Children, teens enging Iess in nsky behavor: survey By Julla Le CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF tC Chidren are enqaqînq less in risky behav- tc our. That was amnong the findings of Our Kids INetwork's Hailton Vouth Survey Community Profile, which rneasured key factors related toi healthy youth devclopment and comnpared the results to previcus surveys conducted in 2006/07 and 2009110. SOur Kids Network Director Elena Digattista and Research Associate Liz Wells told Halton ~regional councul's health and social services carnmittee last week there has been a sub- lit stantual drop in substance use tram the last turne the survey was conducted as weII as a -decrease in cfiminal actuvity. EGesturing ta a graph illustrating the statistics -throucqh a Power Point presentation, Wells 0Ž saud six per cent of Grade 10 students admit- Sted they were %mokers, cornpared ta 13 per cent in 2009/10 and 14 per cent in 2006/07. About 34 per cent af Grade 10 students ad mîtted to having an episode of heavy drink- irsg in the last 12 months, compared ta 47 per cent in 2009/10 and 50 per cent un 2006/07. «We sec the samne pattern in cannabis usage where 1 in every four Grade 10 students un 2006 and 2009 were using canrnabis and now it's less than one in five, she said. The survey alsa revealed 20 per cent af Grade 10 students admitted ta being involved in sorte type of crumînal activity, compared ta 26 per cent in both 2009/10 and 2006/07 sur- veyed years. The survey was carried out between Octo ber 2 and Navember 16 Iast year wîth a total of 10,379 Grade 7 and (iradct 10 %tudents irn the Halton District Scihool Bùard and Halton Cathalic District School Board (ompleting ut. lt asked students questions related ta assets, that help themn develop into thrivung individ- uals, relying on self -repor led inforrniat ion that may flot be representative of ail students. DiBattusta expiai ns the survey is used as a planning toal ta get people engaged tin a uionversation about Haltons youth. It evalu- ates where the needs and gaps are and also tracks how the community is doing every three years un relation to the wefl being of children within Haftoris communities. "We know ut takes a village ta raise a chi, we know we ail rieed ta work together and we're weng that today* she said, referririg ta the positive Iesuits of the survey. Over wveight anid abesity numbers have fltn amonq bath Grade 7 anud Grade 10 students surveyed. About 20 per cent af students in bath grades admîitted they are overweight or obese. compared ta 25 per cent in 2009/10 for both Grade 7 and 10 stuaderits and 21 pet' cent and 23 per cent respectively tin 2006/07. But white the recent survey reflects a posi- rive direction youth are heading in, Wells sd;d more work needs ta be donc ta support youth who are transition ing ta high schoo. Commnittee mnerbers expressed t&i witle there are tiprovemyent in the numbers, d"e are stili concerncd about the statistks notinq that itVs alarming knorwing abot onc in evey tfuree students in Grade 10 is bing. dfrining. DiBattista sard Our Kids Network~ continues ta do iritentiorul work withiri the commu- rïlty, working with other groups to build on the communities assets tIiot represcit: values neecd for children and youth to succeed. The survey resuitU wiIl be circulated through- out the commrUnitY. Ouf Kids Netwot is a Hatton-wide partner- ship of ageticies anid organizations servung chidren and youth that promnotes healtiy development, s.cuiity and safety for ail chil- dreri, youth and familles through neighbour- hoad collaboration and service integratiou. Julia Le con b. oeaehed or iIe@mittoncan"d- anchamp4on.com or on Tw7t«e @JuffdtoMIIn- News. g~ LVLsu in the knTl and onteG Starting April 6, 2013, we're adding more trips and making some service acljustments acros our network to serve you befter and make your travel experience more comtortable. 416 M 3200 Il M UET ou .O (4m8 m46) oi i l. -w j'lri in. FOR MORE INFO VISIT GOTRANSIT.COM 4 îi If. IV .,~ i School co.-Énsidenng ceu!nanosc for defunct kiss&-and- de lane: pd ncIa 111druver% parking theur vehi les uni the kiss- and-ride lane, somnetimes even double-park- ing, while thcy escorted their children ta the ent rance. »Somne parents were being unsafe, double parking, drivigq (un thue parking lot) a«. thouqh they were un a speedway7 she said, notung the school was built un a neîghbourhood where the mauority af students are expected ta walk to schoolI. 'The safety of the chidren wab ai risk - The school bas 11 junior and senior kinder- qarten classes alone with a an overaîl school enfrlment of 1,036 students. Faulknor said. addung the school us consudering %cenrios for the defunct kuss-and-rude lane for the future. She said %he beleves thîs year's long, cold wunter contributed ta an uncrease un traffic around the school- Only four small buses and orne large bus transports students. Public acoess ta the parking lot us closed with red 5afety cont-. allowinq nmo vehit ular acces% tram 8 ta 10 arn. and 2 to 4 p.mn Sorme driv er5 have been stopping on Scott Street un no stop zones, parking in na-stop zones, makêng illegal U-turns and everi double parking un some case%, Milokçnay saîd Driver% have been seen rnotioninq for chul dren ta run acrass the busy road to a wauting vehicle, she said. Police have had joint meetings with the school, Town staff and Halton District School Board trustees ta cornte up with a solution. »Somne parents are not (omplyung svrth the signs,. she saud. addîruq the problemn cauld happen at aruy %cihool uni Mltunc and Escarp- ment View usý jut a teniplate> for what police will do elsewhere, if ne'dfpd She said t's unfartunate so fews situdents waIk ta school. Miloknay said ultirruately %lie would like to see the scihool re-oipen the kiýsar'd- rude lane, but for now, its about education and preventing an) accident With that un Minci, police - thraugh the schoal - also gave students a homework as- signmerît that was ta be signed by parents. Oni a suieet of paper, students were asked to ansýwer the question: How can we mnake thse roads, safer for aur children? On Moriday, eight officers were un the. area chasung down offeriders and informing themn of the tiaffrc laws. Six tickets were issued un a haîf-hour, and police handed out a reminder tci parents ta abey traffic laws and parking rules when dropping off or picking up their childreti Sorre drivers appeared oblMvous ta police. stappi'u un clearly-rnarked, no-stop zones ta liet students out of vehicles. Othes looked frazzled. asking for clarification ai ex- a-ctly whefe thcy could l-egally stop. Several parents said tbcy wefe happy ta sep the police presence because they agree tbere's a safety issue Crystal Gawel walks her child ta school ecd rnornirsg tai avoid the traffic headaches- -Tis us a good rnornang. she laughed, say- ing most muornings the traffic us more char- aîic without police around. -1 orty drive uf it.s freezîrtg or raining.* Gawel also saud skie would nevef let her chiki walk ta school with the current traffuc head- aches because ui would b. tooi danigerous. Parent Helen Dawn, who walks her child ta school maost days, said skie would like ta sec the schooil ne-apen the kîss-and-ride laine, even if it's just ta parents who bave younger cildren un car scats. Skie said uts dîfficult ta unbuckle ber baby from the car seat and walk sevenal blocks ta, drop off ber child. Julie Slack con be reoched ar isîck@mihwona- nodiranchampréon.com or on Twittei @mirt- musing. - t. 1