Risky Teen Behavior

Recent Posts

Battling E-cigarettes and Empowering Teens, Communities 4 Action Soars

E-cigarettes, which indeed contain nicotine, are glamorized to target teen consumers, according to Communities 4 Action (C4A) Executive Director Ingrid Gillespie and Chairman Stephanie Paulmeno. The two spoke at length about C4A’s capacity and collaboration building, teen empowerment engagements, and educational prevention initiatives. Continue Reading →

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Porn, Sexting, Violence: Greenwich Police Det. Christy Girard Talks Cybercrime

“If you have a phone and a tea party, you won’t have a problem, but if you have a phone and alcohol, you’ll have lots of problems. With technology, teens also have easier ways to connect not only to drug dealers, but also to pornography that can be very violent and doesn’t teach kids what love really is or what relationships really are,” said Greenwich Police Detective Christy Girard. Continue Reading →

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Runaway Teens At Large: Interview with Greenwich Commissioner Alan Barry

“Running away is faulty problem solving. When teenagers make a mistake, they should face up to it rather than run. They have to develop more constructive problem solving and coping skills, and it’s on the parents to work with teens, to let them know it’s okay to make a mistake as long as they own up to it,” said Alan Barry, Ph.D., Commissioner for the Greenwich Department of Social Services. Continue Reading →

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Kids in Crisis: If Drinking is a Rite of Passage, Conversation Should Be Too

“People think it’s just a rite of passage that all kids are going to drink and experiment, and that may be so, but the risk isn’t taken out of it. I think that having conversations with your kid and at school on a regular basis about the dangers and pitfalls of risky behavior is important. We do a lot of talking on our 24-hour hotline, with families we meet with, and in the schools we have TeenTalk in,” said Denise Qualey, the Managing Director of Crisis and Clinical Services at Kids in Crisis. Continue Reading →

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Drunk Driving Endangers One in Five Teens: Interview with GHS’s Peter Negrea

“I’ve seen drug deals in school. When you go into the bathroom during or in-between classes, you’ll see kids smoking weed or electronic cigarettes, which the fire alarms can’t detect… drug use is so prevalent and nobody is stopping the clear issue. And this is a teen saying this. I’m saying, ‘Great, we understand there’s a problem. Now what are going to do about it?’” said Peter Negrea (GHS ’16), the founder of the Greenwich Safe Rides Board and Executive Secretary of the Greenwich First Selectman’s Youth Commission. Continue Reading →

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Juvenile Review Board: A Chance for Underage Greenwich Offenders to Avoid a Criminal Record

“A Juvenile Review Board (JRB) is perceived, in some circumstances, as punitive. We look at it from the perch of restorative justice because the JRB is really service-based. We put services in place to help better position a child to make better choices in the future… I care passionately about young people having what they need to be successful,” said Jenny Byxbee, the co-Chair and co-Founder of the Greenwich Juvenile Review Board. Continue Reading →

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When a Lost Wallet Leads to Felony Arrest: Interview with Greenwich Police Sgt. Zuccerella

A fake ID is not a benign rite of passage. In fact, it is a Class D Felony to be caught with a fake. Though there aren’t too many instances of Greenwich teens getting caught with fakes, it does happen. According to Greenwich Police Sergeant Mark Zuccerella, a more common risky teen behavior is underage drinking. Continue Reading →

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Courage To Speak’s Drug Prevention Night Moves Audience To Tears

“I wish I could turn back the clock and bring Ian back to you and your family, but unfortunately I cannot do that,” said Demetri Dassouras of Nathan Hale Middle School in a letter to Ginger Katz that he shared with the audience. “What I can do is promise to encourage my friends and classmates to speak up if they know anyone who is using drugs… I am sure Ian can rest peacefully knowing that this mom and dad are doing everything they can to help other families have the courage to recognize and prevent this tragedy.” Continue Reading →

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