When I joined the Robert Crown Center for Health Education as a consultant in 2011, I could never have anticipated the remarkable journey my career would take over the next 14 years. Progressing through various roles—from Special Events Coordinator to Development Associate, Director of Operations, Chief Operating Officer, Executive Director, and finally, CEO—I’ve worn many […]
The “whippets” of 90s party culture are making a comeback and today’s young people’s exposure is being driven by social media. Slang terms for nitrous oxide such as “noxious nos,” “nangs,” “whippits,” “fishing out,” “buzz bombs” refer to either the mode of usage or the neurological symptoms it causes (6). The manufacturing and marketing of […]
In today’s world, teens and pre-teens need to be “smart” consumers of media messages and this calls for the support of their teachers, parents, and other trusted adults to help them make sense of what they are hearing and seeing. Media influence on young people may be direct and deliberate such as advertisements that want […]
As the weeks of summer are winding down, many families are beginning to plan for the upcoming school year. This is an ideal time to look at your student’s sleep schedule and see if it might need some tweaking. While sleep is imperative in mental, physical, social, and emotional development, kids often view it as […]
Louie’s Law, also known as the Illinois Youth Education and Drug Overdose Prevention Act, was passed in July of 2023 as a guide rather than a mandate. The law is named for Louie Miceli, who died from a drug overdose in 2012. His mother’s hope was that these reforms would allow young people to make […]
Since 2019, the month of May has been recognized as Sex Ed for All Month, an effort put forward by numerous sexual education organizations that are dedicated towards advocating for sexual health, rights, and increased education. Young people having access to quality sex education has been found to improve social-emotional learning skills and help them […]
