A survey showing that alcohol and drug abuse among high school and middle school students is above the state average has prompted the Pentucket Regional School District to implement awareness and stress management initiatives for students in the upcoming school year.
Apparent increases in risky behaviors — such as binge drinking, drug use, and violence and bullying — are cause for concern, School Committee member Erin Seaton said during the Pentucket Regional Community Wellness Council's presentation of its first annual report to the committee last week.
A youth risk behavior survey is administered to grades seven through 12 every other year at Pentucket and is analyzed by the Northeast Center for Healthy Communities. Results are compared to data gathered from the Pentucket district, as well as statewide, over the past 13 years.
The survey showed extensive alcohol and drug use at both the middle and high school levels.
According to the survey:
r At 34 percent, the number of high school students binge drinking within the last month of taking the survey is 7 percentage points higher than the state average.
r One-fifth of middle-schoolers and more than half of high school students identified themselves as current drinkers — a number that is also higher than the state average.
r Some 12 percent of students reported driving after consuming alcohol. Less than half the students surveyed consistently wore seat belts.
r One-quarter of the student population reports using marijuana in the past month; cocaine use is up by 11 percent.
While some students have been known to exaggerate their answers, Seaton vouched for the reliability of the survey results at a meeting last week, noting that it has been a valuable tool used by the state for the past decade. Pentucket's Kathy Kastrinelis added that while some kids may "make a mockery" of the survey, using the tool to recognize trends has value.
A lack of youth recreational activities and facilities as well as lax community attitudes toward drinking are possible causes for current rates of alcohol use and abuse, the report contends.
"There's no place for our kids to go," said School Committee member Maureen Moran of Merrimac.
Two-thirds of the parents who participated in a survey by the Wellness Council cited stress as their greatest concern for their child's health.
The council agreed that high levels of stress coupled with low self-esteem might lead to risky behaviors, such as binge drinking. Stress management courses could help alleviate some of these problems, the council suggested.
To raise awareness, the School Committee authorized the Wellness Council to distribute a pamphlet it created entitled "What Pentucket Parents Need to Know About Drugs and Alcohol" at the beginning of this fall's school year.
In addition, the district is orchestrating a communitywide discussion on how to improve school procedures for dealing with students found in possession of drugs or alcohol. Although no final dates have been set, public forums to get input from the community will be held in the early fall, Superintendent Paul Livingston said.
Established last year, the purpose of the wellness council is to "identify ways the community might provide more comprehensive and collaborative health and wellness services for (Pentucket) children and families," the report states.
The group, co-chaired by Assistant Superintendent Bill Hart and former Health Education Coordinator Ruth Brophy, meets monthly "to assess the health and well-being of students and families in the community." Its membership includes parents, teachers and staff, law enforcement from the three district towns, and one high school student.
Broader input from students and participation by local clergy and athletic coaches are some recruitment goals for the upcoming year, Seaton said.
The panel employed three separate surveys to identify the key health issues currently facing teens in the Pentucket community.
It also looked at tobacco use and violence.
"Tobacco use, while down, is still slightly higher than the state average," the report notes, with 22 percent of students indicating they are current smokers, and 20 percent of students listed as cigar smokers.
Violence and bullying is another concern. Nearly one-quarter of middle school students and one-fifth of high school students reported being the target of harassment at school.
Seaton suggested bringing back former state Rep. Barbara Hildt's youth violence prevention program. Following the football hazing incident at the high school in 2001, Hildt helped to organize Pentucket Project Peace, a group of students dedicated to creating a more peaceful and inclusive environment. The council is looking into grant funding to help cover the small fee Hildt charges for her "Help Increase The Peace" workshops.
Internet safety was another concern for parents, and many expressed a desire to participate in informational parents' nights on youth health issues.
Acknowledging and addressing risky behavior in our children is not easy, but it is critical that the community and schools join together to do so, Seaton said.
