Student Panel Responds to Audience Questions During Survey Presentation

Wayland parents understood they had an opportunity to ask candid questions of their children’s peers during Wednesday’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey presentation. And they they took advantage of the open floor and panel of experts.

“In Their Own Words,” organized by WaylandCares, was a first-ever event during which high school students, the very individuals who take the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, presented a portion of the 2010 survey results to the public. ().

Following the data presentation portion of the evening, the presenters sat along the edge of the stage in the Wayland Middle School auditorium and responded to questions asked by audience members.

For a number of these questions in the selection below, there were multiple answers. Each “A” represents a new speaker. Unless otherwise noted, the answers were supplied by student panelists.

Q: How do you parents help deter you from using drugs and alcohol?

A: “For me it was a lot of religious influence telling me not to drink. My parents reinforced that by reminding me that I shouldn’t drink. I think if you have a strong foundation to build off from, that sticks with your kids.”

A:  “My mom made it very clear…if there was ever any sign…there would be a lot of consequences. Almost the guilt of her being disappointed was almost too much for me to think about.”

Q: How can parents increase the perception of the harm drugs and alcohol can do?

A: “Talk about the consequences. What will happen to their brain, what will happen to their body.”

Q: How can parents increase the perception of their disapproval of their children using drugs or alcohol?

A: (Jared Walsh; youth leadership coordinator) “Even if you don’t think they’re listening, they are. You’ve just got to keep repeating and repeating.”

Q: After an intervention, do kids really stop using?

A: “With anything, when you intervene, there’s always that chance of going back. I feel like if you’re trying to intervene with your kid and drug use, there’s always going to be that temptation. I think it also depends on the type of help they get.”

A: (Heidi Heilman, coalition director for WaylandCares) “Drugs and alcohol are part of our culture in America. With young people, when there is intervention and supports are put in place…that can work. There are action steps they [parents] can take. So that drugs and alcohol are less accessible and they [students] start to move away from that type of life.”

Q: Did any of the survey results surprise you?

A: “I was surprised that on the middle school part of the survey that the kids are starting to use drugs and alcohol.”

A: “What surprised me the most is that in the last four years, the use of alcohol dropped 10 percent.”

Q: “What concerns me is pushing the boundaries. When does the peer pressure start for you guys?”

A: “My experience was when we went to freshman year is when I saw a lot of changes in my friend groups.“ Sophomore year was really when peer pressure started.

A: “I remember going into freshman year and all of the sudden, everyone was doing it. Other than that, I haven't really experienced it much, I think because I don’t really associate with people like that.”

A: “It has a lot to do with your friend groups.”

Q: “Is it appropriate or would you be embarrassed if your parents said to you they wanted to check with another parent before you go to a party or an overnight.”

A: “My parents do that all the time, so I’m kind of used to it, but I think it depends on the person and how close they are.”

A: (Parent in the audience) “We did that and I will admit that my kids are mortified. Yes, your kids might be embarrassed, but if that’s the norm for your family, that’s the norm for your family. Those parents [you contact] are not thinking anything negative about it. Those parents welcome the question.”