National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign

It is important that we ensure a successful future for our nation’s youth, educators—teachers, coaches, school nurses, guidance counselors, and other school personnel are those influential figures—who empower students to make healthy choices to excel in life. The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign recognizes that educators play a key role in helping kids with more than academics and strives to support these efforts by providing useful drug prevention resources and information.

According to The Campaign, a five-year initiative created in 1998 by the White House Office of Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), they place a primary emphasis on delivering prevention messages to kids age 11-17, where they live, play and, especially, learn. The Campaign uses a powerful, integrated communications plan to educate and empower young people to reject illicit drugs. It is imperative that students are educated on such a heavy loaded topic like drugs, because it is detrimental to a students dreams, goals, and aspirations. And most of all, it’s endangering a students life.

As I mentioned before, educators play a major role in aiding students with a healthier way of life; they have also assisted in the success of The Campaign. They have developed one of the nation's most extensive school-based drug education and prevention efforts and used various strategies to reach out to students of different groups, such as: middle and high school students and teachers. If you serve a greater interest, please visit TeachersGuide.org.This website features a variety of the Campaign’s Web-based resources for educators, including standards-based classroom activities, curriculum guides, the latest drug-specific fact sheets and links to other relevant prevention resources.

Safe Schools for Everyone Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Students

Schools should be a place of safety and comfort; a sense of community. But that is not always the case. Safety can be a serious issue for students, and these issues can lead to a series of outcomes. For example, bullying, harassment, and discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered students are just one of the many students who experience these types of safety issues. The effects of bullying, harassment, and discrimination can result in a poor academic performance, and are much more likely to drop out of school, become depressed or suicidal, consume drugs or alcohol, or carry a weapon to school. The measurable damage is severely devastating. According to the National Education Association (NEA), they believe that a great public school is a fundamental right of every child—free from intimidation and harassment, and safe for all students, including those who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered. Some of the alarming statistics, according to the 2005 National School Climate Survey, taken by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) are as followed:

• More than a third (37.8%) of students experienced physical harassment at school on the basis of sexual orientation;

• More than a quarter (26.1%) of students experienced physical harassment at school on the basis of their gender expression;

• Nearly one-fifth (17.6%) of students had been physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation;

• Over one-tenth (11.8%) of students had been physically assaulted because of their gender expression.

The NEA claims to be committed to reversing these trends and addressing the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered students.

“There is only one real issue for educators: We are responsible for our students' safety and education. We must ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to achieve and thrive.” -National Education Association (NEA)

. Welcome One and All .

Hello everyone!

I am a Senior majoring in Theatre Arts w/ a concentration in Secondary Education. I am interested in education and all that it stands for. Teaching theatre education is a passion of mine, because I strongly believe that the arts are very important in a child’s life, be it academically or personally. I also believe that theatre is a creative and expressive art form in which it enriches us. Having grown up and attended school in Boston it was unfortunate that I was not exposed to theatre in the school system, assuming that it had to do with budget cuts, etc. With that being said, I would like to encourage other students, parents and teachers to help make a difference, and possibly make some major improvements one day.

Well, this is my first online course and I must admit I was a little skeptical at first, but I am certainly warming up to the idea of learning outside of a classroom based class. I thought that it may have been a disconnected experience. Although, I must say that so far I have been proved wrong. With all of the many advances we have with technology, internet, and blogging it has become a sort of connectedness. Looking forward to learning from all of you.

Have a fabulous night!!