Putnam Adolescent Response Team for Youth

P.A.R.T.Y. (Putnam Adolescent Response Team for Youth)

Putnam Adolescent Response Team for Youth or P.A.R.T.Y. is a youth led group whose mission is to use positive peer pressure to prevent underage use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. P.A.R.T.Y combines service oriented activities with fun alternatives to drinking and drug use in an attempt to create an environment where P.A.R.T.Y. members can act as role models for their peers. Meeting weekly and having over 30 active members, P.A.R.T.Y. is composed of high school students from different schools in the county, and works to empower youth, create alternative activities, educate and create public awareness, and create a network for making positive choices.

Admission Criteria:

P.A.R.T.Y. is an open group in which all high school students are invited to attend. It is asked that those participating in weekly meetings commit to an alcohol and drug free lifestyle.

Program Objective:

• Increase resistance skills to high school youth who are currently not using.

• Provide training and education to those youth so they might apply and disseminate that information to others.

• Increase number of alternative activities for youth.

• Increase the utility of identified protective factors within the community.

Programs Include:

• JEDI- an overnight, leadership conference for 6th-8th grade students

• Jumping Into JEDI- leadership day for 5th-6th grade students.

• Red Ribbon campaigns and alternative activities

• Self-Esteem Day Workshops for elementary students

• Ohio Teen Institute

• School based prevention programming

• Seat belt safety

• Community Awareness- billboards, campaigns, etc. on a variety of topics and target audiences. Suicide prevention, peer pressure, drinking and driving, prom and graduation safety, etc.