The following Sunday, February 5, 2012, St. John’s Forum will include a panel presentation at 9:45 a.m. in St. John’s Hall.   Greg Kneser, Dean of Students at St. Olaf College; Joel Leer, Principal at Northfield High School; John Sand, Athletic Trainer and Health Educator at Northfield High School; and Joan Janusz, Member of the Northfield Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use, will be the panelists discussing addiction and substance use in Northfield.

The events are free and all are welcome to attend.  St. John’s Church is located at 500 3rd Street West in Northfield.

For more information, please call Barb Knaak at 507-664-0444.

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!

Only FOUR DAYS REMAIN to submit your public service announcement (PSA) around cyberbullying and/or responsible technology use.

The contest is open to those of all ages.  The videos should be 30-90 seconds in length and can be aimed at a youth audience, or can be focused on what parents and other adult community members can do to prevent cyberbullying.

There will be up to three $200 prizes.  Click HERE for contest rules and guildelines.

You have until 11:59 p.m. on MONDAY (August 15, 2011) to submit your entry.

Don’t miss the chance!

Northfield youth and adults alike are encouraged to create a short (30-90 second) video to help prevent cyberbullying and promote responsible technology use.  The videos can be aimed at a youth audience, or can be focused on what parents and other adult community member can do to prevent cyberbullying.

There will be up to three $200 prizes.  Click HERE for contest rules and guildelines. You have until August 15, 2011, to submit your entry, so grab your video camera and your friends and get filming!

This practical, humorous, and life-changing workshop will be held at the Northfield High School Auditorium (1400 Division St. S.).  The event is FREE and open to the public.

Kirk’s advice is designed to provide parents and educators with practical tools that can be used to sidestep power struggles and improve behavior and focus of a child at home and school.

Please don’t miss this wonderful opportunity, made possible by a coalition of local community groups.  For more information about Kirk and his work, please visit: www.celebratecalm.com.

An informational flyer on the event can be found HERE.

Many thanks to Barb Howe for her tireless efforts in coordinating this important community event!

The consequences for violating these ordinances are penalties of up to 90 days in jail and up to a $1,000 fine.

For more information on the local social host ordinances (including copies of the local ordinances), visit the Rice County Chemical Health Coalition website.

Below are a couple of important reminders for parents of prom-goers to make sure it’s a memorable and safe event:

Click HERE to access this list of resources!

The TLC campaign will include a series of postcards on parenting topics, as well as information distributed through a variety of other channels  (school and community events, student telephone directories, etc.).

Click HERE to view recent TLC postcards on topics including:

• Importance of Parents Talking with their Teens about Drug and Alcohol Use
• Summer Parenting Tips
• Setting Curfew

Where: Lion’s Pause, Buntrock Commons, St. Olaf College

Moderator: Mary Crippen, Northfield Resident

Sponsors: St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges, Northfield Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use, Healthy Community Initiative

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April is Alcohol Awareness Month and the Federal Government’s Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking is supporting Town Hall Meetings that are taking place in communities across America.

The purpose of these Town Hall Meetings is to increase awareness, identify how underage drinking affects the community, and brainstorm possible solutions. This meeting will provide an opportunity for the colleges, neighbors, Northfield Police and local business owners to voice their concerns and suggest ideas for addressing use of alcohol by underage people. Our focus in this meeting will be on underage college students.

Please join us for a moderated discussion. Complimentary pizza and sodas will be served beginning at 6:00pm in the Lion’s Pause and the discussion will begin at 6:30p.m. and finish at 8:00p.m.

Underage Drinking Prevention: Town Hall Meetings is a national effort by the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to educate youth, parents, caregivers, and other adults about the harmful effects of underage drinking.

For more information, call Roz Eaton-Neeb at 507-786-3615