P age B? A ugust 31, 1994 • T he P ortland O bserver Lackland Air Force TEEN'S IN TROUBLE Oregon’s Teen Suicide Rate Soars B etw een 1990 and 1992, I Oregon’s teen suicide rate reached I its highest point ever, with 40 young I Oregonians killing themselves in 11992 alone. Thousands more con- [sidered or attempted suicide, ac­ co rd in g to a recent state study . The Oregon Health Division I study estimates that more than one- I fourth ofO regon’s high school stu- |dents, roughly 38.000, seriously I considered suicide during the year I prior to the 1993 survey . Eleven I percent o f the state’s high school J students, or 15,000, attempted sui- I cide, including 4.600 who received I medical treatment for suicide at- I tempts, according to estimates. Oregon’s young men were four I to five times more likely to die as a 1 result o f suicide than their female I counterparts, according to death cer- I tificates. But, survey results show I young women more likely to con- I sider or attempt suicide than young I men. This difference can be traced 1 largely to method. 70 percent ofthe I teen and pre-teen suicide attempts I that resulted in death involved euns. And guns, the survey shows, are much more common among males than females. State Health O fficer Kathy Gaffney sees the easy availability of guns among teens as the beginning o f a solution: “ We must keep guns out ot the hands ofour young people. At the same time,’’ she said, “ More caring adults, listening to youth and guiding them, could reduce anxi- et ies that too often lead a teen toward suicide.” The Health Division report on teen suicide is based primarily on the most recent Youth risk Behavior Survey. In the survey, which is part o f a national student poll conducted every two years, 2,620 students from 25 Oregon high schools responded to questions on topics ranging from nutrition to suicide attempts. The students were almost evenly distrib­ uted by gender. Oregon teens who attem pted suicide commonly reported other risky behaviors. Among those w ho said they had attem pted suicide: • 67 percent smoked more than a NYCAP-ROPHE Community Wellness Center pack o f cigarettes a day. • 64 percent were threatened or injured with a weapon at school more than five times during the previous year. • 55 percent had consumed alco­ hol on at least 20 days o f the previous month. • 55 percent had ever injected drugs. • 53 percent had been pregnant more than once or had caused more than one pregnancy. A nother link betw een su i­ cide attem pters was a history o f physical or sexual abuse. S tu­ dents who had been physically or sexually abused w ere four tim es m ore likely to attem pt suicide than those who had not been abused. F inally, s e lf esteem played a role in suicide attem pts. S tu ­ dents who described them selves as very overw eight, very u n ­ derw eight, or near the bottom as students were m uch m ore likely to attem pt suicide than their classm ates. T he m ed ia c a lle d them "gang m em bers,” the program s that w orked with them called them “ case loads,” the com ­ m unity that grieved their loss called them “ o ur c h ild re n .” And w hile all o f those term s have relevance and m eaning, many o f us knew them p erso n ­ ally and by their nam es: Roy Booker, Ram one Peck, C edric C ovington, Jerom e Piggy, John Sw eet, M anson B ran ch ...th e list goes on! We spent countless hours to g e th e r talk in g about th eir dream s and what m ight be. We lau g h ed to g e th e r, c rie d to ­ gether, prayed together. But before they could turn that cru ­ cial corner com pletely away from gangs, they were robbed o f th eir young lives. Graduate T hey all had th in g s in com m on. They were all vic­ tim s o f gang violence. They were all young African Am eri­ can m ales. They were all vic­ tim s o f the disease o f drugs and alcohol and mental stree disorders. They were all vic­ tim ized by another young Af­ rican American males addicted to drugs and alcohol and ex­ hibiting the same mental stress disorders. Until now there did not ex ist a com prehensive su b ­ stance abuse and m ental health facility to address their needs. A year ago two com m unity activ ists heard their cry and responded to meet their need. The effort is called NYCAP- ROPHE (H ealing) Community W ellness Center. Airman Laureen Z. Prasad Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio-Airman Laureen Z. Prasad has graduated from Air Force basic training here. During the six weeks o f training the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization and customs and received special training in hu­ man relations. In addition, airmen who com­ plete basic training earn credits to­ ward an associate degree through the Community' College of the Air Force. Prasad is the d au g h ter of Chankrika and Fawiza Prasad of6909 N. Denver, Portland. Shaping Children’s Values - Where Do We Start? by Bi are H arris Kids and violence, gangs, I drugs in schools, confusions I that school children have about sex, children giving I birth to children—these all add I up to a terrifying social reality. I We are faced with a generation I spinning wildly out of control. The majority o f youngsters are I now affected. According to a sur- I vey by the Joseph & Edna Joseph- Ison Institute of Ethics. 61% o f all I high school students say they have I cheated on an exam once or more [during the last year. As well, 33% [admit to having stolen form rela­ tiv e s at least once in the last year. • z >• : 1 < Whether it is kids owning guns Ito threaten and. on occasion, kill [their classmates, whether it is high [school students joining in “Spur | Posse” games that keep track of [how many different sexual con- J quests the players can rack up, or [ whether it is simply lying and cheat- [ ing, these are ail the symptoms of I one fundamental disease-the moral | decay in society. Or perhaps moral decay is the wrong way to describe it. More fac­ child tends to write what has been different works o f literature to im­ Horton said that because the tually, at least where our children are written already.” part ethical values. booklet outlines moral values com­ concerned, the biggest problem since Today, the good news is that Many school systems are devel­ pletely based on common sense, the 1970s has been the utter lack o f schools are beginning to get back oping their own curriculums that children respond to the publication instruction in morals and values in into the character development busi­ focus on such things as civic respon­ in an enthusiastic and dramatic way. our schools. The idea back then was ness in a big way. In this, they have sibility, respect for oneself and for They learn that right conduct is the that children should grow on their the overwhelming support o f par­ others and respect for the natural only road to building happy and own and should be encouraged sim­ ents. A 1992 study showed 86% of environment. successful lives for themselves, ply to decide for themselves what Americans favored schools teaching However, whether any of these both now and in the future. they should believe. moral values while only 12% were approaches will work is still open to “ The Way To Happiness’ is "[This was] based on a material­ against the idea. question. “Effective moral teaching, the vital educational tool that has istic idea that he development o f the However, working out the best or character education as it is some- been missing in the large majority child parallels the evolutionary his­ way to build character and to instill timescalled, involves more than sim­ o f our schools,” said Horton. “For tory o f the race; that in some magical important values in our children still ply teaching children the difference several years now, the booklet has way, unexplained, the nerves’ of lies ahead. We have learned in recent between right and wrong,” said Glen been working to instill moral val­ the child will ripen’ as he or she decades that recognizing problems Horton, campaign manager o f The ues and build real character in the grows older and the result will be a in our school system does not mean Way To Happiness Foundation, a few schools where it has been in­ moral, well-behaving adult,” author that these problems are easily fixed. non-profit organization dedicated to cluded as part of the curriculum. In and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard There are a number o f ideas about restoring moral values in society. the classroom setting, it has a track pointed out in the w idely distributed the best way to teach moral values to “Children, and especially teenagers, record of resounding success. So booklet “The Way children in the classroom. Some need to have a reason to do right and why not simply include the booklet ■ To Happiness.” schools have started to use videos not do wrong, a reason that makes in more ofour school curriculums? "A lth o u g h the th eo ry is that show the terrible consequences real sense to them. They have to be “It would be a tragedy if an­ disproven with ease—simply by no­ of dishonesty, intolerance and crime. motivated by more than the simple other generation was lost while ticing the large criminal population One, for instance, starts out with the fear o f getting caught because they school systems experimented with whose nerves somehow did not ripen- vivid, highly dramatic street arrest never think they will.” various approaches to character -it is a lazy way to raise children,” o f a teenager. For almost a decade. The Way education. We need something our said Hubbard. “A child is a little bit In another approach, Kevin To Happiness Foundation has dis­ children will respond to now, not in like a blank slate. If you write the Rayan o f Boston University has de­ tributed "The Way To Happiness” 10 or 20 years time. From all the wrong things on it, it will say the veloped a school curriculum that booklet to a growing number o f evidence I have seen, that some­ wrong things. But, unlike a slate, a makes character education part of schools, civic groups, parents and thing already ex ists-’The Way to child can begin to do the writing: the everyday teaching. This relies on children across the country. Happiness.’” SCHOOL LUNCH > 5 ; . r« . , • ✓ Candy’s a Sweet Finale To a Brown Bag Lunch News USA (NU) - Go ahead. Put a couple o f pieces of candy in those lunch boxes when the kids go back to school. Experts say learning to eat candy in moderation may help chil­ dren develop lifelong healthy eating habits. The best way to teach kids about healthy eating is by example, the ex­ perts say. When they see parents en­ joying candy in m oderation, they learn not to view it as a “forbidden” item, but as a treat that can fit into a nutritious, balanced diet. What is im portant is to send a message about when candy is ap­ propriate. For some kids, after lunch is an appropriate time. The best lunch-box treats are wrapped candies made from natur­ al ingredients, like Brown & Haley’s Almond Roca, the popular butter- crunch confection coated with chocolate and diced almonds. • ■ » • .< Í Teaching Good Habits Actually, candy may be better for you than you think. For instance, chocolate contains no animal fat and is low in cholesterol. And a I 1/4- ounce milk chocolate bar has just 13 grams of fat. To use candy as a way of teach­ ing kids about such adult responsi­ bilities as eating healthy and budget­ ing money, here are some suggestions from the Chocolate Manufacturers Association and National Confec­ tioners Association. • At stores that display candy at the cash registers, let kids select some candy from the candy aisle. That way. you’ll avoid an argument when you get to the checkout line. • Fo keep snack attacks under control while watching TV, share a family-sized candy bar or pass around a bag of miniatures. A box of chocolates, like Brown & Haley’s luxurious Belgian Cremes, is a fun way to cure the munchies during a special event. • At the start of a long trip, give each child some change and let them know how many stops you plan to make along the way. Let them de­ cide how and when to spend their money. • Let the children be in charge of their own spending money on outings to the beach or ballgames. What they buy and how fast they spend their money should be their decision. Internet: Treasure For Investors (NU) - The vast information su­ perhighway known as the Internet is becoming easier to access, offer­ ing computer users a smorgasbord of information and resources. Founded more than 20 years ago as a U S. military research network and expanded to connect mostly aca­ demic institutions, the Internet is the w orld's largest com puter network. An estim ated 20 m illion people across the globe use it to exchange electronic mail, pursue special in­ terests. search databases and do busi­ ness. About 150.000 new subscribers join the Internet each month For investors, the Internet offers some real treasures. Fund companies Y f* ■ I *• 1 1 are logging on using NETworth, a new financial and business informa­ tion package. At least 40 fund fami­ lies currently are on-line, including Bull & Bear which offers eight mu­ tual funds and discount brokerage services. Using NETworth, fund groups can offer investors marketing bro­ chures. advertisements and their en­ tire prospectus Investors who sub­ scribe to Internet pay nothing to access the material. A number of popular services, in­ cluding America Online, offer access to the Internet. NETworth's Internet address is netwoHh.galt.com. I rp PearBear Goes Back to School With the Kids By Maggie André (NU) - It's back to school time, and across the nation, school nutri­ tionists and parents are making re­ newed efforts to help America’s kids eat healthier. Among their shared goals are less fat and sodium in lunchroom menus and more fruits and vegetables over­ all. To support nutritional education, the Oregon Washington California Pear Bureau created a program last year for school lunch facilities and classrooms, built around the charac­ ter called Pear- Bear. Because life-long food preferences of­ ten begin at a very early age. the project was aimed at chil­ dren ages 5 through 9. However, it quickly be­ came apparent that bears are popu­ lar with older children too. The program centers on an edu­ cational poster about good eating and a book series called “The PearBear Chronicles, and includes coloring contests, children's cooking classes and other activities that make learn­ ing about nutrition fun. A new nutrition poster and the next in the series of children's story books is being introduced this year through classrooms and lunchrooms, as well as retail stores. For the PearBear poster and the first book ot "The PearBear Chron­ icles," send a proof of purchase for three pounds of USA pears and $ 1.50 tor postage and handling to: OR WA CA Pear Bureau, Studio B5. 813 S.W. Alder, Suite 601, Portland, OR 97205-3182. I UJAAMA Distributors 7050 N. E. Martin Luther King Jr. Bivd. Portland, Oregon 97211 Is now looking to train youth ages 13-17girls/guys, to learn the business o f be­ ing an entrepreneur thru B.H .P. Youth B usiness Oppt. This w ill be an earn while you learn opportunity. Must apply in person after you phone fo r an appoint­ ment at 503-285-5286. I f no one is in clearly leave your name and phone number after the message and we will call you to set up an appointment. 'CASH--------- ( p m E C T ie iji PAYDAY ADVANCES “When you can 't ask your boss WESTERN UNION f a s le s l w ay to sen d m oney Checks Cashed \n v Kind • It » R equired Fax Service • N o tan • P.O Boxi s t lihtv Pavnienix • 2 I)a\ f ax Relmxt Loans • Fiet ironic Filing Six Locations To S enn You 2 NW 3 r d / 2 4 1 -7 7 7 7 292® SC Powell Blvd / 2 3 3 -2 2 7 4 3 6 0 0 ME MLK Jr. Blvd / 2 8 7 -6 6 6 9 11902 SE Stark / 2 3 9 -2 2 7 4 S3O SC 10th Avo. Hillsboro 640-1111 *2611 E 4th Plain Blvd., Vane. 12 0 6)6 9 3 -2 1 2 1 ■eanlay not a w w , in V a n e « u » r t inanani Services fo r America s Local Communities New & used books on Business, Music, & African-American Studies Cd¿ Try Women Store 503-331-1718 EN R O L L NOW 3415 NE Broadway Portland, OR 97212 FOR POWELL’S CITY OF BOOKS FALL P rovidence M ontessori S chool 9 AM - 11 PM Monday through Saturday Ages 2!4 to 6 M onday - Friday • 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. 9 AM - 9 PM Sundays NEW! Morning Half-day Montessori Class Used books bought every day till 8:30 PM • Experienced staff • Nutritious lunch/snacks • RN • Diversity among children