In the coming months there will be many reasons to celebrate – Spring Break, Prom, Graduation, and Summer Break. Although results from the Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth (MiPHY) show that the majority of teens in Charlevoix and Emmet counties do not drink, celebrations can provide temptations that could produce tragic results. Therefore, during this celebratory time, we are asking your help in preventing teenage drinking and use of other substances. SAFE (Substance Abuse Free Environment) in Northern Michigan is a community coalition that exists to promote community awareness of youth substance abuse and participation in prevention in Charlevoix and Emmet Counties. SAFE’s steering committee has put together resources for schools to share with parents and students through existing communications. For example, schools that use PowerSchool may want to use that outlet to provide information for parents to encourage a safe spring break. Other schools mail out a newsletter and could include tips for a safe teen party. Schools that utilize Facebook could post a photo with a catchy comment about being safe at prom. We encourage you to use this toolkit to communicate with students and parents and to encourage SAFE celebrations this school year. Thank you for your participation! SAFE Steering Committee Members

How to Use the Celebration Toolkit Each of the images in the toolkit is available to you in the.jpg format. Simply right click on the image you’d like to use and select ‘Save as Picture’. Save the picture onto your computer. When posting on Facebook, for example, you can select that photo from the folder on your computer. Similarly, you can insert the image into a newsletter or onto your school’s website. Thank you for using the SAFE Celebration Toolkit to share messages that encourage students and their families to celebrate safely.

Summer messages Spring Break messages Prom messages Graduation messages Celebrations Calendar This toolkit provides schools with samples to share targeted messages with parents and students in the weeks preceding special events like spring break and prom.

Spring Break Messages Use this information from March 16 – March 27

Prom Messages Use this information from April 20 – May 1

Graduation Messages Use this information from May 18 – May 29

Summer Break Messages Use this information beginning in June

SAFE Guide to Teen Parties

Thank you again for using the Celebration Season Toolkit to share SAFE messages with your students and their families! In addition to this electronic resource, SAFE is in schools across Charlevoix and Emmet counties. Students on the SAFE Youth committee are leading projects to encourage their peers to be substance abuse free. For example: Homecoming Project: includes retailer education, consequence information, and a prevention message early in the school year. Napkin Project: provides schools with napkins showing a substance abuse free message to be used as needed at sports events or school- sponsored activities. Holiday Project: reaches students with a positive message on ink pens. St. Patty’s Project: reaches students with a positive message on chocolate gold coins. Varsity Poster Project: promotes local students as substance abuse free role models with framed photos posted in the student’s schools. Kick Butts Project: uses stickers and a peer-to-peer video message to encourage students to be tobacco-free. Stalls Project: reinforces SAFE messages through framed posters in school bathrooms. Brown Out Project: provides t-shirts at select school basketball games to remind students to stay tobacco-free. Prom Project: includes retailer education and a positive prevention message around school prom dates. Awareness Nights: SAFE has a presence at many schools for parent teacher conferences, providing information to encourage substance abuse free students. If you have any questions or would like to get involved with the SAFE Steering Committee, please feel free to contact Susan Pulaski (Youth Advisor) at (231) Thank you again for using the Celebration Season Toolkit to share SAFE messages with your students and their families! SAFE Steering Committee Members