Saturday Night for Teens

By Jennifer Lewis-Cooper

As a mom of an incoming high school freshman, I was clueless then about what goes on during a typical Saturday night with teens. A panel of high school seniors at another county school speaking candidly to parents opened my eyes to the realities.

Those students spoke of knowing where and how to buy or get alcohol and drugs if they wanted to do so and what happens at sleepovers with friends. But they also said kids want their parents to still be a part of their lives and that parents are the No. 1 influencers of their children. And many kids don’t use drugs and alcohol, though it may seem like everyone does.

Those high school seniors helped educate me, and since then, I’ve facilitated more than 30 or so similar adults-only programs across Fairfax County. The Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County’s first “Saturday Night in the Suburbs” program in 2015 will be held on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at Robinson Secondary School’s Recital Hall. The event, hosted by the school’s PTSA, is open to any adult in the community.

The program features a diverse panel of high school seniors selected by their school to represent a cross-section. The students at these events are candid and talk openly about their awareness of student alcohol and current drug use, teen parties, social media, parent supervision and enabling, and communication with parents. We ask those in attendance not to photograph or record the students, as we want them to be free to speak their minds.

We encourage middle school and high school parents to attend. And from my experience, teens at one school can give you a good eye-opening glimpse of what is happening at other schools. We don’t ask the panel specific names, dates, places of events or put them on the spot -- their job is not to “snitch” on others but to educate parents to understand what teens are dealing with and help parents to set better limits.

We also share with parents data from the Fairfax County Youth Survey and developmental “assets” or strengths that help buffer teens from making poor choices.

The Robinson event will be held in the Recital Hall of the school at 5035 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax. (The snow date for the forum is Wednesday, Jan. 28.)

Other “Saturday Night in the Suburbs” programs will be scheduled at other schools this year. The next event, open to any adults in the community, will be held Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. at Woodson High School (Cavalier Hall), 9525 Main St., Fairfax, sponsored by the W.T. Woodson High School PTSO.

Come listen and learn about Saturday nights in the suburbs from a teen’s perspective.

Jennifer Lewis-Cooper is the “Saturday Night in the Suburbs” coordinator for the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County.

The Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County is a nonprofit organization with more than 60 community partners working together to keep youth and young adults safe and drug-free. Visit www.unifiedpreventioncoalition.org and www.facebook.com/unifiedpreventioncoalition. Follow the group on Twitter at www.twitter.com/keepyouthsafe.