Spring Break--Make Good Choices

With Spring Break beginning today I'd like to share an important message in the hope that each and every Vianney Griffin returns safely from break.

The majority of our students make wise decisions throughout the school year and will continue to make positive decisions during Spring Break.

However, many teenagers place themselves in harm's way by not realizing the dangers associated with poor decisions they make on unsupervised Spring Break trips or while staying home unsupervised.

While spring break is often portrayed as a rite of passage for thousands of students– often a week of non-stop fun, socializing, and going to different events–things can quickly turn for the worse.

According to travel industry experts, an estimated one in seven young people (15%) on Spring Break party destinations are high school students. During a 17-day stretch in March 2013, Panama City, FL police arrested 1,000 teens for underage drinking. Furthermore, the U.S. State Department estimates that 100,000 teens go to Mexico for Spring Break each year. Alcohol consumption, binge drinking, drug experimentation, and other risky behavior that often accompany these behaviors truly put our teens at risk.
It's also important to understand that, whether or not young people are traveling, teens often start using marijuana and alcohol for the first time between the spring and summer months.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) urges parents of high school students to know the risks associated with this time of year. ONDCP Director Michael Botticelli and his staff, as well as Drug Free Community coalitions, warn, "We don't want parents to be naive about what happens when teenagers are away for Spring Break or home and unsupervised. Pressure can be immense to share exciting and funny stories when kids return to school."

Please have important conversations with your young men about making good choices. Let them know exactly where you stand on underage drinking, drug use, and their safety and well-being. We care about each and every Vianney Griffin and thank you for entrusting them to our care.
We look forward to seeing each student return safely on Tuesday, March 29th.

My prayer is that you each have a rejuvenating and relaxing spring break and Blessed Easter!