In 2023, SPARK partnered with Planet Youth to implement the Iceland Prevention Model in the Chequamegon Bay Area.  Planet Youth uses evidence-based practices to help communities improve the lives of kids.    Want to be part of the change?  

Learn how Iceland reduced youth substance use by focusing on family, peers, leisure, and school:
PlanetYouth – Creating a better future for youth
planetyouth.org
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Want to join the movement?  Contact Rachel at [email protected] or 715-413-1585

Look here for announcements about Planet Youth Community Conversations & Community Cafes!

• Planet Youth Community Conversation first Thursday of the month 4:00-5:30 Vaughn Library Ashland or remote. 

        NO MEETING IN JULY!  See you in August 2024!
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Prevention is   FAMILY   SCHOOL   PEERS   LEISURE​

Learn more . . .

LEISURE​
"Participation in team sports as a young person can significantly reduce the long-term likelihood of depression and anxiety for people with childhood trauma. But according to Easterlin and other experts, the growing cost of youth team sports means that they can be off-limits to those who may need them most, kids living in poverty."
Teen Sports May Protect Victims Of Childhood Trauma From Depression, Anxiety : Shots - Health News : NPR May 2019

FAMILY
How America lost sleep - The Atlantic
"A serious lack of sleep, or seriously disturbed sleep, is one of the most common symptoms of depression among adolescents."
Why teenage sleep is so important for mental health (bbc.com) 2021

"An upswell in despair among young people is changing the life cycle of human happiness in many countries, according to a new series of studies."
Kids, Screen Time & Despair: An Expert in the Economics of Happiness Echoes Psychologists’ Warnings About Tech – The 74 (the74million.org)
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PEERS
Economist David Blanchflower’s new paper uses surveys from the past 15 years to show a pronounced increase in sadness affecting 14- to 24-year-olds.  Kids, Screen Time & Despair: An Expert in the Economics of Happiness Echoes Psychologists’ Warnings About Tech – The 74 (the74million.org)

Wisconsin tribe sues social media companies over suicide rates among Native youth - WPR

The Opioid Epidemic in Indian Country
s1.view.sfmc-marketing.com/view_email.aspx?qs=719059a7af26481859d6500056db504e498a94742bee692878b7454eb8470a9067973c94826cebb282f756d95dfcacbce5a3de86b088f09d10369f783d0bd60de8804af60adbf7b246fd54f9233d57c2&utm_source=greenbaypressgazette-first-nations-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=baseline_greeting&utm_term=Header+-+v2&utm_content=pgrb-greenbay-nletter0317

"America’s teens now seem to be struggling more than ever—especially boys. One study found that the rates of depression increased by 52 percent in teens between 2005 and 2017, and in 2019, 70 percent of teens reported anxiety and depression as major problems. For boys in particular, there has been an alarming rise in suicides among older teens (15 and older) since 2000, and they die by suicide at three to four times the rate of girls."
Deep Secrets: Boys’ Friendships and the Crisis of Connection (book)
Niobe Way 

Better Boys, Better Men: The New Masculinity That Creates Greater Courage and Emotional Resiliency (book)
Andrew Reiner

"Would you believe that students suggested they would pay money to have social media removed from their university?"
Screenagers Blog | Could Students Be Paid to Leave Social Media? (screenagersmovie.com)

PACH – The Project for the Advancement of Our Common Humanity (organization)
The Project for the Advancement of Our Common Humanity (PACH) is a think-and-do tank focused on researching and applying the science of human connection to create a more just and humane world. 

SCHOOL
Do Skills Taught in K-12 Schools Really Lead to Upward Mobility? $3 Million in Grant Money Aims to Find Out – The 74 (the74million.org)

At the National Parents Union, families from across the country have joined forces to call leaders to take action on these 10 issues, including gender identity.
The National Parents Union 2024 National Agenda

Before the pandemic, 40-60% of students were showing signs of school disengagement.  "The pandemic exacerbated students’ disengagement, especially among the most vulnerable youth."
National Association of State Boards of Education
Fredricks_September-2023.pdf (nasbe.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com)

"Most of Gen Z believe better education is the key to improving lives of children in the US."
4 Ways Gen Z Is Thinking About Their Education and Future – The 74 (the74million.org)

The 74 is a nonprofit news organization covering America’s education system from early childhood through college and career.
The 74 – America's Education News Source (the74million.org)

"The first in a three-year survey from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation reveals dramatic generational differences on mental health and college."
15 Key Takeaways From More Than 3,000 Gen Zers on Their ‘Struggling’ Lives & Future – The 74 (the74million.org)
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​"To help reduce chronic absenteeism, schools can help students learn how to self-regulate and manage feelings of discomfort."
​Addressing School Avoidance | Edutopia