Polk County Education
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • February 8, 2017 9A
Study shows decline in drug, alcohol use among 11th-graders
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
POLK COUNTY — Fewer
11th-graders in Polk County
have used marijuana, alco-
hol and tobacco or illicit
drugs than their peers in the
past.
Fewer 11th-graders see al-
cohol and marijuana use as
risky behavior.
More of them did not go
to school because they felt
unsafe. Feelings of harass-
ment also increased through
email and social media sites,
though feeling harassed be-
cause of other things — sex-
ual orientation, race,
looks — decreased.
The results are part of the
Oregon Health Authority’s
biennial student wellness
survey. The survey is given
to students in sixth, eighth
and 11th grade.
Because the survey is
anonymous, it cannot be
used as an intervention tool,
said Doug Gouge, program
director for the Student
Based Mental Health Pro-
gram.
While some numbers can
be concerning — 22.7 per-
cent of 11th-graders say they
have used marijuana —
Gouge said the flip side is
77.3 percent of them have
not used.
Having this information
helps Gouge and his team
create campaigns of pre-
vention, showing students
that this behavior is not
normal.
“Everyone isn’t doing it,”
he said.
The numbers are also
used to help counselors
determine what kind of
training and resources are
needed in Polk County
schools.
The survey shows that 20
percent of students in 11th
grade had “seriously consid-
ered attempting suicide,”
and 8 percent had “actually
attempted suicide.”
Gouge said those num-
b e r s h a v e e n c o u ra g e d
counselors to get evidence-
based training in how to
identify kids who are show-
ing signs of suicide — and
getting training to kids
themselves.
Gouge said the Power
Peers class and leadership
classes at Central High
School have been trained in
suicide prevention, giving
them the tools they might
need if a fellow student be-
gins to talk about ending his
or her own life.
A suicide prevention cam-
paign has taken to Twitter,
Instagram and Snapchat,
Gouge said.
“The good news is, 80 per-
cent of kids haven’t even
thought about suicide — it
hasn’t even crossed their
minds,” he said. But that
doesn’t mean nothing can
be done to help the minority
of those who have, he
added.
For more information
about the survey or about
suicide or drug prevention:
www.co.polk.or.us/bh/men-
tal-health-services.
Eclipse: Students create their own myths
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Students make up myths about the solar eclipse.
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Third-graders at Lyle Elementary School immitate sunrays during a presentation about
the Great American Eclipse, which will happen the morning of Aug. 21.
Continued from Page 16A
One group conjured more
than 20 different tales,
among them was a giant
boy’s equally giant bowl of
ice cream causing an eclipse.
One young gridiron fan
mused that a Ducks football
helmet that got knocked off
a player’s head blocked out
the sun temporarily.
In another, a child acci-
dently let go of her balloon,
causing an eclipse.
Her father rescues the bal-
loon before it gets too far
away, bringing the sun back.
The class’s favorite? The
one about ice cream, natu-
E LEGANT
F LORAL
&
• 135 SW M
S . D
FLOWERS
GIFTS
ILL
T
rally.
Near the end of the pres-
entation, Cuyler lead the
students in a pledge com-
mitting them to telling oth-
ers about the eclipse
“I solemnly pledge that I
will tell my friends and fami-
ly how much fun we are
going to have on eclipse
day,” the pledge begins.
It ends with a handy piece
of advice: “Be wise: Protect
your eyes.”
Wednesday’s presenta-
tion, myths and activities,
seemed to do the trick of
getting the students excit-
ed about the rare event.
As the classes left for re-
cess in the afternoon,
many students thanked
Cuyler and asked if she
would come back.
“You can see me on
eclipse day,” she said.
Eclipse
• What is really happening during an eclipse?
While the third-graders enjoyed making up stories, the
eclipse happens when the moon gets between Earth and the
sun, and the moon casts a shadow over Earth.
A solar eclipse can only take place at the phase of new moon,
when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth and
its shadows fall upon Earth’s surface.
• For more on the Great American Eclipse, see the Itemizer-
Observer’s special section in next week’s issue.
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