BB&T Lighthouse Project

Western Youth Network celebrates being the recipient of the 2014 Watauga County BB&T Lighthouse Project! 

The BB&T Lighthouse Project (held each May and June) is an opportunity for the BB&T staff to give back to their local community through service and financial assistance.

It has been WYN's privilege to serve alongside such an amazing team of volunteers at BB&T. With their support of 10 volunteers for two days in May, the WYN facility received a beautiful update to the property. The BB&T team purchased 33 new plants, 12 yards of mulch, 6 gallons of paint and 2 sections of fence. The volunteers power-washed our front building, painted, pulled weeds, gardened, cleaned gutters, threw away trash, and trimmed trees and bushes.

The BB&T Lighthouse service project provided a much needed update to our facility which serves over 250 children and youth each year through our various programs, helping to create an environment that we all can be proud of. 

In addition to the amazing team at BB&T, we also want to give a special thanks to New River Landscaping for donating their time and talent to the BB&T Lighthouse Project. 

Please view the before and after pictures!

BEFORE

TEAM IN ACTION

 
AFTER

Thank you again to BB&T and New River Landscaping for your support!

BB&T Bank is located at 2458 N Carolina 105, Boone, NC 28607 and 971 Blowing Rock Road, Boone, NC 28607 or visit www.bbt.com for more information.

New River Landscaping provides construction, irrigation and maintenance for your property. Contact David Blakeley at newriverl@bellsouth.net or (704) 604-6235.

1st Annual Wish Upon a Star Gala

Thank you so much for supporting our 1st Annual Wish Upon a Star Gala! What a night. Together we raised over $20,000 for youth in our community!

We had 120 guests in attendance at the Blowing Rock Country Club Lake House who enjoyed great food and live music performed by local band “Mountain Radio”, an abundant silent and live auction, and an incredibly inspiring speech from a WYN graduate.

During his speech, the WYN graduate said something powerful that we will never forget,

“Now, who would think that a small-town boy, who will be the first in his family to graduate high school, would be successful? Western Youth Network does, and they have always believed in me.”  

At WYN we believe in the potential of all our youth, and thanks to you more children will receive the necessary tools they need to succeed. Thank you so much for supporting our community’s kids.

We would also like to thank and recognize our corporate sponsors for making the event possible: 

WYN Receives the BSG Sonny Sweet Grant

Western Youth Network is honored to be the first recipient of the BSG Foundation's Sonny Sweet Grant! 

WYN fully believes that, in partnership with the BSG Foundation's Sonny Sweet Grant, we can be one step closer to a community that provides youth with all that they need to flourish.  With the $17,500 lead grant, WYN plans to create the "Leave a Legacy" Scholarship fund: a dream that will enable more local youth to grow and succeed under the mentorship of positive adult role models, as well as bring new, quality materials and additional active opportunities to our programs.  

Youth in 5th grade who show potential but need extra support will be nominated to attend WYN's Leadership Academy.  While a part of our program, youth set life goals and work with a mentor to help stay on track with these goals.  Youth also receive academic tutoring, supervision in the out-of school hours, interaction with positive peers, and life skills. 

A hallmark of the Leadership Academy is the physical activities in which the youth participate.  By getting youth physically active and engaged in bike trips, climbing trips, hikes, kayaking, and running, WYN is finding a fun way to teach youth about good sportsmanship, cooperation, conflict resolution, and challenging themselves to meet goals. The lead BSG grant will allow WYN to update old equipment and offer additional activities to promote the outdoors and keep kids active! 

A BIG THANK YOU to Sonny Sweet, the BSG Foundation, and all of the cyclists that supported and participated to make this opportunity for WYN possible! Thank you for supporting our community's youth!

Summer Scholarships 2014

SUMMER SCHOLARSHIPS 2014

Dear Friend of WYN,

You made a difference for “Sally” last summer.

Sally is an 8^th grader who struggles with anxiety. Last summer, one of her greatest fears was bike riding, and she resisted going on the 17-mile bike ride on the Virginia Creeper trail. But, with the encouragement and support of the WYN staff, she changed her mind and reluctantly decided to participate. On this ride, with WYN staff supporting her each step of the journey, Sally learned that she could trust herself and even trust others no matter what her fears were telling her. After reflecting on the experience on the van ride home, she told the WYN staff, “Life can be tough, but you have to get up and keep going.”  

Your partnership enabled so many others, just like Sally to have eye-opening, life-changing exciting adventures. Even though Watauga County experienced record rainfall last summer, it didn’t stop us from taking two caving trips, two kayaking trips, eight trips to Maverick Farms, two service-oriented trips to Horse Helpers, two trips to Wild Cat Lake, and much more! 

Your support improves the quality of life for all our youth at WYN, and I am grateful for it.

As we gear up for another excellent summer, I want to invite you to again participate in helping keep youth safe and engaged in healthy activities once the school year ends. Will you sponsor a child today?

The summer program costs roughly $31 a day. Consider that:

$625 = provides one full scholarship for the entire summer for one child
$250 = provides two weeks of summer program for one child
$125= provides one week of summer program for one child

Scholarships enable us to serve those children that can’t afford the program costs, and otherwise, may not be able to participate. Sponsorship includes food, transportation, adventure-based activities, service-oriented activities, and staff supervision and guidance.

I am extremely grateful that you share my enthusiasm for this organization. Your support means so much to me.

Warm Regards,

Faith Motter
Director of Development

PS- Checks can be made out to “Western Youth Network” and mailed to 155 WYN Way, Boone, NC 28607. You can also donate online at www.westernyouthnetwork.org

Perception or Problem? Faith Forum on Underage Drinking & Substance Abuse

Background
Alcohol is the most popular drug among youth, and underage drinking is a leading public health problem in this country.

Each year, approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking; this includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,600 as a result of homicides, and 300 from suicide, as well as hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns, and drownings.

Other research shows that the younger adolescents are when they start to drink, the more likely they will be to engage in behaviors that harm themselves and others. For example, frequent binge drinkers (nearly 1 million high school students nationwide) are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, including using other drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, having sex with six or more partners, and earning grades that are mostly Ds and Fs in school (CDC).

Watauga County youth have staggering statistics related to the misuse and abuse of alcohol. For example, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey given to 1149 students at Watauga High School in 2012 showed that more than half of the respondents reported using alcohol with the highest percentage reported by 12th graders (60.87%). 33.6 % of all respondents have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days, and 21.4% reported binge drinking in the past 30 days (YRBS, 2012).

Evidence also suggests that we have a social norm issue in Watauga County. For example, interviews show that for college and high school students, alcohol use - including heavy episodic use - is common and a part of an expected and touted ritual for our area. Nearly 33% of WHS Students report having their first drink before the age of 15 (YRBS, 2012). Research suggests that those who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to also meet the criteria for alcohol dependence at some point in their lives (CDC).

Parents and community members often describe a lack of alternative activities for youth, easy access to alcohol and a perceived “rite of passage” as main causes for underage drinking.
 
In a 2011 Community Health Assessment, 83% of Watauga County respondents indicated, “yes,” that underage drinking was a problem in the community. Respondents also indicated that alcohol was second only to methamphetamine as the number one most serious substance related problem in the community.
 
Amid these underage drinking statistics, there are also data suggesting that Watauga County residents are generally “more religious” than many other places in the United States. The Association of Religion Data Archives found that nearly half of Watauga County’s population identifies as religiously adherent (according to the 2010 report). Although not absolute, most religious institutions teach against underage drinking and substance abuse. When Watauga County’s religious profile is put beside the underage drinking statistics, the question becomes clear:
 
Does the faith community have a central role to play in the prevention of underage drinking and substance abuse and if so, how does that role look?
 
The Perception or Problem: Faith Forum on Underage Drinking and Substance Abuse will bring faith leaders together in an open forum to (1) identify the role of the faith community in preventing underage drinking and (2) specifically identify how a faith-based initiative for underage drinking might look.

Format
The forum is a moderated, goal-based forum with panelists representing the Watauga County Faith Community. The moderator, Seth Norris, will open with several predetermined questions to get the conversation started and to get the audience thinking critically about the subject.
 
Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and make comments during the second half of the forum. Questions may be submitted prior to the event by emailing Hollie Wilcox at hollie.storie@gmail.com.
 
Outcome
At the conclusion of the forum, the Watauga Substance Abuse Prevention (WSAP) Collaborate will organize the main ideas that are developed during the discussion. WSAP plans to be a supportive partner to the faith community as they address underage drinking and substance in the years to come. Potential outcomes from this forum may include:

• faith community survey to measure the perception and reality of underage drinking and substance abuse within youth groups, high school ministries, etc.;
• effective training curriculum that may be delivered in small group format throughout the faith community; and
• increased awareness of substance use concerns within local communities of faith.

About Watauga Substance Abuse Prevention (WSAP) 
WSAP is a data driven, evidenced based, multi-sector coalition with a goal to reduce youth substance use and abuse in Watauga County, North Carolina. More information about this forum or any of the WSAP initiatives is available by visiting www.wsap.org. 

April is Alcohol Awareness Month: "Talk. They Hear You."

Western Youth Network encourages parents and guardians to observe Alcohol Awareness Month during the month of April. Since youth are 5 times more likely to be alcohol abusers if they use before the age of 21, and drinking during adolescence has been shown to cause permanent brain damage, it is important that parents and guardians begin the conversation about alcohol early in a child's life.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), parents and caregivers play a critical role in children’s decisions to experiment with alcohol. Studies have shown that parents have a significant influence on young people’s decisions about alcohol consumption, especially when parents create supportive and nurturing environments in which their children can make their own decisions. In fact, around 80 percent of children feel that parents should have a say in whether they drink alcohol.

SAMHSA's "Talk. They Hear You." campaign helps parents and caregivers start talking to their children early—as early as nine years old—about the dangers of alcohol. "Talk. They Hear You." aims to reduce underage drinking among youth by providing parents and caregivers with information and resources they need to start addressing the issue of alcohol with their children early. The Campaign focuses on:

• Increasing parents’ awareness of the prevalence and risk of underage drinking;

• Equipping parents with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to prevent underage drinking; and

• Increasing parents’ actions to prevent underage drinking.

If you're unsure of how to begin talking with your child, you can use SAMHSA's "Start the Talk" interactive tool to help you learn the do’s and don’ts of talking to your kids about underage drinking. Using avatars, you’ll practice bringing up the topic of alcohol with a teen; learn what questions to ask; and get ideas for keeping the conversation going long after the initial talk has ended.
 
You can learn more and utilize dozens of "Talk. They Hear You."  resources by visiting http://www.samhsa.gov/underagedrinking/

Stepping Stone of Boone

Christa Capua is Clinical Director at Stepping Stone of Boone. We interviewed her to learn more about why she and Stepping Stone of Boone support WYN. Here is what she said:

Question #1 - How did you first hear about WYN?

I first heard about WYN when I started working there years ago in the after-school program.  I loved everything about it right away - how friendly the staff is, how great the mission is, and I loved working with the WYN kids.  Eventually, my path led me to addiction work, but my experiences at WYN have informed much of what I do today.

Question #2 - Why do you think programs like WYN are important for the community?

Rural living has its pros and cons - one of the cons can be the isolation some kids experience, especially if their parents work.  Going home to an empty house every day can create a variety of issues for kids.  The after school program gives these kids a supportive, inclusive alternative - between the tutoring, the activities and the sports, each kid gets a safe, fun experience each day.  I saw first hand the positive effect that kind of supportive structure can have on our youth.

Question #3 - How does supporting WYN benefit you and/or Stepping Stone of Boone?

As I have said to WYN's Executive Director, I believe at the end of the day our goals are the same.  Stepping Stone seeks to provide a positive, supportive presence in our community, just as WYN does.  The only difference is our area of focus - WYN focuses on youth programs, and we focus on addiction treatment.  Stepping Stone refers patients with children to WYN frequently - we know that kids, and their parents, will find a great deal of benefit from the additional support WYN can provide.  To that end, we were happy to be able to make a donation to support WYN's mission.

Question #4 - Tell me a little bit about Stepping Stone of Boone.

Stepping Stone of Boone is a private, outpatient, medically-assisted addiction treatment program.   Our goal is to help individuals overcome the disease of addiction and live a life of sustained health and wellness.

We at WYN are so grateful to Stepping Stone of Boone for their Support! To learn more, please visit http://steppingstoneofboone.org/