Oregon Trail Community Foundation

MONUMENTAL IMPACT - MONUMENT PREVENTION COALITION (MPC) IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE PANHANDLE OF NEBRASKA ACTIVELY WORKING TO LEAVE THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE THAN IT WAS YESTERDAY. ONE THING ABOUT RURAL NEBRASKA, LIFE SURROUNDS AGRICULTURE AND YOUTH. FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAMES ARE OFTEN THE SOCIAL EVENT OF THE WEEK. THIS CULTURE CREATES A TIGHT KNOT COMMUNITY, BUT IT ALSO CREATES AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF STRESS ON YOUTH TO PERFORM. TODAY’S YOUTH HAVE AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF STRESS TO PERFORM ACADEMICALLY, ATHLETICALLY, AND SOCIALLY. IN SMALL TOWNS, EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR BUSINESS AND THE INTERCEPTION YOU THREW TO LOSE THE BIG GAME MAKES FRONT PAGE NEWS. THE WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLACES STRESS ON YOUTH THAT THE OLDER GENERATION CANNOT RELATE TO. ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND OTHER DRUGS CAN BE AN EASY WAY TO COPE WITH LIFE’S STRESSES; HOWEVER, MONUMENT PREVENTION COALITION IS DEDICATED TO TEACHING THE YOUTH IN SCOTTS BLUFF COUNTY, NEBRASKA HEALTHY WAYS TO COPE AND THE HARMS OF SUBSTANCE MISUSE. THE GOALS OF THE COALITION ARE TO ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY COLLABORATION BY INCREASING COALITION MEMBERS SHIP, INCREASING YOUTH COMMITTED GROUP MEMBERSHIP, AND INCREASING FINANCIAL RESOURCES OF THE COALITION. THE SECOND GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO REDUCE YOUTH MARIJUANA AND ALCOHOL USE BY DECREASING THE PERCEPTION OF 30-DAY YOUTH ALCOHOL/MARIJUANA USE, DECREASING ACTUAL 30-DAY ALCOHOL/MARIJUANA. THE COALITION WILL ACHIEVE ITS GOALS BY IMPLEMENTING THESE STRATEGIES: PROVIDING TWO COUNTY-WIDE YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMITS, PROVIDING ONE PREVENTION TRAINING TO AREA COACHES AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, SCHOOL POLICY REVIEW, YOUTH ORGANIZED DRUG AND ALCOHOL-FREE EVENTS, MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, SUPPORTING YOUTH COMMITTED GROUPS IN EACH SCHOOL, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A COMMITTED GROUP, PROVIDING SCHOOL SIGNAGE TO DISCOURAGE SUBSTANCE USE, PROVIDING COALITION MEMBERS EDUCATION ON SUBSTANCE MISUSE, AND SENDING TWO PAID STAFF TO THE NATIONAL COALITION ACADEMY. THE COALITION WILL BE USING EVIDENCE-BASED EDUCATION TO INCREASE YOUTH, COACHES, AND THE COMMUNITY’S UNDERSTANDING OF HOW ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA NEGATIVELY IMPACT ONE’S BRAIN AND BODY. THE COALITION WILL TEACH YOUTH THE PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPACT ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND OTHER DRUGS HAVE ON AN ATHLETE’S MENTAL CAPACITY, REACTION TIMES, RECOVERY, AND TRAINING. THE COMMITTED YOUTH GROUPS WILL ADVOCATE IN THEIR SCHOOL TO TEACH THEIR PEERS ABOUT THE VALUE OF MAKING HEALTHY DECISIONS AND WORKING TO CREATE A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE IN THEIR SCHOOLS. IT IS MONUMENT PREVENTION’S GOAL TO INCREASE YOUTH’S UNDERSTANDING AND CAPACITY TO MAKE HEALTHY DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR TEAM, SCHOOL, FAMILY, COMMUNITY, STATE, AND COUNTRY. MONUMENT PREVENTION THANKS THE CENTER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL AND THE DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM FOR ITS CONSIDERATION OF THIS APPLICATION AND POTENTIAL FUTURE PARTNERSHIP IN COMBATTING SUBSTANCE MISUSE IN SCOTTS BLUFF COUNTY, NEBRASKA. MPC WOULD LOVE TO PARTNER WITH DFC TO MAKE A MONUMENTAL IMPACT. BEST WISHES FROM THE HEARTLAND, MONUMENT PREVENTION COALITION AND OREGON TRAIL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION