| 11/21/2008 6:00:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| MN Teen Challenge team members took time to pose for this picture. They are, from left, Danielle, Bethany, Shaun, Gina, and Chris. They came from the Cities. |
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MN Teen Challenge team visits teenagers at LeRoy Lutheran
Eileen Evans
Correspondent - 507-324-5728
Five members of the Minnesota Teen Challenge team from the Cities came to LeRoy last Wednesday to give programs at LOHS and that evening at the LeRoy Lutheran Church for other area teenagers and adults. It was quite an interesting program for all of us.
Representatives of the local churches ate supper with the team members, and then at 7 o'clock the team divided and three members spoke to the adults in the church and two met with a large crowd of teenagers in the church hall.
Gina, the leader and a recovered addict of drugs and alcohol, told the crowd of parents, grandparents and church leaders about the MN Teen Challenge and what it does to help teenagers stay away from the drugs and alcohol. She said the program is funded by a grant from the Federal government which will take the team through 2009 and into 2010, and when they run out of money the program will end unless it gets a new grant or donation funding to keep going further.They had a free-will donation basket near the informational fliers telling about the individual programs.
Gina said they had spent the afternoon at the LeRoy-Ostrander High School, first talking to the younger teens and then the older teens. The entire team told their own stories about having hit bottom using all kinds of drugs, as well as alcohol, and then recovering from the ordeal. The program had been brought to LeRoy through the interest of a school board member who had heard about the MN Teen Challenge. At the night gathering at the Lutheran Chuch teenagers from LeRoy churches and teens from Spring Valley, brought to LeRoy by the Valley Christian Center bus, attended the informational meetings along with parents and church leaders.
Gina provided an informative commentary along with the information flashed on the screen, telling about the MN Teen Challenge program which is a faith-based drug and alcohol program for teens and adults. Know the Truth sessions are specifically developed to educate students on addictions and the consequences of their choices and help them tackle their everyday struggles. Their teaching sessions are designed to educate parents and teachers cover topics such as current use, trends, monitoring their teens' Internet use, how teens hide drug use and how parents can sccessfully help their teens in abstaining from drug and alcohol use.
Gina admonished parents to know their teen. *Know your child. *Know your child's friends. *Know your child's friends' parents, and any other adults they should have in their midst.
Talk to them, Gina said. Communicate. The earlier the better. She told her story of having a mother who would do anything for her daughter, but then Gina went her own way into a life of drugs which, she said, landed her in jail several times, away from her family. The bottom came, she said, when she was in jail for the second or third time and she was told by a person to "pray to God, just like you're talking to me." This helped she said because she did need help desperately, and she knew God had heard her plea when her mother called that Gina's children were being returned to her mother's home, rather than being adopted out as had been the plan. She told the story quickly and to the point, sharing her depths of despair, and then her recovery and now her work with MN Teen Challenge.
Gina often referred to things she tells her own teenager, mentioning that she is on her case constantly about where she is going, with whom, and where. One of her main concerns is to have adult supervision at any place her daughter goes, setting curfew hours, discussing matters of safety in groups and making sure she calls home should she need any kind of help.
Gina told the parents to have the student involved in school activities. They need stuff to do, she said. Have rules. Notice any changes in the students; such as friends, behavior, attitude, grades, interests and activities. These are all signs of a possible problem, she said.
Other times that could mean trouble for a teenager are when there are transitiions in their lives; such as moving to another home, coming into a new school, going from middle school to high school and even, getting a driver's license. This is a time to step up the monitoring of where, what, who, when, and mode of transportation for your teenager.
Other signs of needing attention are when the student breaks house rules, is disobedient, is skipping school and where there is a family history of addiction. Things to watch for, Gina said, is the student who is anxious, depressed or having a high need for outside stimulation. Watch for the warning signs, she said. These include changes in work, school, grades. Increased secrecy, use of things to disguise odors, new friends, change in clothing styles, increased borrowing and evidence of drug paraphernalia.
Shaun and Bethany also shared their stories of drug addiction and with God's help had recovered and are now working with MN Teen Challenge. Danielle and Chris gave the program for the teenagers.
Gina said that if ever a student, parent or teacher needed help from MN Teen Challenge they could call 612-FREEDOM for help and advice.
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