SHS Students Serve During Spring Break Weekend

On Saturday, March 15th and Sunday, March 16th, students from Sitka High School joined Amy from SAIL and Matt from Community Schools to start their Spring Break by giving back to the community.  They volunteered to give their weekend to helping locals senior citizens at their homes.  The jobs varied greatly from cleaning up yards to cleaning shelves to reorganizing computer desks.  All the students had a great time helping out local seniors who were thrilled to have such young and energetic volunteers to help with their house and yard work. 
 

 

Saturday started off with a quick breakfast at the SAIL office.  Then it was straight to work doing some yard work.  The weather was great and work went quickly.  While half the group raked and cleaned a yard, the other half went to another house to help clean up inside.  Everyone worked until lunch.  With food in their stomachs, the volunteers had renewed energy, which they needed because the day ended with some hard yard work.   Students cleaned up two yards, removing leaves, sticks, dead grass, and even a couple of old tree stumps. They also took on the task of moving some heavy rocks and rotting logs.

Sunday started much like Saturday only colder and rainier.  The volunteers did their best to clean up the yards and clean the window they were suppose to. The bad weather didn't damper any spirits though.  The day ended with indoor jobs which everyone was thankful for as they were all wet and cold at this point.  The weekend ended with a big thank you dinner at Amy's and Matt.  There was great food and great spirits.

Throughout the whole weekend the students laughed and joked.  They worked hard and got to help some local seniors in need.  Apart for getting a chance to help, they also had time to sit and chat with those seniors.  Many stories and snacks were shared.  The seniors were very thankful.  Amy and Matt would also like to thank some people.  First to all the students involved: Shannon Agne, Acacia Anglin  Richard Bordeaux, III, Kelsie Clarke, Cooper Gale, Maggie Garrison, Kaitlyn Mosher, Paula Prince, Allison Ramp, Holly Reeder, Maia Snelson, and Henry Swan.  Amy and Matt were also joined by Megan Weiss of YAS.  This weekend also wouldn't have happen without the local businesses who provided food and other services, so thank you to Galley Deli, Sea Mart, Lakeside, Subway, Pizza Express, Braveheart Volunteers, and the Swan Lake Senior Center. 

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Community Bike Ride

Do you have a recumbant, unicycle, tricycle or tandem gathering dust in your garage? How about a mountain bike, road bike, BMX or cruiser? If so, bring them along to the Sitka Community Bike Ride on Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Crescent Harbor covered area.

All cyclists are invited to be a part of the largest per capita community bike ride in the history of Southeast Alaska. Events run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the community bike ride and parade starting at 11:30 a.m. Certified protective helmets are required to participate in the ride. This event is sponsored by Sitka’s Bicycle Friendly Community project, SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) Health Promotion department, SEARHC Steps to a Healthier SE Alaska program and the Sitka Conservation Society.

One of the major goals of the Sitka Community Bike Ride is to encourage cycling in Sitka and to teach people about the health and environmental benefits of riding a bike around town. Cycling gets you outside, makes you feel better, and gives you a way to spend time with your family and friends. It also is an inexpensive means of transportation that doesn’t pollute or use fossil fuels.

“Increased bike riding will help us reach our goal of creating a carbon-neutral Sitka,” said Natalie Sattler, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Sitka Conservation Society. “Participating in events like this helps us realize the SCS vision, which is improving Sitka’s quality of life.”

Among the festivities are bike safety checks, two short bike maintenance clinics (one at 9:45 a.m., the other at 10:15 a.m.), a slowest bike contest at 10:30 a.m., a bike helmet demonstration (using a watermelon) at 11 a.m. with watermelon eating at 11:01 a.m. The community bike ride and parade starts at 11:30 a.m., followed at 12:30 p.m. by door prizes, a rally and group rides for mountain bikes, road bikes, families and commuters. Loaner bikes and helmets are available from Sitka Bike and Hike. Fill out the safety quiz before the ride for a chance to win door prizes.

“It was really inspiring to see how the Sitka Bike Friendly Coalition raised $250 in less than three minutes to buy a great bicycle for a grand prize,” SEARHC Health Educator Doug Osborne said. “This has all the makings of a fun and memorable event.”

For more information, contact Matthew Turner of Sitka Advancing Our Community at 747-3665, Doug Osborne at 966-8734 or Natalie Sattler at 747-7509. Also, information about Sitka’s Bicycle Friendly Community project can be found online at http://www.sitkaaoc.org (click on the bike logo for info, and click on the online forum logo to access the online forum where residents can participate in the project).

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The Town Meeting Project

A diverse group of students served as a youth panel for the town meeting, at Centennial Hall on February 12. The meeting was recorded and broadcast on Northstar, KSCW TV. The meeting was facilitated by Donna Rae Faulkner. In addition to the panel, there were 75 people in attendance.
The youth panel reflected on findings from a student-developed survey on perceptions of risky behaviors and community support for teens to make good decisions. The panel took questions and comments from the community and then shared their recommendations on how to more effectively support Sitka teens in making healthy choices.
Organizations, providers and individuals had opportunities to post “Call for Action” requests that answer either of these questions:

What can somebody (or a group) from Sitka do with my organization/program right now to make a difference for youth?
What would I like to see anyone do in their home or neighborhood to make a positive difference for youth?

Introduction

This project launched a community dialogue regarding two key factors that affect drug and alcohol use prevention efforts among youth: youth's perception of risk to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use, and youth's perception of parent and community approval/disapproval to youth using ATOD. High School students worked with the school administration and community providers to create the final survey about these perception questions that was administered to a sample of middle school and high school students.

A facilitated dialogue with a youth panel gave the community a chance to hear the results of the survey, and learn from teens themselves about how students decide what behaviors are risky, and how peers, parents, and the community affect their choices. The meeting served as an opportunity for the community to get involved and make an even more effective difference in the lives of Sitka’s teens.

Perception Survey

Matthew Turner worked with Dan Langbauer’s high school statistics class on this phase of the project. The Safe and Drug Free Grant for the Sitka School District requires an annual survey of a sampling of middle school and high school students on two for the measure of student's perception: of the risk of ATOD use, and of  parental and community approval/disapproval of ATOD use. The class developed a survey the method for gathering the sample of the student population for the survey. Joe Little, a math professor at UAS also reviewed the survey and made suggestions. 
The survey was administered to a random sample of students in grades 8,  and 10, and 12 from Blatchley Middle School, Sitka High School and Pacific High School. The surveys were anonymous. The statistics class analyzed the data and prepared a report before the town meeting.

download a copy of the survey

Focus Groups

Focus groups give insights into not just what participants think, but also why they think it. A diverse sample of students who took the survey met in small groups with Donna Rae Faulkner, M. Ed., and their Sitka school counselors. They discussed the Perception Survey data and findings, and responded to questions about risk consequences and choices, what influences student choices, messages students get from the community about risks and choices. They provided recommendations on how the community – peers, parents, and providers – can support teens in making healthy choices.

Town Meeting

A select group of students from the focus groups served as a youth panel for the town meeting, at Centennial Hall on February 12. The meeting was recorded and broadcast on Northstar, KSCW TV. The meeting was facilitated by Donna Rae Faulkner. In addition to the panel, there were 75 people in attendance.
Students from the SHS statistics class briefly presented findings from the survey. The youth panel reflected on those findings and the discussions from the focus groups. The panel took questions and comments from the community and then shared their recommendations on how to more effectively support Sitka teens in making healthy choices.
Organizations, providers and individuals had opportunities to post “Call for Action” requests that answer either of these questions:
What can somebody (or a group) from Sitka do with my organization/program right now to make a difference for youth?

What would I like to see anyone do in their home or neighborhood to make a positive difference for youth?

see the "Call to Action" requests

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Advancing our Community, or AOC, is a group of community members who are committed to Sitka’s wellbeing. Many of the members of AOC come from agencies or organizations that work directly with youth, families, and individuals. AOC is organized around the principals of collaboration and consensus. Our meetings are fun, and structured, yet informal. The general membership meets once a month to share what is happening within their organization, agency, or individual efforts. This is a time to celebrate and support the positive work that is going on here in Sitka every day. It is also a time to identify emerging issues that may need action. There are reports from committees that are focused on a specific issue or action, and sometimes a presentation. You are welcome to attend a meeting – they only last an hour. The schedule is on our main page.

AOC uses a committee structure to focus on specific issues or actions. These committees usually meet more frequently. Committees may form and dissolve as needed. See what’s current on the Committees page.

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Three primary areas of focus to help guide our work.

Focus Area #1: Healthy Youth

Desired State: All youth are respected by one another and by the community. Diversity is an asset of richness rather than an issue of division. There are more high school graduates and a higher percentage of students who pass school tests. More youth feel and are considered to be successful. There is less youth crime and juvenile delinquency, as well as a decrease in the consumption of alcohol and use of drugs and other substances. Youth feel safe because they are no longer victimized. More youth participate in community activities and in organizations such as AOC, helping to shape services available to them.

Focus Area #2: Strengthen AOC

Desired State: AOC is clear in its purpose as a community-wide coalition that focuses on the global issues affecting the community of Sitka’s wellbeing. It has a broad membership base, representing the entire community. Its members are committed to AOC itself and to the causes AOC supports. AOC has a formal structure, with clear roles and responsibilities, which increases its effectiveness. Funding is continuing and sufficient to meet goals and objectives that are consistent with its purpose, following through until they are accomplished. The community of Sitka knows what AOC is and does and supports its efforts.

Focus Area #3: Improve interagency collaboration and coordination

Desired state: The member agencies have an established communication process so everyone knows what all agencies are doing at all times. Resources are shared for joint projects that benefit the community of Sitka. Agencies coordinate their services so there is no wrong door for clients. Agencies with common goals collaborate on projects. There is awareness among all agencies of how all the issues interconnect and how all agencies are ultimately contributing to a common end goal: the well-being of Sitka. With continued collaboration and coordination, Sitka’s agencies are able to move from an intervention model to a prevention one.

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Over 15 years making a difference in SItka

The Advancing Our Community Coalition has evolved over many years, and at its core the mission has always been the same: to work together to make Sitka the best place to live. In fact, the coalition for several years was named Advancing Our Youth -- the change to "Community" was to better show the broader focus of the individuals and organizations that have been regularly meeting since 1999.

The Coalition came into being as a result of a community-wide public forum held on August 3, 1999.  Mayor Stan Filler organized the public forum for the purpose of addressing issues affecting Sitka’s youth and families.  Over 100 people from throughout the community attended the first meeting.  This forum focused on the community’s concerns regarding child abuse and neglect, juvenile crime, and other child behavioral health needs. 

From that original meeting, a core group of interested individuals and agencies decided to continue seeking ways to address identified issues of gaps in services, overlapping services, coordination among agencies, and lack of activities for youth.  Although membership fluctuated, the original core members consisted of the Mayor, Superintendent of Schools, Department of Juvenile Justice, SEARHC Clinic II, Islands Counseling, NAMI, and the Chief of Police.  This group, which subsequently became AOY and expanded to include additional agencies and community members, has met on a regular basis since then in an effort to improve services to youth and their families.

Today Advancing Our Community is as strong and active as ever. We remain dedicated to the principles of community wellness, collaboration, and focusing on the needs and concerns of our youth. The Committees page can provide an update of the issues that we are working on at a glance, and the Archives section provides a record of past efforts and acheivements.

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AOC Structure

In addition to the regular general membership meetings, AOC shall maintain standing and ad-hoc subcommittees to allow greater focus on issues and actions as necessary. With the exception of the Steering and Flexible Fund committee, membership to committees shall be comprised of any interested member.

Steering Committee

This group guides the overall activity of AOC and is the decision-making body for the Coalition, taking into consideration the recommendations of the general membership. Resolutions, letters of support, and other matters where the Coalition is taking action as a body must be approved through the Steering Committee.

Guiding Principles:

The Steering Committee is made of individuals from AOC member agencies. This group provides overall guidance and critical decision making for the collaboration, and assures continuity of the mission.

The Steering Committee should be representative of the broad spectrum of the community and the agencies that AOC serves.

There should be no more than 10 members on the Steering Committee.

Members of the Steering Committee should commit to at least one year of service.

It is expected that Steering Committee members will make every effort to attend both Steering and AOC meetings, keep abreast of the issues and actions undertaken by AOC, and serve as a liaison to other agencies and the community in AOC matters.

Flexible Fund Committee

This Committee manages and authorizes the use of special funds for high- and at-risk youth and their families when immediate funding is needed for treatment and intervention services and is not otherwise available through regular channels.  The purpose of these funds is to assist children or youth (and their families) who have identified mental, emotional, or significant behavioral issues or are at-risk of having them.

The funds are made possible by the contributions of agency members. Only those representatives from agencies that contribute to the Flexible Fund shall serve on the Flexible Fund Committee.

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