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The Battle of the Burbs Winners Are... 

Jan. 30, 2010 -- Radnor High School seniors Brian Stern, Jon Behar, and Dan Pinsk, who comprise the blues band "The Deanny V's," won first place in "The Battle of the Burbs" competition on Jan. 30. Second prize went to Harriton senior Schuyler Silverman, vocalist. Third prize went to the Harriton student rock band "Yearly" (top row, left to right) Cole Oldfield, Eli Derrow, Matt Glick and David Going. See this page for the full story (and a larger photo).

Free Drug & Alcohol Counseling Available in Montgomery County

September 24, 2009 -- The Lincoln Center in Audubon is one of five area centers offering six free hours of drug and alcohol intervention counseling to residents of Montgomery County. For details, read this flier.

15 Public and Private High School Students Form Group
to Advise Adults on Youth Issues

Students from Lower Merion, Harriton, Haverford High, Baldwin and Friends Central schools initiated the first Youth Advisory Council (YAC) of the Coalition for Youth of Lower Merion and Narberth. The group will advise the Coalition on issues of interest to students on the Main Line, including input into local government and civic affairs, publicizing and creating special events for students throughout the community, and promoting a social norms campaign to insure that teens get safe rides home. Read more on our News page.¨

"Make the Call, Take the Call" Makes Main Line Papers

May 28, 2009 -- Main Line Media newspapers featured an interview with Lower Merion High School senior Rachel Cramer about the Coalition's "Make the Call, Take the Call" campaign. Read details here.

Coaching Children Away from Unhealthy Eating

Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/weekinreview/30bruni.html?em

Breakfast Can Wait. The Day's First Stop is Online

The New York Times explored the issue of both kids AND parents checking Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail before school and work and the impact it has on family time. Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/technology/10morning.html

"Raising Children who Care in Times that Need it"

July 23, 2009 -- This New York Times article by Alina Tugend offers parents some food for thought about encouraging youth to get involved in their community during hard economic times. Service and helping others are great ways to build assets in teens; see the Survey page for more information on assets.

Good Parent-Teen Relationships May Delay Teen Drinking

May 1, 2009 -- Teenagers who have a strong relationship with their parents may start drinking at a later age -- which may, in turn, lessen their risk of developing alcohol problems, a new study suggests. The findings, published in the May issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, underscore the important role parents play in the risk of problem drinking. Read more about the study on this site.

The Coalition for Youth Launches New Teen Safety Campaign:
"Make the Call, Take the Call"

April 28, 2009 -- Sometimes, teens find themselves in dangerous situations without a safe way out. As a result, they feel they have to choose between taking the risk and getting in trouble or losing face if they ask for help. The Coalition for Youth of Lower Merion and Narberth has launched a new campaign to help students and their families develop a way out. The campaign, called "Make the Call, Take the Call" is available on on this page. A Public Service Announcement on the same topic has appeared on Comcast's Lower Merion Township channel. Read more on the "Make the Call, Take the Call" page.

About Us

Welcome to the website of the Coalition for Youth in Lower Merion and Narberth (formerly the Lower Merion-Narberth Community Coalition), based in suburban Philadelphia, PA.

Our Purpose
The Coalition for Youth brings together young people and adults in Lower Merion and Narberth to create, support and build awareness of resources and options that are engaging, fulfilling and drug-and-alcohol free.

We Bring Together
•   Lower Merion and Narberth teens and parents
•   Public and independent schools
•   Municipal, state and federal government agencies
•   Local business and religious organizations
•   Mental and physical health professionals
•   Law enforcement officials

The Coalition for Youth unites both public and private schools.
 Members include:

Recent Activities
   The Student Life Survey: an ongoing survey of more than 5,000 middle
and high school students to assess their interests, activities, and behaviors, as well as their sense of community support

Key student perceptions and actions derived from 2006 survey:

• Rated high in connections to family and school
• Rated low in perceived support from community
• 12.6 years is the average age that students begin drinking
• 60% of 12th graders drink on a regular basis

Projects in 2008-09

• New Website with comprehensive resources on adolescent issues for parents and educators
• Teen Involvement Group: a collective of students from public and independent schools who will become engaged in the community and create safe activities where youth can socialize
• Parent Education focused on the spike in risky behaviors when teens  transition from middle school to high school
• Social Norms Campaign to encourage teens to call a caring adult when they find themselves in a potentially dangerous situation
                  

'E.R.' Producer Bases Series Finale on Family Tragedy

http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/er-producer-bases-series.html

John Wells, executive producer of the long-running television drama "E.R." incorporated the alcohol-poisoning death of his 17-year-old niece into the series finale. Read more here: http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/er-producer-bases-series.html

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For more news about Dads and the PTA, Girls and Bullying, and other interesting topics, please visit our News page.