BOULDER- On Thursday, April 17, Casey Middle School students, who participate in the University of Colorado’s Public Achievement program, will host a ”Positive Decisions Party” at The Connection bowling alley on the first floor of the University Memorial Center (UMC) at the University of Colorado Boulder. Designed to both build community among local secondary students and raise awareness about the effects of substance abuse, the event, which will be held from 6-8 p.m., will feature free bowling, billiards, and refreshments; presentations; and trivia games.
Representatives from Boulder County’s Healthy Youth Alliance, which biennially conducts the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in BVSD and St. Vrain secondary schools, will be in attendance as will representatives from Natural Highs – Healthy Alternatives to Drugs and Alcohol, which is an interactive educational program that integrates traditional and alternative approaches to substance abuse prevention and intervention. Donations will also be collected on behalf of Natural Highs, which administers school-based programming.
Commenting on her involvement in the project, Public Achievement coach and CU freshman Brynna Bostic said, “I am so excited that the students have an opportunity to host this event for their peers. It is clear that the Dreamers understand their capacity to serve as educators, advocates, and change makers.”
Echoing Brynna’s comments, Blanca Zavala, a sixth grader at Casey shared, “I hope middle school students in Boulder are as excited as I am about the event. I hope this event impacts a lot of people, and educates them about the dangers of substance abuse.”
To prepare for the event, organizing youth conducted extensive research, developed funding proposals, coordinated fundraisers, and created a comprehensive outreach plan. The “Positive Decisions Party” is one of 24 Public Achievement projects that Boulder County youth are implementing this spring. Projects seek to raise awareness and/or address a range of salient and student-identified issues, including animal abuse, bullying, flood relief, gun violence, global warming, human trafficking, poverty, and teen depression and suicide.
The University of Colorado’s Public Achievement program is administered by the Institute for Ethical and Civic Engagement with support from INVST Community Studies, the School of Education, and CU-Boulder Outreach Committee. Launched in January 2008 as part of a statewide civic engagement initiative, Public Achievement currently involves nearly 80 CU undergraduates and 250 K-12 students at Casey Middle School in North Boulder and Centaurus High School and Escuela Bilingüe Pioneer in Lafayette.
-30-