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Sex, drugs and lies
[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.
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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:
My body
My choice
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.
![](../images/110802pics/speaking.jpg)
[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.
![](../images/ads/CCAonline/CCA_small.gif)
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.
![](../images/110802pics/drugguy.jpg)
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.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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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.
Important
life skills:
Can’t do
drugs
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.
Practice
stress relievers
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:
Stop the violence
pump up the peace
Knowledge and love
for you and me
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.
![](../images/ads/neal_tire/neal_04_01_oillube.gif)
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]
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Speaker
addresses students
and community leaders
[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.
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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.
![](../images/110802pics/leaders.jpg)
[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
![](../images/ads/neal_tire/neal_04_01_rotate.gif)
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.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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![](../images/ads/Lepc/lepc3.gif)
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, Lincoln Park
District, 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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Illinois remains first in nation
in education technology
[NOV.
2, 2002]
CHICAGO
— Gov. Ryan announced
Friday that for the second year in a row Illinois has been ranked first
in the nation in the category of education by the Center for Digital
Government and the Progress and Freedom Foundation.
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The latest
round of the Digital State Survey was announced today in the areas
of education, geographic information systems and
transportation, and taxation. Five states tied for the first-place
ranking in education: Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, South Dakota and
Utah. Three states tied for first place in the area of geographic
information systems: Arizona,
Illinois and Kansas.
“We have made education and technology a top priority of this
administration, Through the expansive
Illinois Century Network and
new opportunities to learn through the
Illinois Virtual Campus
and Illinois Virtual High
School, Illinois has harnessed technology tools that are
necessary to prepare our citizens for participation in the global
economy,” Gov. Ryan said. Illinois
also moved in to the top spot in the area of geographic information
systems and transportation for the first time. GIS technology, or
providing data geographically, is playing an increasingly critical
role in all areas of government. From road conditions to bike
routes, crime reporting to environmental protection, spatially
mapping data can provide enhanced services, link interrelated issues
and create new efficiencies for government as well as industry.
[to top of second column in this
article]
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In 2001, Illinois ranked first in
education and second nationally in GIS. In 2000, the category of
education was ranked separately in the areas of K-12 education and
higher education. The GIS category was new to the survey in 2001. “This is a highly competitive survey, and Illinois is the most
populous state among those ranked at the top in these two
categories. Initiatives like the Illinois Century Network make
Illinois a leader in the nation,” Gov. Ryan added. “Expanding
our learning online provides an expansive list of opportunities for
our students, regardless of geographic location or age.” [Illinois
Government News Network
press release]
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Honors
& Awards
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LCHS
speech team begins new season
[NOV.
5, 2002]
The
speech team from Lincoln Community High School participated in the
ISU Invitational Speech Tournament on Nov. 1 and 2.
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"The first tournament of the year was
an interesting and eventful weekend," said Ed Jodlowski, one of the
speech coaches at LCHS. He indicated that the improvement students
showed during the tournament gave "reason to believe that this
season will be very successful."
The speech contestants are also coached
by Carrie Schreiber.
LCHS
individual results
Varsity
placement
Radio speaking — Abrigail Sasse, third
place
Extemporaneous speaking — Tim Fak,
fifth
Verse reading — Tom Swanson, sixth
Varsity
semifinalists
Oratorical declamation — Abby Sasse
Impromptu speaking — Tim Fak
Prose reading — Ty Sank
Radio speaking — Brian Welter
![](../images/ads/neal_tire/neal_04_01_rotate.gif)
[to top of second column in this
article] |
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Novice
placement
Oratorical declamation — Erica O’Neil,
third; Amy Schumacher, sixth
Novice
semifinalists
Humorous duet acting — Beth Boch and
Corrine O’Donoghue
Humorous interpretation — Lindsey
Boerma
Prose reading — Beth Boch
Radio speaking — Amy Schumacher
Prose reading — Brittany Feese
Verse
reading — Brittany Feese
[News
release]
|
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LCHS
students honored in Merit Scholarship testing
[NOV.
4, 2002]
Principal
Joyce Hubbard of Lincoln Community High School announced that
Kirsten Gandenberger is a semifinalist in the 2003 National Merit
Scholarship Program and that Jerrod Marten, Lindsay Struebing and
Collin Voyles have been named Commended Students in the program.
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A Letter of Commendation from the
school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which conducts
the program, will be presented by the principal to the
scholastically talented seniors who have been named Commended
Students.
A total of about 34,000 Commended
Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their
exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the
2003 competition for Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students
placed among the top 5 percent of more than one million students who
entered the 2003 competition by taking the 2001 Preliminary
SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
An NMSC spokesperson commented: "The
young men and women named Commended Students have demonstrated
outstanding potential for future academic success by their high
performance in the extremely competitive National Merit Scholarship
Program. These scholastically talented youth represent a valuable
resource to our nation; it is important to publicly recognize their
attainments and to credit schools for the important part they play
in their development. We hope this recognition will help broaden the
educational opportunities of Commended Students and encourage all
students to develop their abilities to the fullest."
Semifinalists announced by officials of
the 48th annual NMSC program have an opportunity to continue in the
competition for some 8,000 Merit Scholarship awards, worth $30
million, that will be offered next spring. Merit Scholarship awards
will be underwritten by approximately 500 business organizations and
higher education institutions as well as by NMSC’s own funds.
"These 16,000 academically talented
students come from every state, and although they represent less
than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors, they are excellent
representatives of our nation’s youth," commented an NMSC
spokesperson.
The
competition
More than 1.3 million juniors in over
20,000 U.S. high schools entered the 2003 National Merit Program by
taking the 2001 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test, the PSAT/NMSQT, which served as an initial screen
of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists includes
the highest-scoring entrants in each state. They were designated
semifinalists in numbers proportional to the state’s percentage of
the national total of graduating high school seniors.
[to top of second column in this
article] |
The next step for semifinalists is to
fulfill requirements to advance to finalist standing, a prerequisite
to competing for a Merit Scholarship award. To become finalists,
semifinalists must have a record of very high academic performance,
be endorsed and recommended by their school principal, and earn SAT
scores that confirm their earlier qualifying test performance. The
semifinalist and a school official must submit a detailed
scholarship application, which includes the student’s
self-descriptive essay and information about the semifinalist’s
participation and leadership in school and community activities.
About 90 percent, or approximately
15,000 semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level
of the competition, and some 8,000 of them will win Merit
Scholarship awards. All Merit Scholar designees will be selected
from the finalist group on the strength of their accomplishments and
abilities, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin or
religious preference.
Merit
Scholarship awards
Three types of Merit Scholarship awards
will be offered in 2003. Every finalist will compete for one of
2,500 National Merit Scholarships, in the amount of $2,500, that
will be awarded on a state representational basis. In addition, some
300 corporations and business organizations will underwrite about
1,100 corporate-sponsored scholarships for finalists who meet their
specified criteria, such as children of the grantor’s employees or
residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are
located. Also, about 200 colleges and universities are expected to
finance some 4,400 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for
finalists who will attend the sponsoring institution.
Merit
Scholarship winners of 2003 will be announced in four nationwide
releases to news media, beginning in April and concluding in July.
These scholarship recipients will join more than 210,000 other
distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title
since the first competition in 1956.
[News
release]
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Hartem
grads awarded Behrends Scholarship at LC
[OCT.
25, 2002]
Brad Aper, Nitashia Brown,
Jean Cross, Beth Guy, Stellakay Donaldson, Larry Jones Jr. and
Jennifer Tuttle are this year’s recipients of the Anna K. and
Bernard E. Behrends Scholarship at Lincoln College in Lincoln. All
are graduates of Hartsburg-Emden High School.
The Anna K.
and Bernard E. Behrends Scholarship is awarded to surrounding county
high school graduates with good academic standing.
|
[No photo
available] |
Brad Aper, son of Larry and Nancy Aper
of Hartsburg, is studying business. He plans to continue his
education at Illinois State University.
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![](../images/102502pics/hartem/nitashia%20Brown.jpg) |
Nitashia Brown, daughter of Patricia
Brown of Hartsburg, is studying veterinary medicine.
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![](../images/102502pics/hartem/Jean%20Cross.jpg) |
Jean Cross, daughter of Greg and
Barbara Cross of Emden, plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree at
Lincoln College Normal.
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![](../images/102502pics/hartem/Beth%20Guy.jpg) |
Beth Guy, daughter of Tom Guy of
Lincoln and Nancy Guy of Laurinburgh, N.C., is active with the
Lincoln College volleyball team and is studying interior design.
|
![](../images/ads/prairie_years/Prairie_years_small_ad.gif) [to top of second column in this
article]
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![](../images/102502pics/hartem/stellakaydonaldson.jpg) |
Stellakay Donaldson, daughter of John
Donaldson and Sheri Donaldson Mester of Hartsburg, is studying
general education courses.
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![](../images/102502pics/hartem/Larry%20Jones.jpg) |
Larry Jones Jr., son of Larry and Susan
Jones of Hartsburg, is studying theatre. He plans to continue his
education at Eureka College and pursue a career in acting.
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![](../images/102502pics/hartem/Jennifer%20Tuttle.jpg) |
Jennifer Tuttle, daughter of Jeff
Tuttle of Greenview and Lorie Reiners of Emden, is studying
accounting and business management.
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[Lincoln
College news
release]
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|
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Menus |
Lincoln Elementary Schools
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Breakfast
(Milk served with all meals)
Monday, Nov. 11
— No school; Veterans Day
Tuesday, Nov. 12
— Cereal, graham crackers, juice
Wednesday, Nov. 13
— Cereal, toast with jelly, juice
Thursday, Nov. 14
— Biscuit with egg and ham, fruit
Friday, Nov. 15
— Cheese toasty, fruit
[to top of second column in
this section] |
Lunch
(Milk served with all meals)
Monday, Nov. 11
— No school; Veterans Day
Tuesday, Nov. 12
— Hot ham and cheese on bun, green beans, goldfish crackers, pears
Wednesday, Nov. 13
— Chicken and biscuit, peas, pudding, fruit cocktail
Thursday, Nov. 14
— Sloppy joes, cole slaw, french fries, cinnamon applesauce
Friday, Nov.
15 — French toast sticks
with syrup, hash brown, sausage links, peaches |
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