Stand Up! Change Teen Statistics in Putnam County on Aug. 26

Monday, August 19, 2013
Freshmen and sophomores from five area high schools will spend the morning of Monday, Aug. 26 taking part in the "Stand Up! Change Teen Statistics" prevention theatre program thanks to the support of educators and sponsors such as (from left) Greencastle High School principal Russ Hesler, PCYDC board member Samantha Richardson, Justin Long of Greencastle Kiwanis, South Putnam High School counselor Brian Gardner, CASA director Patti Harmless, Cloverdale High School principal Sonny Stoltz, PCYDC board member Lora Busch, North Putnam High School principal Alan Zerkel, PCYDC board member Dominique Gibson, PCYDC director Linda Merkel, Eminence High School principal Jeff Gibboney and Matt Welker of Allstate Insurance.

The R.Ed.I. Arts and Education Foundation's powerful prevention theater program STAND UP! Change Teen Statistics has two performances set at Parker Auditorium at Greencastle High School for Monday, Aug. 26.

Stand up! Change Teen Statistics is a 50-minute live prevention theatre show based on interviews with over 90 teens. STAND UP! is powerful; delivering shocking statistics and information.

The show engages the audience, raises awareness, encourages healthy resolutions and actions, and provides resources for help. The show targets the issues on a peer-to-peer level, in frank and clear "teen" language and in a format that young audiences can relate to, be inspired by and understand.

Freshmen and sophomores from Cloverdale, Greencastle, North Putnam, South Putnam and Eminence are taking part in the presentation.

The shows are presented locally by the Putnam County Youth Development Commission, along with sponsors United Way of Putnam County, The Inn at DePauw, DePauw Printing Services, Monical's Pizza, the Allstate Foundation, the Greencastle Kiwanis Club, along with the five participating high schools.

The mission of the prevention theater program is to provide information, hope and help for the nation's kids by effectively changing attitudes and behaviors regarding drug, alcohol and physical abuse, depression, suicide, bullying, cyber-bullying, sexting, texting and driving, self-mutilation, physical violence, body image, prejudice, hate crimes, peer pressure and teen pregnancy.

These issues are addressed through R.Ed.I.'s prevention theater program titled STAND UP! Change Teen Statistics, a powerful show written by kids for kids.

In addition to the show, Coordinating Teacher/Faculty Study Guides (also appropriate for parents) and student programs are handed out at each performance. The student program provides additional information on show subject matter and resources for getting help.

"The impact of this show is tremendous," said Kimberly Farah, Executive Director of R.Ed.I. Arts & Education Foundation. "Every single student who sees this will relate to it on some level, or know someone who does. The show inspires these kids to Stand Up and Change. Just visit our Facebook page after a performance and you'll see the impact that this show has on these teenagers. It's incredible. We want them to know that they are not alone, that there is hope and help."

The Statistics

* 160,000 kids skip school every day due to bullying

* 1 out of 4 teens will contract a sexually transmitted disease

* 2 out of 5 teen girls will become pregnant

* 1 out of 2 teens have tried an illegal drug

* 143,000 cases of reported self mutilation

* Suicide is the third leading cause of teen death

* 1 out of 4 teenage girls have used unhealthy means of weight control

* 2 out of 5 teens know someone that has been beaten or hit by their boyfriend

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