Fall Events Schedule Come say hello to members of Turning Point Coalition and RAPA Teen Institute at these upcoming events: Orrville Fall Fest at Orr Park – Saturday, October 22nd from 5 PM to 8 PM. Join RAPA members in celebrating the Halloween season at their Trunk or Treat station. Haunted Halls – Monday, October…

Get ready to celebrate the season with a Hometown Tailgate Party! The event will be held Friday, September 22nd, 4 PM – 6 PM at the Orrville Public Library.   There will be hot dogs, drinks, and snacks, while they last. FREE games, activities, and prizes are part of the fun. A Make and Take…

Impaired Driving and How to Prevent It Impaired driving is responsible for 32 deaths every day in the United States, which is one death every 45 minutes. There are one million arrests made in the United States each year for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, but these arrests are a tiny amount…

What is a Coalition? Coalitions are organizations made up of two or more people or groups who are working together towards a common goal. Community coalitions focus their prevention efforts on a wide variety of problems, but we are going to focus on the work that Wayne County Coalitions (WCC) are doing to prevent youth substance use…

Preventing Substance Use by Supporting LGBTQ+ Students “We have to transcend our differences to transform our future.” – Antonio Guterres Research shows that youth are less likely to use substances when they experience fewer risk factors. These risk factors include things like prejudice, bullying, family conflict and rejection, and stress brought on by dealing with these…

      How Emojis Are Used for Drug Activity The Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC) released a public safety bulletin in March to alert parents about emojis being used for drug activity. Emojis are fun to use in our text messages and social media posts, but they carry more meaning in 2023 than when they first came…

February was Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) was held throughout the month of February as a way to bring together teens and those who support them in a national effort to raise awareness to teen dating violence. Organizations and schools across the country combine efforts every year to create a…

  Navigating Seasonal Affective Disorder Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is depression that affects someone only at a specific time of year.  That time of year mostly occurs during the fall and winter months when there is less light during the day.  SAD can be difficult to manage because many people who experience this depression are…

Parent Alert | November 2022 The Benefits of Being Grateful John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”  Gratitude is an important part of life, and a simple thank you goes further than you realize.  Multiple…

Parent Alert | November 2022 The Benefits of Being Grateful John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”  Gratitude is an important part of life, and a simple thank you goes further than you realize.  Multiple…

          Back to School: Keeping Students Safe from Counterfeit Pills It is that time of year again! Students are flooding back into classrooms and our commutes are being interrupted waiting for the bus to pull their stop sign back in.  As our students get back into the day to day routine of…

  Back to School: Keeping Students Safe from Counterfeit Pills It is that time of year again! Students are flooding back into classrooms and our commutes are being interrupted waiting for the bus to pull their stop sign back in.  As our students get back into the day to day routine of homework and after-school events…

Parent Alert | August 2022   Youth Connectedness Is an Important Protective Factor for Health and Well-being Connectedness is an important protective factor for youth that can reduce the likelihood of a variety of health risk behaviors. Connectedness refers to a sense of being cared for, supported, and belonging, and can be centered on feeling connected…

    Parent Alert | June 2022     The school year is over, and summer is just around the corner. Kids are excited about their well-deserved break, and while you might be just as excited, you’re probably thinking about how to keep them occupied over the next few months. Teens are often struggling to assert…

              SAMHSA May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an annual opportunity to provide education and resources surrounding the topic of mental health. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year.” Mental illness and substance…

    HERE WE GO… After two years of COVID restrictions, proms, graduations, and graduation parties can be held again with friends and family. But this season, COVID may not be the biggest risk to our youth. In fact, one of the biggest risks to our youth is right in your own homes. Part of…

Is Your Teen Too Stressed?Spring is a notoriously stressful time for students. A certain level of stress is normal, but how can you tell if your teen is too stressed, and what can you do to help them? Watch for these signs of severe stress: 1. Lack of sleep: Many experts say that most teens need…

How Prevention Creates Transformation The Seven Strategies For Community Change February 2022 Parent Alert   What are the Seven Strategies for Community Change? CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) provides all Coalitions with a guide to strategize our substance misuse prevention efforts. This guide is called the “Seven Strategies for Community Change”. (See this fact…

Kindness Campaign Updates! January 2022 Parent Alert     Orrville’s Kindness Campaign is underway! Turning Point Coalition, assisted by their Youth Coalition, RAPA (Riders Are Peer Advocates), is in its 4th week of this 5-week initiative. During January and early February, Orrville students, staff, businesses, and residents are tracking acts of kindness done around the…

Orrville’s First Kindness Campaign Hosted by Turning Point Coalition and RAPAJanuary 3-February 4     Turning Point Coalition will be kicking off 2022 with a Kindness Campaign assisted by our Youth Coalition, RAPA (Riders Are Peer Advocates). This initiative will help showcase the positive community norms happening in Orrville, and we want to give our young people…

Preventing Substance Abuse During the Holidays   Happy holidays from your community Coalition! We hope this month is special for you. During this time of celebration, we’d like to give you a few safety tips. Watch for these serious mental health warning signs in your loved ones over the holidays (from Prevention Action Alliance): Talking…

Happy Halloween from your prevention Coalition!See below for helpful holiday tips. Have a great weekend! Safety Tips for Your Kids: Safe Kids Worldwide Tips for Those in Recovery: Gateway Foundation     Prevention Tips: National Institute on Drug Abuse     Thank you for being a vital part of our community! Like us on Facebook