This document is the first issue of a seasonal magazine called "Family Connections" published by the Bureau/Putnam County Health Department and CPASA (Community Partners Against Substance Abuse). It features articles on topics related to local families and health such as why hating school works against you, extracurricular activities, distracted driving, cyberbullying, and healthy eating. It also includes letters from the editors of the magazine and Bureau/Putnam County Health Department, advertisements for local businesses and organizations, and short pieces on family time, media, success stories, student questions, blogs, and fun facts. The goal of the magazine is to have conversations in the community about fostering healthy family connections.
2. 2 Family Connections
FALL 2015 • VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1 A publication of the Bureau & Putnam County Health Department and CPASA
contents
On the cover:
Photo by: Zia Kimberley
Check out Page 16 to see
our story on distracted
driving.
Brought to you by
CPASA and BPCHD
Produced in conjunction with the
Bureau County Republican
To advertise or contribute
call: 815-872-5091
or email fc@bchealthdepartment.org
Family Connections
Features
6 Why Hating School
Works Against You
11 Extracurricular Activities
That Might Work For You
16 Distracted Driving
Here’s What You Need to Know
18 Back-to-School
Cyber-bully Blues
19 How to Get
Your Kids to
Eat Healthy
23 What To Do To Save a Life
3 Letter From the Editor
5 Family Time
8 Media Minute
9 Success Stories
10 FC Asks Students
14 The Best of the Family Blogs
17 CPASA Featured Member
18 From the Ground UP
19 Favorite Things to Do
25 Fun Facts
3. Family Connections 3
“Family Connections.” What do those words mean to you when you read
them? To me, it means talking over lunch with one of my favorite people in
the world, my mom; sitting outside on the porch with my best friend laughing
and enjoying the weather; or going for an evening walk around Malden
with our very large Great Dane, Odin, and very small tea cup Pomeranian,
Amelia, — of course stopping to talk to all the neighbors we meet along the
way. Everyone needs connections; it’s what makes a life good, and in my
opinion, meaningful. “Family Connections” is our title because that is what
this magazine is about, those connections. It is our hope that we will open
up conversations between members of our community about fostering and
keeping healthy connections to others. We would love for you to be a part of
that conversation.
Family Connections is geared toward the local family’s experience and
health. It is a labor of love created by the Bureau and Putnam County Health
Department, CPASA (Community Partners Against Substance Abuse) and
The Bureau County Republican. We feature local writers and photographers
who are passionate about their chosen topics in the field of local families
and health. Occasionally we will feature outside stories that apply to our
local area. If you have photography or an interest in writing or would like
to suggest an article, please let us know at fc@bchealthdepartment.org.
This is a magazine about our community; we want to hear your voice and
continue the conversation our writers have started here.
Letter from the EditorJessica Rawlings
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If you are interested in becoming a member
call Justina Chlum at 815-915-7777 for more details.
4 Family Connections
Representing plans and options from the following companies:
Welcome to the first issue of Family Connections. The
Bureau and Putnam County Health Department and CPASA
(Community Partners against Substance Abuse) are bringing
you this seasonal magazine with the hope it will make your
journey into fall and winter a little healthier and a little happier.
We recognize that our youth and our families are our future.
Together we partner with many community members,
agencies, businesses, schools, parents and churches to help our
community stay healthy, safe and substance-free.
We like to think that CPASA is a great example of what we
can accomplish as a community when we work together. Join
us on the third Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. in the
conference room at the Bureau County Health Department,
526 Bureau Valley Parkway, Princeton. In the meantime, enjoy
this first edition of Family Connections.
Diana Rawlings, administrator Dawn Conerton, director
Bureau and Putnam County Community Partners
Health Department Against Substance Abuse
Welcome toFamilyConnections
FREE DELIVERY
815-339-2323
324 S. McCoy St.,
Granville, IL 61326
Dawn Conerton and Diana Rawlings
5. Family Connections 5
Time spent together as a family is important to
your child’s health and development. With the
start of school, homework and fall activities can
impact family time. In the midst of all of this
business, how do we find time for family?
1. Eat meals
together.
Family
traditions need
to continue no
matter what
time of year.
This means
spending time
together and
eating meals
as a family
without the
television
on in the
background.
According to
the National
Center on
Addiction and Substance Abuse, children who
eat at least 5 times a week with their family are
at lower risk of developing poor eating habits,
weight problems or substance abuse issues and
do better in school. Use mealtime as a time to
discuss the day’s activities and stay connected
with one another. This is a healthy habit and
will help children feel respected and loved.
Unfortunately, it is becoming a thing of the past
due to our fast-paced lives. It is important for us
to teach our children the value of family.
2. Limit screen time. Limiting electronic media
will encourage increased family activity time. A
national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation
found that 8-18 year-olds devote an average
of 7 hours and 38 minutes (7:38) to using
entertainment media across a typical day (more
than 53 hours a week). Currently, the American
Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more
than 2 hours of “screen time” a day. This includes
any type of electronic media such as television,
computers, tablets, smart phones and video
games. Limiting “screen time” can also help to
prevent childhood obesity as well as access to
information that
is not appropriate
for children.
Electronic media
has affected
family time
significantly.
In the texting
world, many
people no longer
carry on verbal
conversations
but rather silent
conversations
through texting.
Our children are
suffering from
this and will not
know how to communicate effectively. Children
need to learn how to interact with others, and
this is not achieved through texting.
3. Stay connected. Several family activities can
replace screen time such as bike riding, taking
walks, reading a book as a family or playing board
games. Children need contact with people to feel
loved and respected, and this cannot be done
through impersonal electronic devices.
It is important that we teach our children the value
of family time. Family time should be considered
a priority among all family members, no matter
the time of year. So find ways to spend more
time with your family: eat dinner together, limit
screen time and stay connected with one another.
Everyone in the family will be happy you did.
How do you help your family unplug?
1. Create a “Screen-Free” Zone at Home: The AAP (American Academy of
Pediatrics) recommends that parents establish “screen-free” zones at
home by making sure there are no televisions, computers or video games
in children’s bedrooms and by turning off the TV during dinner.
2. Try a Week Without TV: turn off the television and help your family find
healthy alternative activities.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2011.348/full
Family Time
Karen Eggers APN, FNP-BC
photo by Zia Kimberley
6. ears. In other words, my belief that human beings are
amazing creations turns out to be true, as does my
assumption that there is always more to learn.
The issue, of course, is
school: Why do some kids
hate it, when almost all
kids started out enthused
and excited about going to
it for the first time? And
part of the answer is the choices we make as human
beings. If I decide to be interested in something — no
matter what it is — then I will learn and remember
more about it. If I read for understanding and if I
apply what I am reading to what I already know, I will
succeed in understanding. In my classes, every student
has heard me say, “The more you know, the easier it
is to learn new things.” And the scientists I listed in
the introduction have proven me right (though that
was not their goal). When new ideas confront us, they
will not confound us if we already have some basic
understanding of them. I know what it means to want
to run my own life; therefore, foreign policy problems
make a great deal of sense when a country’s ability to
control itself is in flux. The Vietnam War becomes not
a conflict of nations, but a conflict of parental versus
personal power. Learning about all things applies to
learning about myself, and vice versa, and my interest
is piqued.
6 Family Connections
C
ognitive scientists change my life all of
the time, primarily because they give
explanations for intuitions that turn out to
be right, or they explain why I am basically
crazy to believe some of the things I do. In the last few
years, by reading books written by researchers and
scholars such as Daniel Kahneman, Daniel Levitin,
David Eagleman, Eric Kandel, David Willingham, Daniel
Simon and many others (and why do so many of the
first names start with a “D”?), I learned that smiling
while I answer questions will make me give more
positive answers; that what I see and what you see,
while we are in the same room, are entirely different
things; that my brain sees and hears, not my eyes and
Why Hating
School Works
Against You
7. In this article, I am supposed to help students,
particularly freshmen, prepare for high school. As a
teacher, I want to prepare all students for life itself.
Both of those tasks require involvement, if they are
going to meet with success. Come to school ready to
learn, physically and mentally; drink sweet lemonade
for breakfast; smell coffee — you don’t even have
to drink it to attain the miracle of enhancement of
cognitive
processing;
smile, literally
— shape your
lips into a smile
because that
also makes you
think more
effectively;
decide to be
interested —
tell yourself
that you are
going to learn
something
amazing today, and you will; know that you are
not alone — all people have times of isolation
and fear of separation from others — that the
high school has programs and people who have
every intention of making you welcome and
helping you fit in.
Schools exist because kids do. You, the students,
are the reason the staff is there. I went to college for
the privilege of being in a room with you, helping you
(I hope) to see with new eyes, to understand in new
ways; without you, I would not only fail to bring a
paycheck home, but I would fail to attain the infinite joy
of having all of you help me to see and think differently.
Your brains are vast and limitless — that nonsense
about using 10 percent of it is just that, nonsense
— and they are muscles. Like all muscles, they
need exercise. I try to pump iron (reading, thinking,
questioning) with mine all the time;
why don’t you decide to do the
same? Unused muscles atrophy;
do you really want to shrink your
own head, while
your brain is in
it? Smile, learn,
think; come to
school ready
to let the world
open doors
through science,
literature,
woodworking,
math, art —
the list goes
on because
knowledge does;
the joy goes on
because knowing
stuff is not only
fun, but it is powerful. Be the person in the room who
always understands what everyone else is talking
about. Be a student.
About the Author
I, Elaine McVety, wife of Bruce, mother of Christy and Mandy, function under the
assumption that I am a teacher who is also a mother -- those girls of mine, at ages 6 and
4, respectively, were studying the effects of inflation on German military and political
aggression and hostility toward other peoples and places. To prepare for that opportunity
to stretch my children’s minds, I graduated from Spring Arbor College (now university),
in Michigan; completed the certification program in library science at Northern Illinois
University; then earned a master’s degree at Illinois State. My actual teaching career
began in Flint, Michigan, in 1973, and it continues today at Princeton High School with
certification in history, English, and library science.
Photo by: Danielle Trista Photography
Family Connections 7
8. 8 Family Connections
Connect with
Now that school is back in full swing and all of our family schedules
are busier than ever, it will become increasingly more difficult
for parents to keep up with their child’s school work, homework
assignments, or simply to communication with teachers. Many
schools in the area use an online grade book that allows parents to
check their child’s grades, missing assignments, and communicate
with teachers whenever convenient for parents. Malden Grade
School and Princeton Elementary #115 have implemented an easy
to use program, TeacherEase. Parents can provide the school with
an email address which will sign them up for access to their child’s
grade book. Grades found on the website should be updated on
a weekly basis, and many teachers place upcoming assignments
in the grade book to give students and parents the opportunity
to plan for future assignments. School officials share the same
desire to communicate with parents about successes and concerns
of students with parents and hope parents will take advantage of
this free service. For more information, please contact your child’s
school to get signed up for TeacherEase for the 2015-16 school
year.
Michael Patterson
Superintendent
Malden CCSD #84
Media
Minute
9. Family Connections 9
Protect the Ones You Love
Announcing $12 Vaccines for Adults
without insurance or without vaccine coverage.
Most insurances also accepted.
Including: Tdap, Shingles, Pneumonia, Flu, Hepatitis
Bureau & Putnam County
Health Department
Call us today 815-872-5091
Beverage Alcohol Servers & Sellers
Education & Training
“We Serve Responsibly”
Call for classes in Bureau
& Putnam County call
815-872-5091
� Sent 21 teens from our BP Power group representing 7 local
school districts to Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute, where
they learned leadership skills and how to help other teens stay
substance-free. In 2015, the group received the Community
Action Team (CAT) Award.
� Partnered to engage 600 youth in learning about diversity and
positive life choices at “Teen Showcase.”
� Supported prom awareness events for more than 600 youth in
our community.
� Sponsored more than 700 hours of party patrols by local law
enforcement.
� Partnered with law enforcement to hold prescription drug
take back days and collected more than 7,000 pounds of
unused prescription drugs.
� Raised local funds to support the purchase and maintenance of
an incinerator to dispose of prescription and over-the-counter
drugs.
� Launched “Talk, They Hear You” parent awareness campaign.
� Conducted Beverage Alcohol Seller and Servers Training for
area restaurants and businesses that sell alcohol.
� Hosted a Town Hall Meeting on the status of substance abuse in
Bureau and Putnam Counties attended by more than 100 citizens.
� Hosted community forums on local drug trends for more than
100 parents/adults.
� Hosted “Hidden In Plain Sight” awareness programs for more
than 150 parents and concerned adults.
� Co-hosted Putnam County Partners in Education parent
education night at Putnam County High School.
� Partnered with Princeton Police Department to co-sponsor a
Safety Fair for more than 200 youth and parents.
� Supported Perry Memorial Hospital’s Mega Brain event for
area students.
� Participated in Spring Valley Police’s National Night Out.
� Presented at St. Margaret’s Hospital “Girl’s Talk.”
� Hosted the first “Family Fun Fest,” a low cost substance-free
family event.
� Worked with local governments to establish smoke-free parks
and playgrounds in three communities.
� Participated in several community events.
CPASA SUCCESS STORIES
10. 10 Family Connections
LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP
FamilyConnectionsasks
STUDENTS ABOUT LEADERSHIP IN THEIR SCHOOLS
Name: Alex Elmore
School: Bureau Valley High School Grade:
Junior
Hobbies and/or favorite extracurricular
activity: Scholastic Bowl, track, cross
country.
What are your future goals? Join the
Marines, then go to college.
Can you explain what the leadership
program at your school is? It’s a
group that identifies the biggest
problem at the school at that time, then
brainstorms and follows through on
plans.
What is your role in the leadership
program? Within my school I’m the
president, and within our county-wide
group, I’m a member.
What made me become a leader? My
school is a really negative place, and
I’m looking for ways to make it more
positive and fun.
Name: Emma Elmore
School: Princeton High School
Grade: Junior
Hobbies and/or favorite
extracurricular activity: I like to
watch movies, sew, knit and cook.
What are your future goals: I
would like to be a forensic
anthropologist.
Can you explain what the
leadership program at your
school is? BP Power is about
empowering students to make the
right choices such as not doing
drugs, alcohol, and not to bully
others. It is also about peers
accepting other peers.
What made you a leader? I was
appointed to be a leader.
Name: Olivia Rain Lawley
School: Putnam County High School
Hobbies and/or favorite extracurricular
activity: Playing the flute, golf, track,
dance and volunteering.
What are your future goals? To attend
Harvard College.
Can you explain what the leadership
program at your school is? We
have class officers, a Student Council
program, and a youth help program
called Natural Helpers to help kids
who feel more comfortable talking to
their peers about their problems.
What is your role in the leadership
program? I have been a class
officer for two years, a member of
Student Council for two years, and
a permanent member of Natural
Helpers.
What made you become a leader?
My convictions were strong, but
Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute (CGTI)
showed me how to use them to lead.
Emma OliviaAlex
NOT JUST ANOTHER FACE IN THE CROWD?
CHECK OUT WHO’S STANDING OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IS THERE SOMEONE YOU’D LIKE TO NOMINATE?
Please email at
fc@bchealthdepartment.org
and tell us why this individual
has stood out in your crowd.
11. 1. Art Club: Found at Bureau Valley and LaMoille High
Schools, Art Club promotes the visual arts and holds art
exhibits.
2. FFA: Future Farmers of America is an
organization that allows a student to have hands-on
practice with topics that they learn in classes. FFA deals
with many interesting topics like animal production,
horticulture and mechanics, while also helping foster
skills that aid in career development, such as public
speaking, judging, mechanics, business management
and sales.
3. First Class is a service organization found at
Princeton High School that helps create and maintain
programs and activities that foster principles they believe
should guide everyday school life, such as treating others
with respect.
4. Food Club and Last Supper Club: Both of
these clubs travel out to restaurants to experience
different cuisines. Last Supper Club at Saint Bede
Academy also critiques the food after the meal for the
staff. Food Club is a Princeton High School organization.
5. French, German or Spanish Club help to
promote further inquiry and exposure to language
and culture. They often include field trips, cultural
celebrations for that language and fun meetings.
6. Interact is a Putnam County High School service
organization that helps students give back to the
community. They also take part in a foreign exchange
program.
7. Journalism Club and Caedmon Literary
Magazine: Journalism Club found at Putnam County
High School and Caedmon Literary Magazine found at
Saint Bede Academy allows students to write articles for
submission to their editor and hopeful publication.
8. Lifesavers is a group of peer helpers who aid their
community and school. They are committed to a drug
and alcohol-free lifestyle. It is a Princeton High School
organization, and in order to become a member, an
application must be filled out.
9. Science Club and Advanced Science
Club: Science Club found at Ohio High School and
Saint Bede Academy and Advanced Science Club
found at Bureau Valley High School, discusses ideas,
plans scientific trips, and works on projects in order to
investigate the scientific behaviors, phenomena and
laws of nature.
10. Scholastic Bowl tests a team’s recall speed and
knowledge in many topics including sports, art, science
and math.
11. Sportsman’s Club is a group for anyone who loves
hunting, fishing, archery, hiking, camping and outdoor
adventures, regardless of their experience or level of
skills. The group hosts speakers and goes on trips for
these activities. Sportsman’s Club is found at Princeton
High School.
12. Stage Crew for Plays and Musicals help
behind the scenes. Stage Crew members help with a
vast list of things that are needed in order for a show to
take place such as design and construction of the set,
costumes and props, makeup and hair of actors, the
change of set between scenes, reading lines, and much
more.
13. Student Ambassadors are a group of junior
and senior students who share their positive Saint
Bede Academy experiences and knowledge with other
students and parents in order to help them feel welcome
and comfortable.
14. Student Council is group of students who are
voted in by their class during the year. Student Council
members get to be leaders and help make decisions for
their classes. They help coordinate and sponsor different
events, such as dances, and put on different charitable
fundraising events throughout the year.
15. Ultimate Frisbee: A sport that combines golf and
Frisbee into one. Found at Saint Bede Academy
16. WYSE: Worldwide Youth Science
Engineering is a group of students who travel to
local colleges and universities to take college level
tests and be ranked against others in the state. This is
currently available at Putnam County High School.
17. Yearbook is an organization that is in charge of
putting together that year’s yearbook. Members
participate in photography, copy writing, editing and
design.
Family Connections 11
activitiesthatmight
workforyou.
He
re’ssomeextracurr
icular
14. 14 Family Connections
WRVY
100.5 FM
Broadcast Center
PO Box 69
Princeton, IL 61356
402 E Silverspoon Ave, Granville, IL 61326
(815) 882-2800
H
ow do you let your
teenagers go,
but at the same
time, keep them
safe? After all, it’s tough
being their age these days.
Teens are growing up in a
world that worships freedom
to do what you want, rejects
responsibility, and provides
many ways for them to do
both. As a result, being the
parent of a teenager is tough
too.
Teen Friends:
4 Things
Every Parent
Must Know
MARKMERRILL.COM
Part of parenting is learning how to let go well, giving
your teen more freedom and responsibility as he or she
grows. A later curfew. The keys to the car. A part-time
job. An overnight with friends. The speed at which you
do these sorts of things will vary depending on each teen’s
track record and maturity.
As your child moves gradually out of your home and into
the world, they will increasingly be influenced by those
they are spending more of their time with — their friends.
So for you to remain in the know, you’ll need to get to
know them better. Here are 4 must-knows about your
teen’s friends.
1. Get to know them. Have your teen invite their friends
over to your house. Observe their interactions not
only with you but with others in your home. Are they
respectful of people and property? Do they speak well
of their parents and family? Without interrogating
them, you can learn a lot from a friendly conversation.
How are they doing at school? What are their
extracurricular activities? Do they go to church, or are
they involved in any community service? What does
their style of dress tell you? Without prying, do they
have any personal issues that you should at least be
aware of? If they are part of a group with your teen—at
church, or a sports team, or school club—ask the leader
about them informally. And what does your teen like
about their friend? Again, you can find out a lot with a
friendly conversation. Even if your kids are now adults,
you can still invest in their friendships.
2. Get to know their parents. Your teen’s friend may tell
Best of the Family Blogs
16. Distracted driving is a very serious
problem for all drivers. Distracted driving is
defined as the act of driving while engaged
in any activity that takes the driver’s
attention from the road – such as eating,
talking to passengers, reading – including
maps, grooming, adjusting the radio or car
navigation system, and of course the use of
cellular devices. The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that
3,328 people were killed and 421,000 people
were injured in 2012 because of distraction-
related crashes. If you text while driving, you
are 23 times more likely than other drivers to
crash, yet many driver’s still engage in texting while driving. On a typical
daylight moment, 660,000 vehicles across the U.S. are being driven by
someone using a hand-held cell phone.
The main law that addresses distractions is the use of Electronic
Communication Devices. Tom Root, Princeton Chief of Police, and
Distracted DrivingFamily Connection
asks people in our
community:
“What causes
you to be
distracted when
you are driving?”
Jennifer Coleman
from Hennepin
“When I’m trying to
use the GPS,
it’s very distracting.”
Nancy Raya
from DePue
“I get distracted when
I feel emotional.”
Lora Warren
from Princeton
“My first gut reaction is
daydreaming. When you
drive a long distance and
then you wake up and realize
you don’t know how you got
there. Also the phone always
buzzing next you.”
16 Family Connections16 Family Connections
What You
Need to Know
17. Alex Arauza, Princeton High
School Resource Officer, are both
members of CPASA. As a police
officer, we will initiate a traffic stop
for someone even stopped at a stop
sign and sending a text because
they are still considered a motor
vehicle in traffic.
Illinois law prohibits all drivers
from using hand-held electronic
communication devices while
driving. Use of hands-free device
such as Blue Tooth accessory is
allowed for adults. Currently, no
one under the age of 18 can use
a wireless phone even with hands-
free devices. In school zones,
construction zones, and within
500 feet of an accident scene, all
wireless use is prohibited. The
complete law can be found online
at the Secretary of States website,
www.cyberdriveillinois.com
The number of tickets and
traffic stops by law enforcement
for use of hand-held electronic
communications is on the rise. The
repercussions for being caught
reflects the seriousness of the
law. The fines are $75 for the first
offense, $100 for second offense,
$125 for the third offense and $150
for the fourth offense. A person can
be charged with Aggravated Use
of Electronic Communication,
if an accident causes great bodily
harm or death because of the use of
electronic devices.
Distractions slow reactions,
just like drugs and alcohol. Driving
under the influence and distractions
cause a driver to be delayed in their
actions behind the wheel; this can
cause accidents. It takes less than
a second to drift over the center line
into oncoming traffic. Our advice for
a young driver is to recognize that
distractions are very serious and
need to be addressed. Pull over and
eat; tell passengers to be quiet; wait
till you stop to check your phone.
Adults and young people both have
to be responsible and put their focus
on the road, not on the distraction.
Driving distracted can ruin your life
and others; think before you answer
or text on your phone ... this can be
the difference between life or death!
CPASA Featured Member
Tom Root
Tom Root is retired military, having served 33 years in
the United States Army, active duty and National Guard.
He retired as a Command Sergeant Major and has
deployed to Viet Nam, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom
and Iraqi Freedom. He also has three sons who are all
active duty military career soldiers and airmen and is a
certified Concealed Carry Instructor for Illinois.
Hobbies include: Golf, collecting Beatle’s albums and
memorabilia, and as an avid motorcyclist for more than
45 years, riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle all over
the country. Photo by: Mike Vaughn
Family Connections 17
“Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the
road while texting. When traveling at 55 mph, that’s
enough time to cover the length of a football field.”
www.stoptextsstopwrecks.org
“Reaching for a phone, dialing, texting and other uses of portable
devices increased the risk of getting into a crash by three times.”
www.stoptextstopwrecks.org
18. 18 Family Connections
For most students, returning to
school is an exciting event. Back-to-school
means daily contact with friends and is a
welcoming break after summer becomes
“boring” with “nothing to do.” For other
students, it is fraught with high anxiety.
Thoughts of academic and social struggle
come to mind, and for some, it is the
return to the cycle of cyber-bullying. One
of the most rampant bullying behaviors
starts with social media, and continues
on the bus ride, in the lunch room, on the
playground, or in PE class. It has caused
disruption in the halls, classroom, and
has some students not wanting to go to
school. In Bureau and Putnam Counties,
23 to 27 percent of students in sixth
through 12th grades who completed the
Illinois Youth Study report another student
has “bullied, harassed or spread rumors
about them on the Internet or through
text messages” in 2014.
Through the use of Facebook, texting,
Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, X-Box
Live, Vine, Tumblr and other such apps
available on your child’s MP3 player,
students as young as third grade are being
rude, disrespectful and causing emotional
pain to their peers. Students have made
careless remarks and posted pictures of
others in unflattering situations and then
let those words and images speed through
the student population in a matter of
seconds. If your child does not have any
of these social media outlets, you can bet
a talk with them will reveal that they have
heard or seen such behavior. Students
have revealed having multiple accounts
under a variety of names so as to role-play
being someone they are not.
“Harassment via electronic devices”
carries a misdemeanor charge. Most
schools also have policies in place
regarding the use of social media on
school grounds, or when a conflict at
school is the result of an incident that
started outside of school through the use
of such media. As school personnel, we
spend a lot of time dealing with the fall
out of such bullying behavior but can only
block access to websites if your student
requires WiFi to utilize their device at
school. Only you can control their access
to such devices. Here are three steps to
help keep your child safe on social media:
1. Make sure your student is ready for
social media. If they still get upset
based on peer acceptance, social
status, or do not have strong coping
skills, then they are not ready for this
potentially dangerous place.
2. Social media is meant to be a great
way to connect and share with
others, to broaden your horizons
or connect with people who share
a common but unusual interest.
Make sure you stay up to date on
social media and all the apps available
for chatting and sharing. Know your
student’s account names, passwords
and be their “friend” on Facebook,
and in their “contacts list” on all
devices that can or do request access
to it.
3. Phones and gaming devices with
Internet capacity should go up for
the night when your child does.
Your child may not text at 2 a.m.,
but you can bet someone out there
does, and their notification will
wake your child. Many a student
has been kept up or had their sleep
interrupted throughout the night by
peers wanting to connect. A desire
to connect, wanting to belong, and
wanting to be heard and listened to
are just a few of the reasons students
tell me they are constantly texting.
Beginning with the2009-10 school
year, Illinois schools have been mandated
to teach Internet safety starting at Grade
3 to your student, but how much do you,
as an adult, know? Some great tips are
offered at kidshealth.org, parentfurther.
com, uknowkids.com (resources tab at
the top of the page), stopbullyingnow.
com and actonbullying.com are all
recommended sites. Maintaining a family-
centered environment at home that
includes a dependable, daily routine, a
sense of good-sportsmanship, and service
to others above self will help bully-proof
your child.
Back-to-School
CYBER-BULLY
BLUES
Tricia Both, school social worker
Photo by Zia Kimberly
19. Family Connections 19
A
s a chef, I often teach cooking classes
about healthy eating to adults and kids
alike. Eating healthy isn’t difficult, but
sometimes it can be a challenge to sneak healthy
fruits and veggies into the diets of little ones. They
have discriminating palates, and that’s for a reason.
It’s basic biology. Babies are born with a palate
that helps increase their chances for survival. This
means an aversion to bitter flavors which keeps
them from consuming things that could be potentially
harmful or toxic and a heightened fondness for
sweet foods, a product of the fact that mother’s
milk is naturally sweet. As children age, their taste
buds slowly begin to shift away from sweet and to
incorporating more bitter, salty and sour tastes.
Children are also inherently guided by their senses.
They like to feel, see, taste, smell and hear things.
It’s no mistake that when babies and toddlers get
almost anything into their hands the first thing they
do is put it into their mouths. It’s all about exploration
and the discovery of the world. Their senses act as
a guide toward learning what is right and wrong,
safe and dangerous. And who is their ever faithful
guide in this exploration and learning process? Their
parents and caretakers.
So what does this mean in terms of helping kids
incorporate more healthy food habits into their diets?
Here are a couple of basic pointers that may help:
1) Lead by example: You are your kids’ greatest in-
fluence in developing healthier eating habits. If
you start consuming more fruits and veggies and
do so willingly and happily, kids will see your en-
thusiasm and follow suit.
2) Think in terms of your senses: When you are pre-
paring foods for kids to eat, look at these foods
in terms of your senses. Most importantly, smell,
sight, feel and taste. Foods that are brightly col-
ored, smell sweet and are fresh and crunchy will
always be more appealing to young palates than
foods that are overcooked, blandly colored and
mushy.
How
K
He
How to Get Your
Kids to Eat
Healthy Foods
3) Make food fun: I know we always tell our kids not
to play with their food, but I would like to suggest
that maybe if you make meal time more playful
and fun, kids will be more likely to eat things they
would otherwise stick their noses up at. Incor-
porate games like hide and go seek or a guessing
game or a memory game into meal time. There
are many online resources for these types of
games.
4) Get your kids involved: Children who pick their
food, know what those foods are, where they
come from and who help prepare them are far
more likely to want to try them. Kids are never too
young to start helping you in the garden and the
kitchen.
Monika and Jeff
Sudakov, innkeepers
Chestnut Street Inn
301 E. Chestnut St.
Sheffield, IL 61361
Danielle Trista Photography
20. 20 Family Connections
What to pack for school lunches
and after school activities:
Photo by: Zia Kimberley
Put fruit in water and let it
infuse for a way to get your
child to drink more water.
Cucumbers are good too.
Mint sprigs make a tasty
flavor.
Have fruits and veggies
prepared for easy access -
peel oranges, cut apples,
carrot bites, etc. When
it’s cut and put into
baggies, it’s so much more
convenient to grab and go.
Pack extra water, sports
drinks and healthy snacks
like fruit, granola or
protein bars and veggies
for after-school activities.
To buy the perfect
pineapple, gently tug
a middle stem and if it
comes out easily, your
pineapple is perfect- too
hard, not ripe; too easily,
over ripe.
Add frozen blueberries to
Greek yogurt for a healthy
ice cream-like snack.
Try some of their favorite
healthier cereals. Cheerios,
for instance, will survive
all on its own through the
whole day. I often took a
bag of cheerios to sport
events and FFA ag trips
when I was in school.
For bonus nutrients and
protein, you can ad in
some nuts to the mix.
Get creative! Raisins
and banana chips are
also great additions. It
is a reasonably-priced
homemade trail mix
of sorts. Something all
families could do with
minimal preparation
effort.
21. Ingredients:
• 2 large red tomatoes, diced
• 2 large yellow tomatoes, diced
• 2 ears corn, grilled, kernels removed from
cob
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 jalapenos, roasted, peeled and minced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
or 3-4 scallions, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 teaspoons harissa
or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin and 2 teaspoons
paprika
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice or lime juice
To roast jalapenos:
Either roast over an open flame if you have a
gas stove, or place in an oven at 375 degrees
for approximately 25-30 minutes, rotating to
char the pepper evenly.
Directions:
Toss all ingredients to combine and allow salsa
to marinate for at least one hour before serving.
- Yields Approximately 8 Servings -
GRILLED CORN &
BLACK BEAN SALSA
Chef Monika of Chestnut Street Inn
Sheffield, Ill.
Family Connections 21
Here are a few recipes to try with your little ones.
‘‘ Have fun and bon appétit!”’
WHAT IS IN THIS RECIPE?
Nutrition Facts:
*Based on a 2,000 calories-a-day diet.
Total Calories (per 1 serving, about 3/4 cup)-
54 calories (3 percent limit)
Protein - 2g (5 percent target)
Carbohydrates - 12g (9 percent target)
Dietary Fiber - 2g (9 percent target)
Total Sugars - 5g
Total Fat - 1g
Saturated Far - 0g
Cholesterol - 0g
Minerals:
Calcium - 22mg (2 percent target)
Potassium - 320mg (7 percent target)
Sodium - 156mg (7 percent limit)
Iron - 1mg (5 percent target)
Magnesium - 21mg (7 percent target)
Vitamins:
Vitamin A- 57mg RAE (8 percent target)
Vitamin B6 - 0.2mg (13 percent target)
Vitamin C - 32mg (43 percent target)
Vitamin K- 11mg (13 percent target)
Vitamin E - 1mg AT (5 percent target)
Folate - 2 1mg DFE (5 percent target)
WHAT IS IN THIS RECIPE?
Nutrition Facts:
*Based on a 2,000 calories-a-day diet.
Total Calories (per 1 zucchini half serving):
170 calories (8 percent limit)
Protein - 6g (13 percent target)
Carbohydrate - 17 g (13 percent target)
Dietary Fiber - 4g (17 percent target)
Total Sugars - 1 0g
Total Fat - 1 0g
Saturated Fat - 4g (17 percent limit)
a-Linoleic Acid - 0.3g (23 percent target)
Cholesterol - 17mg (6 percent limit)
Minerals:
Calcium - 183mg (18 percent target)
Potassium - 614mg (13 percent target)
Sodium - 627mg (27 percent limit)
Copper - 294mg (33 percent target)
Iron - 2mg ( 11 percent target)
Magnesium - 66mg (21 percent target)
Zinc - 2mg (19 percent target)
Vitamins:
Vitamin A - 67mg RAE (10 percent target)
Vitamin B6 - 0.3mg (26 percent target)
Vitamin B 12 - 0.3mg (14 percent target)
Vitamin C - 23mg (30 percent target)
Vitamin K - 56mg (62 percent target)
Folate - 61mg DFE (15 percent target)
Riboflavin - 0.3mg (27 percent target)
Ingredients:
• 6 medium zucchini, cut in half
lengthwise, seeds scooped out with
a melon baller
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground
pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive
oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
(Kirchen Basics or Progresso)
• 8 oz feta, crumbled
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until they begin
to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomatoes, salt,
pepper, cumin, paprika, parsley and cilantro. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until almost all the
liquid has evaporated and the flavors are concentrated. Season to taste and cool. Place zucchini halves
on a shallow baking dish and season with salt, sugar and a drizzle of olive oil. Distribute filling among
zucchini halves. Top with feta. Add chicken broth to the baking sheet and place in a 350-degree oven for
approximately 25-30 minutes or until zucchinis are tender and cooked through. Remove from oven and
allow to sit for approximately 10 minutes before serving.
- Yields Approximately 12 Servings -
STUFFED ZUCCHINI
Recipe by:
Chef Monika of Chestnut Street Inn
Sheffield, Ill.
Chef Monika Sudakov
22. 22 Family Connections
photo by Dylan Carlson
Whatareyourfavoritethingstodo
inthefallwithyourfamily?
We polled Bureau and Putnam County residents
through our Bureau and Putnam County Health
Department Facebook page, and this is what you said:
• Checking out all the local craft shows.
• Spoon River Drive.
• Hikes in the woods. You get to really enjoy the
beautiful weather. Smell the air.
• Going on family bike rides.
• Going to local football games.
• Having bonfires where we invite over friends
and family for hot dogs and s’mores, sitting by
the fire outside with friends!
• Renting scary movies and cuddling up on couch.
• Sunday movie day as the weather gets colder.
We pick movies we all enjoy and have a
homemade family dinner.
• Parties for the Bears’ games on TV.
• Enjoying a big Sunday dinner while watching
NFL football.
• Haunted houses.
• Eating the pies my mom makes for family
gatherings.
• Deer hunting.
• Going to Tanner’s Orchard to enjoy corn mazes,
apple cider, apple cider doughnuts, and carving
pumpkins, especially taking young children
because they get so excited.
• Celebrating Thanksgiving with turkey and all the
fixings!
• Going to a pumpkin patch! Pumpkin picking and
carving.
• Cooking with apples and end of garden veggies.
• Stopping at family-owned cafes.
• Buying back-to-school stuff.
• Raking leaves and playing in them.
• Dressing up for Halloween.
• Taking drives to see the leaves.
23. Family Connections 23
WARNING
SIGNSOF SOMEONE WHO MAY BE AT RISK OF SUICIDE
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SAVE A LIFE
� Abrupt change in personality
� Giving away prized possessions
� Previous suicide attempts
� Increase in drug or alcohol use
� Flat affect or depressed mood
� Inability to tolerate frustration
� Withdrawal and rebelliousness
� Difficulty concentrating
� Increase in hostility
� Decline in personal hygiene
� Sleep disturbance, either too much or too little
� Overall sense of sadness and hopelessness
� Eating disturbance, either weight gain or loss
� Unusually long grief reaction (varies with different youth)
� Overall sense of sadness and hopelessness
� Isolating and choosing to spend time alone
� Recent family or relational disruption
� If you see the signs, ask the person, “Are you suicidal?”
� Offer hope, don’t leave them alone, and tell others
� Take the person to the nearest ER, call the police,
take them to a health care professional or
� Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at
1-800-273-TALK (8255) B E H A V I O R A L H E A L T H S Y S -
24. 24 Family Connections
Call 815 -872-5091 or
Visit www.cpasa.org
for more information
Participating Disposal Sites:
Bureau County Sheriff’s
Office & Jail, Princeton
Ladd Police Department
Princeton Police Department
Putnam County Sheriff’s
Office, Hennepin
Spring Valley Police Department
Walnut Police Department
Participating Pharmacies:
Axline Pharmacy
Johnson’s Pharmacy, Spring Valley
Princeton Pharmacy
Sponsoring Hospitals:
Perry Memorial Hospital, Princeton
St. Margaret’s Hospital, Spring Valley
If ThisWereYour Child’s Room
Call 815-872-5091 or
visit www.cpasa.org
for information on a
program near you.
Would You Be Able to Recognize Signs of
Substance Abuse or Depression?
“Hidden In
Plain Sight”
Participating Disposal Sites
Bureau County Sheriff’s Office & Jail
Ladd Police Department
Princeton Police Department
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
SpringValley Police Department
Walnut Police Department
Participating Pharmacies:
Axline Pharmacy,Granville
Johnson’s Pharmacy,SpringValley
Princeton Pharmacy
Fawcett’s Pharmacy,Princeton
Sponsoring Hospitals:
Perry Memorial Hospital,Princeton
St.Margaret’s Hospital,SpringValley
25. Family Connections 25
Fu n Fac ts:
Do you or your child know any fun facts?
Submit them and their source to us at fc@bchealthdepartment.org
for a chance to be published in our next issue!
Be sure to include the name of the school you attend.
The average cherry tree produces enough
fruit every year to fill 28 pies
Ye Old Weird but true
Tsar Peter the Great of Russia put a
special tax on men who grew beards
Ye Old Weird but true
You could cook a
large pizza on the
surface of
Venus in nine
seconds
National Geographic Kids
Weird but true! 5
There’s a 90 percent
chance your parents
will steal some of your
Halloween candy
National Geographic Kids Weird but true! 5
You are rarely more than
6 ft. from a spider
Weird but true 4
Transformer Optimus Prime has the same voice
as Eeyore, The Predator, King Kong,
The Gremlins and Mario. Actor Peter Cullen
played each of these characters.
http://www.dailymotion.com
SUBMITTED BY DANA RAWLINGS - PHS
26. 26 Family Connections
Protect the Ones You Love
$12 Vaccines for Children
without insurance or without vaccine coverage.
Most insurances also accepted.
Bureau & Putnam County Health Department
Call us today to schedule your child’s
immunizations 815-872-5091
Call 815 -872-5091
or visit www.cpasa.org
for information on how to
safely dispose of prescription drugs
Up In Smoke!
CPASA Prescription Drug Incinerator
Photo Courtesy of BCR
Thank You to Everyone
in the Community
Who Helped Make
This Happen!
“Together We
Make a Difference!”
27. Family Connections 27
“BP Power is a youth club that exists to
raise awareness of drug and alcohol abuse
led by anti-substance abuse teen
advocates and leaders in partnership with
CPASA for fellow teens in Bureau and
Putnam County”
To get involved please call
815-872-5091
8-hr Food Service Sanitation Mgr Class
October 7th, 2015
November 4th, 2015
1-hr Food Handler Training Monthly
Bureau & Putnam
County Health
Department
Food Classes
Call us today for more
information! 815-872-5091
Thank You For the Overwhelming
Community Support!
“Together We Make a Difference!”
Check Our Website For Updates on
Next Year’s Event!
www.cpasa.org
28. Local and National Help Lines
A resource guide published for the communities of Bureau and Putnam County
Remember: There Is Always Someone Who Cares!!!
For Emergencies call: 911
Bureau and Putnam Crime Stoppers
1-800-939-6929
IL Valley Crime Stoppers
1-800-340-4045
National Poison
Control Hotline
1-800-222-1222
Princeton Police
(815) 872-2351
Spring Valley Police
(815) 663-2351
Local Health Departments
Bureau County Health Dept.
1-815-872-5091
Putnam County Health Dept.
1-815-925-7326
Local Hospitals
Perry Memorial Hospital
1-815-875-2811
St. Margaret’s Hospital
1-815-664-5311
Crime Stoppers and Poison Control
Local Police Departments
