by Gene Marrano
Nancy Hans, coordinator for the Roanoke County Prevention Council, often quotes a saying she has borrowed from a White House office: Underage alcohol use is an adult problem, with youth consequences. “Always is and always will be,” adds Hans, who plans to make a recent incident a teachable moment: police raided a party where Hidden Valley High School students were drinking beer with an adult on the premises.
The federally-funded Prevention Council, which devises programs to curb abusive behavior in young people (involving students themselves in the process) often warns that the notion of letting teens have a beer at home is okay. But in reality, it’s not okay – and is, in fact, against the law.
Hans can also point to data that shows a person’s brain is not fully developed until they are in their early 20’s – why impair that growth with alcohol or drugs? The Council also goes to battle against bullying, whether it’s physical, mental or even digital – as in text messaging.
“It ends up being an opportunity if people can understand why it’s [wrong],” said Hans of the Hidden Valley incident, which includes members of the baseball team. Ironically the Titan’s head coach, Jason Taylor, is also the school resource officer and a member of the Roanoke County police force who works with Hans on the South County Coalition, a subcommittee of the Prevention Council.
Taylor has also reached out to the community, asking to make this a teachable moment, according to Hans. (This may not have been the first time that teens gathered for alcohol-enhanced parties at the home where the police found them, according to a story from media partner WSLS-10). Hans is grateful that Roanoke County police (acting on a tip) found out about the party before impaired teens with cars were able to drive away. “[They could] have killed somebody else – or themselves,” Hans adds.
“It’s not a school problem,” she also insists, “it’s a community problem.” Hans points out that it didn’t happen on school grounds or on school time. “These were good kids that made a bad choice.” As for the adult charged by police for allowing teens to have alcohol at her home? “For her to even think it’s okay … I don’t understand that logic.”
Adults that allow teens to drink at home are enablers said Hans; the goal is to make the obtainment of alcohol as difficult as possible. “This is an access issue,” she notes. “We’ve got to change the culture in the community.”
Prom season begins in a few weeks, with Hidden Valley’s among the first. Hans wants parents to promote the official school after-parties, which will keep kids on campus and alcohol free. “Adults need to be supporting the after prom parties – they are at the school until four in the morning for a purpose. They should not even be thinking about having parties [at their homes after the prom].” That’s too much of a temptation and can lead to risky behaviors, according to Hans.
The Roanoke County Prevention Council is also working with YADAPP (Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project) on an event for middle schoolers this Saturday (April 2) from 11:30am-4pm, at Northside High School. A “Rachel’s Challenge” rally will be held there, featuring Craig Scott, a survivor of the Columbine High School shooting tragedy in Colorado.
Scott’s sister Rachel was the first person killed there by two teen gunmen who went to the school and wrote about being bullied. Craig Scott will speak at noon; Hans calls it “the most powerful thing I’ve ever heard,” when Scott spoke at the state YADAPP conference several years ago.
Hans said Scott talks about his path to forgiving the two gunmen that killed his sister and two friends. Rachel Scott, described by Hans as a “compassionate person,” kept journals that described ways to reach out to young people that are often difficult to reach. Those being bullied might start using alcohol or drugs, “because it’s going to make you feel better … it’s all related,” said Hans, “the risky behaviors are [all] interconnected.” Every middle school in the valley now has a club associated with Rachel’s Challenge and the bullying issue, according to Hans.
A battle of the bands, featuring high school groups, follows on Saturday night. Students who attend can text in their choice for the best band; $2 or two cans of food is the admission fee. Craig Scott will emcee that event. “It’s all good choices … alcohol free,” said Hans, “[proving] you can have good fun without that.” Information about healthy choices will also be available. She hopes that some Hidden Valley students and at least one parent have learned that same message recently.
