September /October 2017

Newsletter

In This Issue

Its that time againtime to dump the sand out of our shoes, and In This Issue
pull that box of fall fashions out of storage. As we say goodbye to Its That Time of Year

summer, some may be breathing a sigh of relief, while others are al- Community Opportunity For Prevention
ready counting down the days until next summer. Regardless of Back to School-Life Hacks
which camp youre in, its important to remember that we adults Inspiring Back To School Quotes
are not the only ones dealing with transition. Young people through- Signs a Child May Be Struggling
out Benzie BAY Initiative Logo Vote
County recently Botvin Life Skills Training
loaded up their
Our Newest Community Supporters
backpacks to
2017-18 Quarterly Meeting Dates
head back to
school. Lets
Upcoming BAY Meetings
face it, it can be
tough going
from the free- Event Planning Meeting
Members from all work
dom of summer groups welcome to attend.
September 29, 10 a.m.
to the structure
Petals & Perks
of a classroom setting. Being a full-time student is hard work, but
there are things we can do to help make the transition a positive
one, and set students up for academic success. Read on for educa- Youth Involvement
Pizza and a Meeting
tional words of wisdom, student life-hacks, information about October 3, 6-8 pm
school-based prevention programming and much more. Grow Benzie

**Quarterly All Board

October 17, 11:00 am

Benzonia Community
Resource Center-Lower Level
NEW SCHOOL YEAR-

NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN PREVENTION

How does the start to a new school year relate to prevention? Students committed
Research shows that certain risk factors within a community to learning are more
increase the likelihood of problems in a young persons life. likely to become
One of the top risk factors in Benzie County is low commit- thoughtful and reflec-
ment or low engagement to school. Key Leaders and Com-
tive, to be self-
munity Board Members of the BAY Initiative are working to
directing but also to
reduce that risk factor. They know that when we meet the
accept the authority
psychological needs of young people, (needs like safety, be-
of others, to be con-
longing, autonomy and competence) we create an upward
spiral within our community.
cerned for and re-
spectful of others, to
Kids are more likely to:
avoid courses of ac-
Become engaged in school (school bonding) tion that are harmful
Act in accord with school goals and values to themselves or oth-
Develop social skills and understanding ers, and to maintain
higher standards of
ethical con-
This upward spiral strengthens us as a whole. Supporting
duct (Osterman
children as they ease their way back into the classroom can
2000; Schaps, Battis-
help to foster those feelings of safety, belonging, autonomy
tich, & Solomon
and confidence. When a community works together to meet
the needs of kidskids feel bonded to their communities.
2004)
Kids who feel bonded to their communities are far more en-
gaged and committed to school.

Community Board Volunteers Needed!!!

Fall Festival-Oct. 14, Mineral Springs Park, Frankfort
The BAY Initiative is sponsoring this years pumpkin decorating table at the Frankfort Fall
Festival. We are looking for community board members to represent BAY and assist kids with
the activity. To volunteer, contact Lisa at
ltiesworth@centrawellness.org
 Read on for ideas and inspiration to support youth transitioning

into the new school year.

Share the following life-hacks with a young person!

Life hack
a strategy or technique adopted in order to manage one's time and daily
activities in a more efficient way.
 life hacks
Never miss a

pesky typo

again!

If your notebooks all look the

same, color a bit of the page

tops so you can differentiate

between them in your backpack.

This simple gum trick

will help you remember

what you spent so

much time studying.

Sources: 1000LifeHacks.com

LifeHackable.com
In celebration of school and education, here are some inspirational quotes to
start off the new school year right:

School is a building which has four walls with tomorrow inside. -Lon Watters

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
-Nelson Mandela

You can never be overdressed or overeducated. -Oscar Wilde

Intelligence plus character that is the goal of true education. -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.
-Malcolm X

With the new day comes new strengths and new thoughts. Eleanor Roosevelt

You have BRAINS in your HEAD. You have FEET in your SHOES. You can STEER yourself any DIRECTION
you CHOOSE. -Dr. Seuss

The expert in anything was once a beginner. -Helen Hayes

and just for fun...

Dear TeacherI talk no matter where I am. Moving my seat wont help. -A student

Teacher: Where is your homework?

Student: I lost it fighting this kid who said you werent the best teacher in the school.

Teacher: Why are you talking during my lesson?

Student: Why are you teaching during my conversation?
 What We Need To Know
Signs a Child May Struggle with Mental Wellness

Child reports on social networking sites they

are sad.

Child has told you of plans to hurt them-

selves.

Child withdraws from activities they used to

be excited about doing.

Child has a change in attendance or grades.

Child becomes easily angered or withdrawn.

Child appears to be easily distracted and it is

out of character for the child.

Suspected substance use.

Mood swings that start causing stress in their personal relationships.

Wearing long sleeve shirts when it is hot outside may be an attempt to cover self harm.

Learn about the various mental health challenges facing college students, the support and counseling resources available to
them, and practical measures and coping strategies to help students overcome behavioral, emotional, and psychological obsta-
cles.

For more detailed information on signs/symptoms by disorder, please visit: http://www.mentalhealth.gov/index.html

 The BAY Initiative Logo Gets a Makeover
Board members were asked to choose from a variety of designs.
Here are the results

Winning Logo

45.5%

18.2% 12.1%

12.1% 9.1% 3%
Botvin Life Skills Training coming to 6th Grade classrooms at

Benzie Central and Frankfort Schools.

Using the prevention planning system Communities That Care, members of the BAY

Initiative are moving upstream to get ahead of problems behaviors such as violence,

drug use and delinquency. Through a careful and proven process, members deter-

mined that Botvin Skills Training would be one of the effective ways to get ahead of

youth problems in Benzie County.

Botvin Life Skills Training targets the major social and psychological factors that pro-

mote the initiation of risky behaviors. The program will provide our middle schoolers

with the confidence and skills necessary to successfully handle challenging situations.

Rather than merely teaching information about the dangers of drug abuse, this pro-

gram promotes healthy alternatives through activities designed to:

Teach students skills to resist social pressures

Help students develop greater self esteem

Enable students to effectively cope with anxiety

Increase their knowledge of the consequences of substance use.

Enhance cognitive and behavioral competency to reduce and prevent a variety of

health risk behaviors.

through the effective use of county dollars, the BAY Initiative was able to purchase all

of the materials and training costs for 6th, 7th and 8th Graders in both districts. To

start, Botvin Life Skills training will be provided to 6th grade students throughout our

county. Program sustainability and plans to incorporate the 7th and 8th grade cur-

riculums are well underway. Stay posted for updates regarding the implementation of

the Botvin Life Skills Program in Benzie County.

**To learn more about Botvin Life Skills, visit www.lifeskillstraining.com

 A warm WELCOME to our newest

community supporters...

BAYSIDE PRINTING

FRANKFORT-ELBERTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

NORTHERN AUTO

PAUL OLIVER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Looking Ahead...

BAY Initiative
Quarterly Meeting Schedule, 2017-18
Because our sustainability depends on community involvement and support, we are alternating meeting
times to accommodate as many people as possible.
ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE WELCOME AND
ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND!!

October 17, 11 a.m., Benzonia Community Resource Center, Lower Level

January 16, 5 p.m., (location TBD)
April 17, 11 a.m., (location TBD)
July 17, 5 p.m., (location TBD)