Milford-area teens create anti-drug public service announcements

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Submitted photo
Teens helping with the editing process of the Making Healthy Choices videos, from left, Sarah Bonta of Hollis, Logan Blake of Brookline, Kyle Magoon of Wilton, Cole Gallant of Brookline, Annie Christman of Amherst, and Nikita Nizhnikov of Amherst. In back are Leah Troie of Amherst, and Kaitlyn Fauteux of Milford. Sitting with Media Power Youth educator John Herman at the computer is Julie Christie of Brookline.

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Community Action for Safe Teens recently hosted a Media Power & You in Action Workshop in which 18 teenagers created three Healthy Choices public service announcements that will be broadcast locally.

These teens represented youth from the Hollis/Brookline, Milford, Souhegan and Wilton/Lyndeborough high schools. The training was provided by Media Power Youth, of Manchester. Media Power Youth members are the resident experts in teaching youth how media can be used to promote healthy choices and avoid at-risk behaviors.

In this workshop, students learned media literacy skills and how media markets alcohol and other substances. They learned how to develop “the positive message,” created their own skits and storyboards, and by the end of the day created their own public service announcements to be shared with their peers and community. These PSAs focused on underage drinking, marijuana use and prescription drug abuse, all of which can have dire consequences if not taken seriously.

Research indicates that one of the most effective ways of reaching out to young people is through their peers, and this is what these teens hope to do. The parents and community of these teenagers should be very proud of the work that was done as well as the attitudes and ideas that these teens are willing to contribute to society. These videos may be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=q253OmnC4Bs.

Funding for this project was provided by the Milford Hospital Association and the Hollis/Brookline PTSA. The mission of Community Action for Safe Teens is to support and strengthen families; reduce the use/abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; and encourage healthy choices by teens through increasing community awareness and action. CAST serves the communities of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Lyndeborough, Milford, Mont Vernon and Wilton. For more information, visit their Web site at www.castnh.org or call Monica Gallant at 672-6115 or Paula Troie at 249-6792. They are always looking for youth and community members who are interested in raising awareness and taking action regarding illicit substance use.

– Submitted by Monica Gallant & Paula Troie, co-chairwomen, Community Action for Safe Teens