As homecoming approaches, it
might be the night someone looks forward
to this school year. One probably wonders if
they are going to get a date, where the dress
will be bought, or where their friends are
going afterwards.
Homecoming can be the time to
have fun with friends; but, it can also be the
time when decisions must be confronted.
What decisions? Decisions like after parties
where people drink, do drugs, and participate
in sexual activities. Some people have
been forced to deal with these types of situations
resulting in unintended consequences.
“The best thing to do is know how
to refuse,” said MLEC’s trust counselor
Gladys Duran, “know your standards.”
According to a survey conducted
by Seventeen magazine, 16,800 car crashes
occur yearly by drinking and driving. Florida’s
Chapter of Students Against Destructive
Decisions (SADD) reported that 526 drivers between the ages of 15-20 were
involved in fatal crashes and 250 were killed. And 11% of teens admitted to driving
while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) conducted a study in 2006 and
reported that 1,376 out of 3,374 total traffic deaths in Florida were alcohol related.
“Teens are always vulnerable for drugs. They want to fit in and they want
to be seen as cool. They are pressured from their friends and they are breaking up
with their parent, so they are out on their own,” said clinical social worker Claudia
Cohen from Hospice.
Teens need to be aware that if you are in a sexual relationship, one needs to
think and make wise choices. According to a 2007 Fact Sheet by the National
Adolescent Health Information Center, less than half of all high school students
reported having sexual intercourse in 2005. The Heritage Foundation in 2003
reported that early initiation of sexual activity and higher numbers of non-marital
sex partners are linked in turn to a wide variety of negative life outcomes, including
rates of out-of-wedlock pregnancy and birth, increase in single parenthood,
increased maternal and child poverty,
increased abortion, increased depression,
and decreased happiness.
“If you feel pressured to do
something then talk to someone you
trust. The most important thing is to
know who your friends are,” said Ms.
Duran.
Homecoming is a time to
have fun, safely. According to Charity
Guide and Madison Memorial
Hospital in Idaho, car accidents are
the number one killer of adolescents
and 21 percent of these teens die in
alcohol-related crashes. One can help
innocent people from drunk drivers by
educating them on the consequences of
drinking and driving.
Cohen said, “Kids who have
never been to homecoming should talk
to a teacher that they trust or a group
of friends to have a better sense of
what goes on at homecoming and what to expect.”
As for having to take part in sexual activities with a date, think about the
consequences. It is illegal for a minor to drink and do drugs, if one does not feel
comfortable to have sex with a date, do not do it just to please others. Think twice
about the situation, have a back-up plan, and stick with smart friends.
“It takes a lot of strength to stand up to your friends. Teens should be with
friends that they’ll get respect from,” said Cohen.