[NOV. 8, 2002]  Two minutes after Dr. Stephen R. Sroka began speaking, Cindy Crawford could have walked across the stage and the students wouldn’t have noticed. OK, maybe they would have noticed. In fact, they did, as a stunning picture of Crawford in a sleek dress and Sroka with his arm around her waist illuminated the picture screen.

This guy really knows how to grab attention and how long he can hold it for, especially amongst young people. They hung on his every word, as unbeknownst to them, the high-energy guest speaker swept their thoughts and cleaned their thinking.

Sroka led the 900-plus LCHS voices chanting Thursday’s message:

I am the power of one

He craftily picked them up using tried-and-true Madison Avenue strategies and pop culture messages and then deftly led them through the true realities using facts, examples and statistics on sex, drugs, alcohol and violence. Using an overhead projector and transparencies, he rapidly fired visual images, slowing down to gather the students’ thoughts and then speeding up as appropriate to lead them through less-than-pleasant real-life issues, ultimately leading them to healthier thinking.

[Photos by Jan Youngquist]

With the grace of a master, he grasps their minds and enters their hearts by telling stories and using humor. Recalling the story of a haughty young man wearing expensive, name-brand tennis shoes, he points out that "the power of you" is not the [brand] name on your butt or chest. Buy some reasonably priced shoes and put the price difference in a college fund where it will make a difference in who you are and will become. "Learn something, be something," he says.

Using the lyrics of sexually charged popular songs, he starts the lines, and in unison students finish them. In the last song he says, "It’s getting hot in here." "So take off all your clothes?" they respond.

Now they’re in the moment, and he runs sexually transmitted disease facts past them. It isn’t pretty. Eighty percent of the population has herpes. One-fifth of all teens are stuck with the lifelong disease. Forty-six percent of the girls get genital warts. He gives statistics that are teen-specific, not general population.

There’s no dodging truth about sex and its consequences. He makes it clear that oral sex is definitely sex and it carries all the disease dangers of intercourse. In fact there is no safe sex. A condom will not protect your real sex organ, the one between your ears: the brain. It won’t protect your reputation, and most importantly it won’t protect your heart.

The effects of drugs, alcohol, violence, sex and addictions are addressed, supported with facts and illustrated with familiar examples. He polls the students, and with not the slightest hesitation, they raise their hands high. Yes, many have seen the family member that used to be funny after a couple beers and a few years later has become belligerent after a couple. He asks, "Who knows someone in this room that has had sex?" The auditorium is instantly filled with raised arms.

He interweaves stories and pictures of people, some first-time users of any substance — inhalants, ecstasy, meth, crank, heroine, steroids and over-the-counter stimulants. As we all know now, some can’t take them. They can cause heart attacks.

Early alcohol use leads to alcoholism, potential rape and violence within relationships.

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Last year 1,800 youth committed suicide. One in 10 teens made suicide plans last year. The acronym "SUICIDE" acts as a guideline for friends to be aware of when someone may be in trouble.

Substance abuse

Undergoing a loss

Isolation

Change in behavior

Ideas of suicide: If someone says they feel suicidal, do not dismiss it. Get them to help immediately.

Depression: They are acting sad.

Education: Be aware of the signs.

The national suicide hot line is 1 (800) SUICIDE.

If you see someone doing drugs, alcohol or violence, recognize these are all cries for help.

Get involved

Whether it is in sports, clubs, hobbies, art or bands, do things.

Call on a higher power

As in "see you at the pole." Practice a faith.

Such as deep-breathing exercise with a steady pursed lip; release like you’re blowing bubbles.

Lighten up

Have a little fun from time to time.

"Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?" Sroka asks. And the kids all replied, "Sponge Bob Square Pants."

This is from a TV cartoon, for those of you who might be a little behind the times.

Think first

Practice conflict management.

Sroka says that if we’re going to make it as a society, we’re going to have to stop the hate.

Another chant breaks forth in cadence:

Sroka left the students with a final message to have awareness and sensitivity toward one another, especially when parting. You always want to be conscious of your words, as they could be the last that are spoken between you.

He showed them the strength that each and every one has to make healthy choices. Showed them that they hold the power to influence some one else. And drove home the message that you should always tell people you love them before parting.

Following his presentation students flocked around him to speak. They liked what he had to say. A group of boys all said, "Ya, I liked his presentation. He was good." They all thought they didn’t really hear anything new, but a couple liked the new perspective he brought to some of the issues. Another said, "I liked the statistics, especially the percentages." They put new meaning on things for him.

[Jan Youngquist]

[NOV. 8, 2002]  Not your run-of-the-mill speaker, but the times call for not your run-of-the-mill actions. Shaken by the numbers of youth that have been involved in accidents and other destructive behaviors in the last year, our community leaders brought a nationally renown speaker and consultant, Dr. Stephen Sroka from Lakewood, Ohio, to town Thursday. Sroka spoke to students at Lincoln Community High School in the morning and at Lincoln Junior High in the afternoon. He took a couple of hours speaking with community leaders over the noon hour.

The father of three girls and a retired teacher from Cleveland Public Schools, Sroka has been a national and world leader in health education. As a visionary he has paved the way, writing about current health issues with today’s youth, and has spoken all over the nation. He has been called to consult in communities as both a preventative measure and to those in the recovery process.

He was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 1996. He continues to teach at the School of Medicine, Center for Adolescent Health at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University. He also serves as president of Health Education Consultants.

[Photo by Jan Youngquist]
[The Healthy Communities Partnership; Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Task Force; Lincoln Community High School; Lincoln Police Department; and Dick Logan worked together in bringing Sroka to town.]

At the noon-hour community gathering Sroka shared perceptions of the LCHS student body and the responses he got from students following his talk. He said, "You walk into LCHS, and you feel respect in the building. The kids are well-behaved, and the teachers have discipline." He liked how teachers sat with students in the auditorium.

He was mobbed by kids following his talk. They told him they liked what he had to say. Some had tears in their eyes. He handed out about 50 cards with his name and e-mail address on them and expects he will hear some serious messages from some of the students

LCHS vice principal Todd Poelker said students and teachers liked the presentation at the assembly. Students said they liked the facts they got in short amount of time and he was entertaining. The most common response was about facts and stats on sexually transmitted diseases. Some were shocked at what is out there. They said they didn’t realize all of it.

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Sroka doesn’t hold back, much, in his talks. What he does hold back is only because adults usually have concerns about it. The kids want more. He grabs their thoughts, using the newest teaching and learning technique, brain-based thinking. He meets them where they are and then gives them the facts. You have to reach their hearts and then show them they have choices, he says. Kids need options.

He recommends building up clubs. One-third of the kids are going to choose right. One-third will choose wrong. It is the other one-third that sit on the boundary that can be reached if you offer them something to do.

One thing he wants to emphasize it that it is not up to the law enforcement or the schools to handle youth issues by themselves. It takes "total community immersion," all community agencies and families, every one working together on all sides of our youth.

He advises that when dealing with youth, "Treat them with the respect that you want to be treated with." And he encouraged, "Go out and do the best you can, every day you can." They will remember you all the rest of their lives if you make them feel special. "It’s not what you tell someone, it’s how you make them feel that does not change."

There were about 30 in attendance at the noon meeting, including Lincoln mayor Beth Davis, Logan County Board chairman Dick Logan, Lincoln DARE officer Tim Butterfield, LCHS and LJHS administrators, Logan/Mason Mental Health Department, Logan County Health Department, Healthy Communities Partnership and others. The general consensus was that everyone would have liked more time to do more things with Sroka. Particularly having time for interaction and brainstorming. Kristi Lesson, prevention specialist at Logan-Mason Mental Health, said, "We hope to have him return for an open community forum." The public will be invited.

[Jan Youngquist]

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