;\n}\n.center-heading {\n    text-align: center;\n}\n.footer-text {\n    font-size: 16px;\n    color: #404040;\n    margin-top: 30px;\n}\n.entry-footer {\n    font-size: 14px;\n    color: #666;\n    margin-top: 20px;\n}\na {\n    color: #0073aa;\n    text-decoration: none;\n}\na:hover {\n    text-decoration: underline;\n}\n@media (max-width: 768px) {\n    .header-section,\n    .two-column {\n        flex-direction: column;\n    }\n    .header-text h1 {\n        font-size: 24px;\n    }\n    .main-content p {\n        font-size: 18px;\n    }\n}\n<\/style>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-container\">\n\n    <!-- HEADER SECTION (IMAGE LEFT, TITLE RIGHT) -->\n    <div class=\"header-section\">\n        <div class=\"header-image\">\n            <figure>\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/360youthservices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/image-4-1.png\" alt=\"\" \/>\n                <figcaption>Jamie Horner, Naperville Police Department Social Worker,<br>Power of Choice High School Committee Member<\/figcaption>\n            <\/figure>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"header-text\">\n            <h1><strong>\u2018Mental Health Is Just As Important<br>As Physical Health\u2019<\/strong><\/h1>\n            <div class=\"byline\">by Jamie Horner<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- MAIN CONTENT -->\n    <div class=\"main-content\">\n\n        <p>When you set up your child\u2019s yearly back-to-school physical, are you also considering how you\u2019re caring for your child\u2019s mental health? Mental health is just as important as physical health. Just like physical health, mental health needs to be monitored, but may go untreated due to any variety of reasons. Most commonly, professionals find that parents and guardians may be hesitant to engage in a conversation around mental health with their child. Similarly, youth may be fearful to come forward with symptoms they are experiencing or may not even fully understand that what they are experiencing deserves attention and help.<\/p>\n\n        <p>When thinking about how to best support your child\u2019s mental health, remember that you know your child best. If you feel their behaviors seem concerning or have deviated from their normal routine, don\u2019t ignore that feeling. A child sleeping in on a Saturday following an extremely hectic week may not be worrisome. On the other hand, a child who won\u2019t get out of bed all weekend, is not eating consistent meals and\/or neglecting their basic hygiene is a child who is displaying alarming signs of possible mental health concerns.<\/p>\n\n        <p>With kids going through so many hormonal changes with moods and behaviors that seem to fluctuate daily, how does a parent decipher the difference? As a clinician, I use the phrase, \u201cIt\u2019s just a conversation\u201d regularly. Simple, direct questions such as, \u201cI haven\u2019t heard about your relationship with {insert your child\u2019s significant other\u2019s name or a friend\u2019s name here}, is everything going okay?\u201d can be extremely enlightening. Some conversations may seem more daunting. Saying something like, \u201cLast night when you came home, your clothes smelled like smoke. Have you been experimenting with smoking recently?\u201d can be intimidating. But if you don\u2019t ask your teen, they probably won\u2019t share that information voluntarily. As a parent, it\u2019s your responsibility to know what\u2019s going on with your teen. You are their first and strongest line of support.<\/p>\n\n        <p>Once you start asking those questions, it\u2019s important to be prepared for whatever answer you may get. Your child may indicate that they haven\u2019t been feeling themselves lately or they have been struggling. Do not be alarmed. Your child needs to see that it is okay to speak up and speak out about what is going on with them. As their first line of support, you also have to be their first line of trust. They need to trust that you will help them figure out how to get help and improve what they\u2019re struggling with. That is when the adage \u201cIt takes a village\u201d comes into play. As a parent, you may feel that all the weight is on your shoulders, but you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n\n        <p>You don\u2019t have to have all the answers for your child, but you can work with your child to get them the answers they need by utilizing community support. As a Naperville Police Social Worker and Co-Chair for the Community Alliance for Prevention, I can assure you that parents are surrounded with resources.<\/p>\n\n        <p>You may be your child\u2019s first line of support, but you don\u2019t have to be their only line of support. Learn more about available community resources by visiting the Naperville Police Social Services webpage <a href=\"https:\/\/www.naperville.il.us\/services\/naperville-police-department\/investigations-division\/social-services\/\">www.naperville.il.us\/NPDSocialServices<\/a><\/p>\n\n        <p>and 360 Youth Services Community Resource Guide <a href=\"http:\/\/360youthservices.org\/resources\/poc-community-resource-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">http:\/\/360youthservices.org\/resources\/poc-community-resource-guide\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n    <hr class=\"separator\" \/>\n\n    <!-- TWO COLUMN SECTION -->\n    <div class=\"two-column\">\n        <div class=\"column\">\n            <h2><strong>A Positive Opportunity for Your Teen<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n            <p>Before beginning a conversation around alcohol, gauge <\/p>\n\n            <p>The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is a diverse group of District 203 &#038; 204 high school students who develop leadership skills by spreading substance use prevention messages! Meetings are monthly. For more info email the YAC Coordinator Sarah: <a href=\"mailto:sindlecoffer@360youthservices.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sindlecoffer@360youthservices.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <p>Follow YAC on Instagram @yac_360<\/p>\n\n            <h2>What Is the Power of Choice?<\/h2>\n\n            <p>The Power of Choice is a substance use prevention communication campaign supporting students, parents, and schools, focused on building resiliency and providing education to increase the number of students making healthy choices regarding substance use. The Power of Choice is a collaborative project led by 360 Youth Services in District 203 and 204 middle schools and high schools.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"column\">\n            <h2><strong>2021-2022 School Year Theme: Authentically Me!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n            <p><em><em>Before school started, high school students voted for a new campaign theme. Authentically Me edged passed Be Yourself and Endless Possibilities. As for the design, more students voted for pop-art, eclipsing retro 90s and memes.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n            <figure class=\"poster-image\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/360youthservices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/image-3.png\" alt=\"\" \/>\n            <\/figure>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <hr class=\"separator\" \/>\n\n    <!-- TWO COLUMN SECTION -->\n    <div class=\"two-column\">\n        <div class=\"column\">\n            <h2><strong>Additional Resources<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n            <p>Everyone Needs Help Navigating Life\u2019s Challenges <a href=\"http:\/\/360youthservices.org\/counseling\/get-help-now\/\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/360youthservices.org\/counseling\/get-help-now\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <p><a href=\"https:\/\/drugfree.org\/article\/connecting-with-your-teen\/\">https:\/\/drugfrNaperville Police Department Social Services Brochure<\/a><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"column\">\n            <h2><strong>Connect With Us!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n            <p>Power of Choice High School Coordinator <br>Janyce Hamilton<br>jhamilton@360youthservices.org<\/p>\n\n            <p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PowerofChoice360\">facebook.com\/PowerofChoice360<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/360Prevention\">twitter.com\/360Prevention<\/a><br><a href=\"http:\/\/360youthservices.org\/power-of-choice\/\">thepowerofchoice.info<\/a><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <hr class=\"separator\" \/>\n\n    <p><strong>Funded i<\/strong>n part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n    <div class=\"xs_social_share_widget xs_share_url after_content \t\tmain_content  wslu-style-1 wslu-share-box-shaped wslu-fill-colored wslu-none wslu-share-horizontal wslu-theme-font-no wslu-main_content\">\n\n\t\t\n        <ul>\n\t\t\t        <\/ul>\n    <\/div> \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jamie Horner, Naperville Police Department Social Worker,Power of Choice High School Committee Member \u2018Mental Health Is Just As ImportantAs Physical Health\u2019 by Jamie Horner When you set up your child\u2019s yearly back-to-school physical, are you also considering how you\u2019re caring for your child\u2019s mental health? Mental health is just as important as physical health. Just like physical health, mental health needs to be monitored, but may go untreated due to any variety of reasons. Most commonly, professionals find that parents and guardians may be hesitant to engage in a conversation around mental health with their child. Similarly, youth may be fearful to come forward with symptoms they are experiencing or may not even fully understand that what they are experiencing deserves attention and help. When thinking about how to best support your child\u2019s mental health, remember that you know your child best. If you feel their behaviors seem concerning or have deviated from their normal routine, don\u2019t ignore that feeling. A child sleeping in on a Saturday following an extremely hectic week may not be worrisome. On the other hand, a child who won\u2019t get out of bed all weekend, is not eating consistent meals and\/or neglecting their basic hygiene is a child who is displaying alarming signs of possible mental health concerns. With kids going through so many hormonal changes with moods and behaviors that seem to fluctuate daily, how does a parent decipher the difference? As a clinician, I use the phrase, \u201cIt\u2019s just a conversation\u201d regularly. Simple, direct questions such as, \u201cI haven\u2019t heard about your relationship with {insert your child\u2019s significant other\u2019s name or a friend\u2019s name here}, is everything going okay?\u201d can be extremely enlightening. Some conversations may seem more daunting. Saying something like, \u201cLast night when you came home, your clothes smelled like smoke. Have you been experimenting with smoking recently?\u201d can be intimidating. But if you don\u2019t ask your teen, they probably won\u2019t share that information voluntarily. As a parent, it\u2019s your responsibility to know what\u2019s going on with your teen. You are their first and strongest line of support. Once you start asking those questions, it\u2019s important to be prepared for whatever answer you may get. Your child may indicate that they haven\u2019t been feeling themselves lately or they have been struggling. Do not be alarmed. Your child needs to see that it is okay to speak up and speak out about what is going on with them. As their first line of support, you also have to be their first line of trust. They need to trust that you will help them figure out how to get help and improve what they\u2019re struggling with. That is when the adage \u201cIt takes a village\u201d comes into play. As a parent, you may feel that all the weight is on your shoulders, but you\u2019re not alone. You don\u2019t have to have all the answers for your child, but you can work with your child to get them the answers they need by utilizing community support. As a Naperville Police Social Worker and Co-Chair for the Community Alliance for Prevention, I can assure you that parents are surrounded with resources. You may be your child\u2019s first line of support, but you don\u2019t have to be their only line of support. Learn more about available community resources by visiting the Naperville Police Social Services webpage www.naperville.il.us\/NPDSocialServices and 360 Youth Services Community Resource Guide http:\/\/360youthservices.org\/resources\/poc-community-resource-guide\/ A Positive Opportunity for Your Teen Before beginning a conversation around alcohol, gauge The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is a diverse group of District 203 &#038; 204 high school students who develop leadership skills by spreading substance use prevention messages! Meetings are monthly. For more info email the YAC Coordinator Sarah: sindlecoffer@360youthservices.org Follow YAC on Instagram @yac_360 What Is the Power of Choice? The Power of Choice is a substance use prevention communication campaign supporting students, parents, and schools, focused on building resiliency and providing education to increase the number of students making healthy choices regarding substance use. The Power of Choice is a collaborative project led by 360 Youth Services in District 203 and 204 middle schools and high schools. 2021-2022 School Year Theme: Authentically Me! Before school started, high school students voted for a new campaign theme. Authentically Me edged passed Be Yourself and Endless Possibilities. As for the design, more students voted for pop-art, eclipsing retro 90s and memes. Additional Resources Everyone Needs Help Navigating Life\u2019s Challenges http:\/\/360youthservices.org\/counseling\/get-help-now\/ https:\/\/drugfrNaperville Police Department Social Services Brochure Connect With Us! Power of Choice High School Coordinator Janyce Hamiltonjhamilton@360youthservices.org facebook.com\/PowerofChoice360twitter.com\/360Preventionthepowerofchoice.info Funded in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,17,19,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-power-of-choice-6th-8th-grade","category-power-of-choice-parent","category-prevention","category-prevention-the-power-of-choice"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2939"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2950,"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2939\/revisions\/2950"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta11.technodreamcenter.com\/360youthservices.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}