For parents, well, a whole other matter! Rev up the car and keep the kids busy, track their comings and goings all day long, and plan the family vacation. Good luck and good spirits!

For us, this time of year is summed up in one word: GRATITUDE. Our heartfelt thanks goes to everyone on school campuses and in conference coordination that shared the year with us. And kudos to each of you for your HARD WORK, dedication, talents, and humility in your personal commitment to helping today’s youth and families! You are AWESOME!!

Our last weeks of the school year included the delightful North Dakota Rough Riders Health Conference to refresh and uplift teachers from all across the state. This is the second such year-end teacher self-care conference we’ve had a chance to participate in. What a terrific event and the positive impact immeasurable! We hope other school districts and states will give thought to implementing such a reward to our hard-working educators. The Monongalia County School District’s “Project Self” (Morgantown, West Virgina) and the North Dakota Rough Riders are two noteworthy examples for us all!
Hope you enjoy the pictures above of teachers at the Rough Rider conference kicking up their heals and “lettin’ the kid out” in our Heart Healthy Hip Hop Dance Workshop! And can you figure out what I ran into THIS time while out on the Badlands?

CONTENT FOR JUNE NEWSLETTER
Topic: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER – Predatory Drugs in 2005

(Excerpted from The Peer Educator - The Official Monthy
Plublication of The BACCHUS & GAMMA Peer Edcuation
Network, Feb/Mar 2005 Issue)

As we enter summer, we focus on PROTECT OUR TEENS and YOUNG ADULTS.
Summer means more parties, more booze, more potential for predators.
FACTS AND PARENTAL CHATS can be the best protection. Please share this info with your teens and young adults.

UPDATE US WITH YOUR SUMMER E-MAIL ADDRESS!
DON’T MISS A MONTH OF OUR PREVENTION NEWSLETTER!!
Just send us an email with your summer e-mail address if it is different than the school year. We’ll make sure you get our summer issues.

Predatory Drug- a drug used to incapacitate an individual for purposes of entertainment or to commit a crime.

Since the early 1990's, college campuses have been concerned with predatory drugs. In the early days, they were referred to as "date rape drugs." As time has passed, we have learned not only more about these drugs, the people that use them, but that they are being used for other "predatory" purposes. Any drug can be used to alter the mind of a person and help place them in a position where they cannot be effectively able to care for themselves.

Chloral Hydrate: While the number of incidents of this drug being used is very small, some motivated predators are exploring the use of this drug. The new cases are primarily because the other more common drugs are being investigated in suspected cases while chloral hydrate is often overlooked.

Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate: Because most GHB is "homemade," it is difficult to predict individual reactions. The effects are different for each individual, but may include confusion, drowsiness, and disorientation. There have been a number of deaths linked to an overdose of GHB, or the combination of GHB and other central nervous system depressants (like alcohol).

Ketamine is a powerful sedative prescriptive drug used primarily in veterinary medicine in the US. It causes a person to lose basic control before they eventually fall asleep. It is a very strong drug that does not require a large quantity to produce the intended effects. The onset of effect usually takes place in 20-30 minutes. Commonly people will appear very intoxicated or drowsy before falling asleep (or becoming unconscious). Because this is a powerful depressant drug, it is important to monitor the breathing and heart rate of anyone who may have been given ketamine.

Rohypnol (flunitrazipan) is not legal in the United States. It is a prescription anti-anxiety medication and is used in some other counties for people with sleeping disorders. The FDA has never approved Rohypnol for use in the United States. While individual reactions will differ, a person who has been drugged may feel disoriented and drowsy. It is much like being drunk. The health risks increase when mixed with alcohol, including central nervous system depression, respiratory difficulty, and the possibility of coma or death. A common side effect of being drugged with Rohypnol is memory loss.

Men as Survivors of a Predatory Incident:
No person is fully immune from a predator. Men have been drugged for the purpose of stealing money, credit cards, wallets, and even dates. Men are also survivors of sexual assault, though most male survivors fail to report the incident.

"In my career as an educator and counselor, I’ve never seen a more valuable resource for parents."
"As parents read this book, they will better understand the world from the eyes and emotions of teens and will learn down-to-earth strategies to build strong relationships – such relationships are the best protection parents can give their teens."
Janice Christopher, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent of Pupil Services
Monongalia County School District
Morgantown, WV

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