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Strong Girls
By Catherine O'Neill Grace Last week, Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced a national public health program called Girl Power! It is designed to help girls stay away from alcohol, illegal drugs and tobacco. The campaign's theme is, "We've got the power to be drug free!" Girls have power in numbers, the campaign reports. There are more than 11 million aged 9 to 13 in the United States right now. And girls that age face a tricky transition. Research shows that during the difficult, sometimes stormy, passage from childhood to early adolescence, girls can be especially vulnerable to risky behaviors, including trying out alcohol, tobacco and drugs. Here are some facts about girls from the national Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP):
The Girl Power! campaign also reports that girls are seven times more likely to be depressed and twice as likely to try suicide as boys are. They're three times more likely to have a negative body image (to think they are ugly or fat, which puts them at risk for eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa). And the incidence of HIV/AIDS is increasing more rapidly among females than it is among males. Those are depressing statistics. But there's lots of good news about girls too. For example, 60 percent of female high school graduates go on to college. In the future, those educated females will make up half of our work force, and many will become leaders -- perhaps president. Girls who are interested and active in academics, the arts and sports become competent, confident adolescents who are less likely to use drugs, experts say. Girls who can say, "I feel good about myself. I can make the most of me," are also able to say, "I have better things to do than drugs." Prevention experts also report that girls who develop the ability to interact with others and form strong, close relationships can decrease their risk of substance abuse. Teens say that peer pressure is the thing they most dislike about being a teenager. But having good friendships can help girls develop the confidence to resist the pressure to do things just because other kids say they're cool. The Girl Power! campaign, which gets underway this week, will include advertisements in newspapers and magazines, bo6klets, mall displays, school programs and more. Many organizations across the country are joining the federal government to help get the message out that girls have the power to be drug-free. These groups include Girl Scouts of the USA, the National 4-H Council, the National Association of School Nurses, the YWCA and others. Are you involved in a program that will help you grow up competent, confident and drug-free? Tips for Parents To find out more about the national Center for Substance Abuse Prevention's public education campaign and how you can get involved, write to Girl Power! 11426 Rockville Pike, Suite 100, Rockville, Md., 20852-3007; or call 800-729-6686; or e-mail the program at gpower@shs.net. Ask about the CSAP and National Parent-Teacher Association's joint publication, "Keeping Youth Drug-Free: A Guide for Parents, Grandparents, Elders, Mentors and Other Caregivers," which provides practical tips for helping young people resist substance abuse. CSAP also provides substance abuse treatment referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 800-662-4357 (800-662-HELP). For You to Do The Girl Power! campaign has produced a diary that is illustrated with quotes and drawings by girls aged 9 to 13. Here are some samples of what the girls have to say: "My body is changing into a teenager. It's amazing all that is happening to me." --Justice, 11, West Virginia. "The things that I do best are giving advice to my friends, basketball, track and kickball. I would like to learn more about dealing with people and about coping with stress." --Nesha, 13, Arkansas. "Always be yourself. You can be fiends with anyone and do anything you want by being yourself. And if you're not, it's just like cheating." -- R. S.K., 11, Maryland. "Turning down drugs takes courage and makes me feel proud, independent and good inside. I didn't get pressured into doing something I didn't want to do and that gives me self-esteem and a sense of control in life, and to be a leader and not a follower." --Lindsey, 11, Michigan. Keeping a diary is a great way to put your day into perspective and make a permanent record of the interesting things that happen to you. Special thanks to Catherine O'Neill Grace for granting permission to reprint this article. Check out these other articles about Girl Power! that were written by Catherine O'Neill Grace. |
