HCI Blog

Project Prevention Champions honored

December 1, 2011 – 5:43 pm

What do you call someone who has helped provide support for a healthier life in our community by reducing risk factors for alcohol and drug abuse, supporting recovery and building assets for our youth and other community members?

 

The Rice County Chemical Health Coalition calls them Project Prevention Champions. The Coalition will be honoring six individuals and one organization that have made significant contributions to the prevention, treatment and recovery from drug and alcohol abuse for residents in Rice County.

The 2011 Project Prevention Champions were nominated by fellow community members and chosen by a committee of individuals with close ties to local prevention efforts.

The Northfield award recipients include the following:

  • Paul Beaumaster, the Rice County Attorney, was nominated by a local parent who appreciates Paul’s genuine desire to see our kids grow up strong and healthy. Paul’s column in the local newspapers sends a strong message about his commitment to creating an environment for youth to develop in a healthy way. In the courtroom and in the community, Paul’s commitment to substance abuse prevention is clear and firm.
  • Tom Graupmann, the Activities Director of Northfield High School, was nominated by local parents for his enthusiastic support of the “Pure Performance: Life of an Athlete Program,” its implementation in Northfield and his advocacy for the program throughout the state.
  • The Northfield Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use was nominated as a group of volunteer citizens who have developed a coherent action plan that focuses on prevention, strengthening community resources, enforcement and education. The individuals on the task force being honored include Curt Benson, Katherine Cooper, Patty Gallivan, Judi Harper-Malecha, Paul Hart Ruthenbeck, Joan Janusz, Jackie McBeain, Kristine Matson, Mark Mohlke, Mary F. Nelson, Susan Sanderson and Kris Vohs.

In Faribault, the following individuals will receive awards: Donna Crowl, a Faribault community member who is committed to providing access to activities for area youth; Ed Hoisington for his leadership of the Double Impact initiative; Rhonda Mulder of District One Hospital; and Martha Schultz, the Youth Development Coordinator of Faribault Public Schools.

For more information regarding the Project Prevention awards or other resources offered through the Rice County Chemical Health Coalition, please visit www.ricecountychc.com.

By Zach Pruitt | Posted in Chemical health, Mayor's Task Force, Site announcements | Comments (0)

HCI Board funds five mini-grants in November to benefit area youth

November 21, 2011 – 2:23 pm

At their November 2011 board meeting, the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) Board approved mini-grants to support five projects and activities designed to benefit and support Northfield youth.  Funded applicants included:

•The Northfield Middle School “TEAM UP” (Teaching English Language Learners Action Model to Unite Professionals) group for The Big Good Event.  The TEAM UP teachers are planning a family service night at the middle school where teachers, parents, and students work side by side to give back to the community.  This event is scheduled for Thursday, February 2, 2012, at the Northfield Middle School.  Service projects planned for this event include making table decorations for Thursday’s Table (which is hosted by the Community Action Center of Northfield), making polar fleece blankets and dog food packages for the local human society, creating greeting cards for Meals on Wheels, and more!

•Courage Retreat at the Northfield Middle School.  This day-long event teaches 7th graders about resistance to negative peer pressure and emphasizes acceptance among all students.

•The Northfield Robotics Club for FIRST Robotics.  Students in the Northfield Robotics Club are gearing up for their second year of competition.  This group meets weekly, after school.  Robot building will begin in January with a competition in early spring.  Many students have been referred to this group through the Sparks initiative.

•Riverwalk Market Fair for Youth (Artists’ Market and Farmers’ Market).  Riverwalk Market Fair is establishing a tent just for youth!  Riverwalk Market Fair encourages area youth to sell any art or homemade or homegrown goods they have created.  Riverwalk recognizes that area youth might not be able to afford upfront costs or be able to commit to a weekly weekend sales schedule that the Riverwalk typically requires.  Therefore, area youth will now be able to sign up for a date to sell their products from the youth tent.

•Blanket Making for Police and Fire Departments.  The Developmental Cognitive Delay/Low Incidence (DCD/LI) class at the Northfield Middle School plans to incorporate a service project into the class curriculum.  The class will make blankets to distribute at emergency situations when children are present (example: scene of an accident or fire).  Blankets will be given to the Police and Fire Departments for distribution, as needed.

 

HCI offers mini-grants to projects and activities that:

•provide the opportunity for young people to develop positive intergenerational relationships with caring adults and/or
•connect Northfield youth with their communities (ex. neighborhood, school, wider Northfield)

Applications are reviewed monthly and are due by the second Monday of the month.  Visit www.northfieldhci.org/mini-grants for more information and to access the easy-to-complete application.

Funding for the HCI mini-grants comes from the Northfield Area United Way, Women In Northfield Giving Support (WINGS) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

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By Amy Lunderby | Posted in HCI Mini-Grants, Site announcements, Uncategorized, Youth leadership | Comments (0)

Reminder – Register by Friday for Northfield training on youth and energy drinks

November 9, 2011 – 10:45 am

The Rice County Chemical Health Coalition is sponsoring a training on the impact of energy drinks on youth.  The training will be offered twice on Tuesday, November 15, 2011.  It will be held from noon-1:30 p.m. at the Northfield Community Resource Center (RSVP required).  It will be repeated from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Faribault Middle School (no RSVP needed).

To RSVP for the Northfield training (where space is limited), please contact Heather Kuehl (hkuehl@ricecountychc.com OR 507-403-9696) by Friday, November 11.  No RSVP is necessary for the Faribault training.

The training will be led by Jay Jaffee, the Minnesota Department of Health’s Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Coordinator.

For an informational flyer on the training, please click HERE.  Continuing education credits are available.

By Zach Pruitt | Posted in Chemical health, HCI Newsletter, Programs, Site announcements, Uncategorized, Upcoming events | Comments (0)

Chuck Perkins is Making a Difference

November 6, 2011 – 8:42 am

Chuck Perkins, a volunteer coach with the Northfield High School Raiders football team, is the September/October 2011 recipient of the Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth.

“We’ve often referred to him as our positive energy coach,” head coach Bubba Sullian said of Perkins.  “He’s always got a lot of energy, and he does a great job of pumping the kids up – it’s something he’s always brought to our coaching staff and our teams.”

Perkins isn’t able to attend practice every day because of travel commitments with his business, Perkins Marketing, but he makes an effort to participate when he can because he enjoys seeing the players grow as a team.

“I’m a team type of person.  I believe that we do our best work as a group, and that’s why I like football so much,” he said.

Perkins began volunteering with the football team in the early 1990s.  The Ohio native particularly enjoys working with the quarterbacks and the players who are struggling; he played quarterback himself, as well as defensive back, at the high school and college level.

He encouraged other adults to consider getting involved with youth organizations.

“In this time of budget cuts and stress in our community, we have to back our schools,” Perkins said.  “The community can only be better if we’re united and stand behind our kids.”

HCI and the Northfield News present the Making a Difference Award cooperatively.  If you know an individual or group that you would like to nominate for this award, click HERE for nomination guidelines and the easy-to-complete application.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are selected by a review team of HCI board members and local youth.

By Zach Pruitt | Posted in HCI Newsletter, Making a Difference Award, Site announcements, Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Mayor’s Youth Council works to assure a youth voice in the upcoming levy vote

November 3, 2011 – 10:18 am

On November 8, voters in the Northfield School District will be asked to vote on operating and capital projects levies to support the Northfield Public Schools.

High school students in the Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC) recognized that while there has been considerable community discussion about the levy, the voice and opinions of local youth have been largely absent from the conversation.  In the end, they noted, the outcome of the levy vote will have a significant impact on local young people.

The MYC is charged by the Northfield City Council with working to increase youth input into civic affairs.  As a result, the MYC educated themselves on the upcoming levy and spoke with high school students about the vote.  The MYC members did not advocate for one side, but instead only provided information about the levy costs and impact.

Last Friday, the MYC hosted a youth vote during the lunch periods at Northfield High School.  Nearly one-third of the student body voted.  Final results revealed that over 85% of the high school students supported both the operating and capital projects levies.

Congratulations to the high school students in the Mayor’s Youth Council for their leadership on this project and for their work to increase youth voice in this important community decision!

By Zach Pruitt | Posted in HCI Mini-Grants, Upcoming events, Youth leadership | Comments (0)

Local training on energy drinks and youth

October 31, 2011 – 7:53 am

The Rice County Chemical Health Coalition is sponsoring a training on the impact of energy drinks on youth.  The training will be offered twice on Tuesday, November 15, 2011.  It will be held from noon-1:30 p.m. at the Northfield Community Resource Center (RSVP required).  It will be repeated from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Faribault Middle School (no RSVP needed).

The training will be led by Jay Jaffee, the Minnesota Department of Health’s Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Coordinator.

To RSVP for the Northfield training (where space is limited), please contact Heather Kuehl (hkuehl@ricecountychc.com OR 507-403-9696) by Friday, November 11.  No RSVP is necessary for the Faribault training.

For an informational flyer on the training, please click HERE.  Continuing education credits are available.

By Zach Pruitt | Posted in Chemical health, HCI Newsletter, Programs, Site announcements, Uncategorized, Upcoming events | Comments (0)

Northfield named one of the “100 Best Communities for Young People” — AGAIN!

October 12, 2011 – 2:29 pm

For the third time overall and second consecutive year, Northfield has been named as one of the “100 Best Communities for Young People” by the Amercia’s Promise Alliance.  Sponsored by ING, the competition recognizes communities across the country that focus on reducing high school dropout rates and providing service and support to their youth.

“In a nation where 7,000 students drop out of high school every day, we hope Northfield’s initiatives inspire other communities across the nation to take action to solve the challenges facing their young people,” said Marguerite W. Kondracke, America’s Promise Alliance president and CEO.  “Northfield is especially deserving of this recognition due to their efforts to ensure that their young people graduate high school and go on to lead healthy, productive lives. Northfield refuses to let the challenges they face determine the future for their young people. Instead, they are helping their youth prosper and become contributing members of society.”

The Northfield application was organized and written by high school juniors and seniors in the Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC).  The MYC is a City Council-appointed commission charged with assuring a youth voice in community decision-making.

This year, more than 300 communities from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico were nominated for the 100 Best distinction.  Winners were chosen by a distinguished panel of 20 judges that included: Marc Morial, president and CEO, National Urban League, Roxanne Spillett, president and CEO, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Michelle Shearer, Chemistry Teacher, Urbana High School, 2011 National Teacher of the Year.

As a “100 Best” winner, Northfield will receive a $2,500 grant, signage identifying the community as one of the nation’s 100 Best Communities for Young People, and access to America’s Promise Alliance’s community development resources.

Congratulations — and thank you –  to everyone who works to help make Northfield a great place for local youth!

By Zach Pruitt | Posted in Site announcements, TORCH, Uncategorized, Youth leadership | Comments (0)

Video PSA Contest Results Announced!

October 3, 2011 – 12:04 pm

The Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI), in partnership with the Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use, ARTech Charter School and Northfield Public Schools, is proud to announce the results of our Video PSA Contest on the subject of cyberbullying and responsible technology use.  We were extremely pleased with all the finalist videos and impressed with the work of the young people in our community.

 

After tallying all of the votes in the public voting, the top vote getter was “That Losing Goal,” produced by Hanna Bubser and Samantha Roback.
That Losing Goal

The panel of judges, made up of school district administrators, students, HCI board members and members of the Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use, also selected a “Judges’ Prize.”  That award goes to Zachary Anderson for his video, “Words Have Power.”
Words Have Power

The following individuals also received honorable mentions for their technical merit and relevant content: Connor Balfany, CJ Betcher, Kyle Betcher, David Greer, Seth Hansen, and Chen Ye.

 

All of the video finalists will continue to be available on the HCI website.  They will also be aired on Northfield Television and shared with local parents and students through the Northfield schools.  Our hope is that these locally created video messages will continue to inform and educate students, parents and all community members about the importance of responsible technology use.

By Janet | Posted in Cyberbullying, Mayor's Task Force, Site announcements, Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Voted yet for the PSA contest? Time is running out!

September 27, 2011 – 9:03 am

This summer, the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative partnered with the Northfield Public Schools, ARTech Charter School, and the Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use to sponsor a public service announcement (PSA) contest.  Community members were encouraged to submit 30-90 second video PSAs about responsible technology use and avoiding cyberbullying.

The response was fantastic, with many creative youth taking up the challenge. Ten finalists have been selected!  Now the cyberbullying video PSA contest needs your vote!   

We have posted the 10 finalists here. Vote for your favorite by September 30.  The top vote getter will receive one of the $200 prizes!

Share the link. Watch the videos. Cast your vote!

By Zach Pruitt | Posted in Cyberbullying, HCI Newsletter, Parent support, Programs, Site announcements, Uncategorized, Youth leadership | Comments (0)

Cyberbullying PSA contest videos available for viewing and voting

September 18, 2011 – 7:05 pm

The cyberbullying video PSA contest needs your vote!  This summer, many local youth produced videos about responsible technology use and avoiding cyberbullying.  We have posted the 10 finalists here. Vote for your favorite from September 19-30.  The top vote getter will receive one of the $200 prizes!

Share the link. Watch the videos. Cast your vote!

By Janet | Posted in Site announcements, Uncategorized, Upcoming events | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)