Prom Time: Donating Dresses - Becca's Closet

Donate a dress today!

"Little things can make a big difference....."


This was the phrase that served as the driving force behind the beautiful life and caring actions of 16-year-old Rebecca Kirtman. Becca, a cheerleader, honor student, and caring young woman, passed away in a tragic automobile accident on August 20, 2003. Today, her family and friends not only remember Becca for her great love and friendship, but also for her contributions to the community.
As prom is almost here for many students of Broward and Dade County, an organization, Becca's Closet, has been very busy collecting prom dresses for young girls that would otherwise not have an opportunity to have one.

Becca's Closet mission:
Becca's Closet was created as a legacy to Rebecca Kirtman and the project she started. Becca's Closet provides formal attire to high school students who otherwise would not be able to attend their prom/homecoming. Our mission is to continue her vision and dream of helping others. In Becca's memory, scholarships are awarded to deserving high school students to advance their education.

Speaking to Channel 7 WSVN, Kirtman's father, Jake Kirtman, urged the South Florida community to donate. "If you wore your prom dress one time or twice, you know, and it's currently in style or the latest style and fashion and gently worn, please come out to Florida National College and make a donation, and we would really appreciate it," he said.

Are you in South Florida and need a dress?  Click here.
Do you have a dress to donate?  Click here.
Do you want to start a chapter in your area?  Click here.

Little things can make a big difference, especially when the community gets involved.  Pay it forward today and don't forget to hug your child and simply say those three words. "I love you."

Learn more about Becca's Closet.

Must watch video of Becca's Closet.
 

Teen Summer Jobs

Summer jobs for teens can help build self esteem

There are any number of places where you can look for a good summer job:

• Local merchants: local stores often need good help – and not just in the summer.
• Small businesses: most towns have a number of small business offices – and your family or friends probably know several owners or office managers.
• Corporate offices: many have established summer jobs and internship programs, but often these are the most competitive.
• Stores at the mall: have a favorite store you like to shop at in the mall? Maybe now is the time to get a job there –- just be careful not to spend all your earnings buying their products.
• Hotels and resorts: summer is the busy season for most hotels and resorts.
• Tourist attractions: even if you don’t live in Florida or California, most states have tourist attractions that especially need help during the busy tourism season.
• Golf & Tennis clubs: as the weather improves, these clubs are usually looking for part-time help.
• Grocery stores: maybe not the most exciting jobs, but probably the most convenient -– and not just for summer.
• Fast food and restaurants: local restaurants always need good help -– and while not the most glamorous, it’s still a job.
• Parks and recreation departments: city, state, and national parks and recreation departments often develop special summer programs, and thus have job opportunities.
• Local government summer job programs: often various government agencies sponsor different kinds of summer youth work programs.
• Summer camps: okay, you went to camp as a kid – now you can go back as a counselor and get paid while being at camp.
• Working for yourself: there are all sorts of jobs/businesses you could develop for yourself in your neighborhood –- Check out, Job Ideas for Teens 15 and Younger: Beyond Babysitting.
• The Web: especially if you want to work outside your neighborhood, or even your state, the Web is the place for you to explore all sorts of summer job opportunities -– so go visit Quintessential Careers: Summer Job Websites.

What do Employers Look for in Teens
Employers want motivated teens who are going to arrive to work on time, have a positive attitude, work hard, work well with others, show leadership qualities, work their full shift, and do the best job they can. You need to show your employer that you are a good investment, both for the current position, as well as for any potential future positions.

Final Words of Advice
Jobs are jobs. You are going to have to work, no matter how “cool” the job or company, so be prepared for some days to not be as great as others. The keys to remember are that you are earning money, you are gaining experience, and you are making good contacts (and references)!

Source:  Dr. Randall S. Hansen of Quintessential Careers

Read more.

Distracted Driving - Impaired Driving: Teen Driving is a Serious Responsibility

Impaired driving continues to be one of the deadliest crimes in America. This site is designed to provide you with information and resources to fight drunk and drugged driving in your community.

The Impaired Driving Division at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) seeks to work cooperatively to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce traffic-related healthcare and economic costs resulting from impaired driving (alcohol and other drugs). NHTSA collaborates with many criminal justice and community organizations to sponsor impaired driving campaigns such as You Drink & Drive. You Lose., Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk and Zero Tolerance Means Zero Chances.

Learn more visit http://www.stopimpaireddriving.org/ and be an educated driver.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

Alcohol Awareness Month, as declared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), aims to raise awareness about the seriousness of alcohol dependency and alcoholism, while recognizing the serious problem of alcohol abuse. It is an ideal time to educate yourself and loved ones about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

Alcohol use is an issue of concern in St. Johns County for both young adults and those under 21 years of age. According to the 2010 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, alcohol is the most commonly used drug among St. Johns County students with 29.4% of surveyed middle and high school students reporting the use of alcohol in the past 30 days. While this number has decreased 7.6% since 2000, it is still a topic of much unease.
“I believe alcohol awareness month is important in getting the message out to young people to ‘think before you drink,’ think about the consequences, and think about the long term effects of alcohol abuse,” said Ponte Vedra Beach resident and recovering alcoholic, Mark Tondreault.

Tondreault shares his story of life after a liver transplant and heart valve replacement, which were the result of years of heavy drinking, with schools, clubs and organizations. He stresses the dangers of alcohol abuse, how easy it is to become addicted to alcohol, and how alcohol can slowly affect a person’s health.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports that nearly 14 million Americans, one in every 13 adults, abuses alcohol or are alcohol dependent. In addition, fewer than 25% of adults and fewer than 10% of youth who need treatment receive it in a given year.

PACT Prevention Coalition of St. Johns County is dedicated to making St. Johns County a healthy substance-free community for our youth through prevention, advocacy, choices and teamwork. For more information about PACT Prevention Coalition of St. Johns County call (904) 829-6261 or visit www.pactprevention.org.

PACT has just released KNOW THE LAW, a guide for youth and parents.  Download it today.

Be an educated parent, you will have safer parent.

Read more.

Learn more at www.TeenHelpAdvice.com if you are considering outside help for your teen.

Gambling on College Campuses

College gambling is not a subject many parents talk about or even think about, however it is a serious concern.  Did you know approximately 75 percent of college students gambled during the past year (whether legally or illegally)?

More facts on college gambling:

• The most recent research estimates that 6 percent of college students in the U.S. have a serious gambling problem that can result in psychological difficulties, unmanageable debt and failing grades.
• Research has shown that teenagers and college-aged young adults are more impulsive and at higher risk for developing gambling disorders than adults. 
• Most adults with a gambling problem started gambling at an early age. Scientists have learned that the adolescent brain is still growing, which accounts for the frequently impulsive behavior and unwise decisions of teenagers.
• Compared to female college students, research suggests that male college students are more likely to have gambled in the past year, gambled with more money and reported having gambling problems.
• Gambling disorders are associated with numerous negative consequences and are highly correlated with other risky behaviors in the college student population.
• Compared to students without gambling problems, students with gambling problems are more likely to use tobacco, drink heavily or binge drink, smoke marijuana or use other illegal drugs, drive under the influence and have a low GPA.
• Gambling opportunities, once only available in a few states, have proliferated nationwide during the past 30 years with the expansion of lotteries, casinos, and Internet gambling. Therefore, today’s college students are exposed to not only drinking and drug use but also gambling, both on campus and in the surrounding community.
• While the most recent research estimates that 6 percent of college students have a gambling problem, college students appear to mature out of these problems, as they do with alcohol and drug use, after college. This is evidenced by the fact that only 1 percent of the adult population has a gambling disorder in the U.S.

Visit www.CollegeGambling.org for more information.

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Teen Text Slang: Do You Know What Your Teen is Saying?

What are they saying?

Learning the teen language is only the beginning of parenting teenagers today.

Do you know the A-Z text codes?

Brought to you by TextZapper, now is a very good time to become an educated parent!
TextZapper is a parental-controlled cell phone app, which essentially has a message monitoring component that notifies the parent who is alerted via a text on their cell phone – if a suspicious text or email is sent to their son or daughter.

Any language which makes reference to sex, sexting, as well as things related to cyberbullying, suicide, guns, weapons or drugs – among many other things – are red-flagged.
There are more than 11,000 key words and phrases that trigger the notification. In addition to the alert about the message, the parent will also receive the phone number responsible for sending the message.

Here is an A-Z list of text codes you should know about:

• 1174   Nude club
• 182     I hate you
• 420     Marijuana
• 4Q      F*** You
• 53X     Sex
• 8         Oral sex
• 9         Parent is watching
• 99       Parent is no longer watching
• A/S/L/P  Age/Sex/Location/Picture
• A3         Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime
• ADIH     Another Day In Hell
• ASL       Age/Sex/Location
• banana  code word for penis
• BITFOB   Bring It The F*** On, Bitch
• BJ           Blow Job
• BM          Byte Me
• BMF        Bad Mother F***er
• BOHICA   Bend Over Here It Comes Again
• BTFO      Back The F*** Off -or- Bend The F*** Over
• BUFF       Big Ugly Fat F***
• CBF        Can't Be F***ed
• CBJ         Covered Blow Job
• CD9        Code 9 - it means parents are around
• CU46      See You For Sex
• DOC       Drug Of Choice
• DUM       Do You Masturbate?
• DURS     Damn You Are Sexy
• DUSL     Do You Scream Loud?
• EOL       End Of Life
• ESMF     Eat Sh** Mother F***er
• FAH        F***ing A Hot
• FAP       F***ing A Pissed
• FAYF***    All Y'all
• FBF***    Buddy -or- FaceBook
• FBI         F***ing Brilliant Idea -or- Female Body Inspector
• FMLTWIA   F*** Me Like The Whore I Am
• FMUTA      F*** Me Up The Ass
• FNG       F***ing New Guy
• FO         F*** Off
• FOAD    F*** Off And Die
• FU2       F*** You Too
• FUBAR  F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition (or Repair)
• FUBB    F***ed Up Beyond Belief
• GAFL    Get A F***ing Life
• GAGFI  Gives A Gay First Impression
• GAL      Get A Life
• HOIC     Hold On, I'm Coming
• I&I         Intercourse & Inebriation
• IBGYBG   I'll Be Gone, You'll Be Gone
• IPN        I'm Posting Naked
• ITS        Intense Text Sex
• IWBAPTKYAIYSTA   I Will Buy A Plane Ticket And Kick Your Ass If You Say That Again
• IWBNI    It Would Be Nice If
• IWFU     I Wanna F*** You
• IWIWU   I Wish I Was You
• IWSN     Want Sex Now
• IYAOYAS   If You Ain't Ordinance You Ain't Sh**
• kitty        Code word for vagina
• KPC        Keeping Parents Clueless
• KWSTA   Kiss With Serious Tongue Action
• L8R         Later
• L?^          Let's hook up
• LABATYD Life's A Bitch And Then You Die
• LAGNAF   Lets All Get Naked And F***
• LAQ          Lame Ass Quote
• LB?W/C    Like Bondage? Whips or Chains
• LBR and LGR   Little Boy's Room and Little Girl's Room
• LBUG or LBIG  Laughing Because You're Gay -or- Laughing Because I'm Gay
• LD            Long Distance -or- Later Dude
• LDIMEDILLIGAF  Look Deeply Into My Eyes, Does It Look Like I Give A F***
• LHOS       Lets Have Online Sex
• LHSO       Let's Have Sex Online
• LHU          Let's Hook Up
• LIB           Lying In Bed
• NICE        Nonsense In Crappy Existence
• NIFOC     Nude In Front Of The Computer
• NIGYYSOB  Now I've Got You, You Son Of a B*tch
• RUH            Are You Horny?
• RUMCYMHMD   Are You on Medication Cause You Must Have Missed a Dose
• RUMORF     Are You Male OR Female?
• SMB     Suck My Balls
• STM     Spank The Monkey
• URAPITA     You Are A Pain In The Ass
• URSAI          You Are Such An Idiot

ZapMyText and learn more about what your teens are talking about.  More importantly, be sure they are not text talking and driving.  Texting and driving is deadly - talk today to your teen about texting and driving and the life you save may be your child's.
Don't forget about distracted bicycling!  Too many teens are texting and pedaling, which is extremely dangerous too.  Read more.

Read more.

Summer Fun for Needy Children: Get Involved and Change the Lives of Children Today

The time is NOW! Yes, many people are struggling with today’s economy, but one way to feel fulfilled is to give a piece of yourself and your family to a child that has none.  You don’t have to have a million dollars to give a child a fun summer.  Just being there, playing ball, swimming or any other family activity is what many children crave.

If you or someone you know is able to host, please sign up now. In 2010, The Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family program, called Friendly Town, gave close to 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the country and the suburbs. Volunteer host families shared their friendship and homes up to two weeks or more in 13 Northeastern states from Virginia to Maine and Canada.

Thanks to host families who open up their homes for a few weeks each summer, children growing up in New York City’s toughest neighborhoods have experienced the joys of Fresh Air experiences.

More than 65% of all children are reinvited to stay with their host family, year after year.

“It is rewarding to see the smile on our Fresh Air child’s face as she enjoys the simple things we take for granted…”

Friendly Town host families are volunteers who live in the suburbs or small town communities. Host families range in size, ethnicity and background, but share the desire to open their hearts and homes to give city children an experience they will never forget.
Hosts say the Fresh Air experience is as enriching for their own families, as it is for the inner-city children. There are no financial requirements for hosting a child. Volunteers may request the age-group and gender of the Fresh Air youngster they would like to host. Stories about real Fresh Air host families and their New York City visitors are just a click away!

Click here to learn more about becoming a host or call (800) 367-0003!

Fresh Air children are boys and girls, six to 18 years old, who live in New York City. Children on first-time visits are six to 12 years old and stay for either one or two weeks. Youngsters who are re-invited by the same family may continue with The Fund through age 18, and many enjoy longer summertime visits, year after year. A visit to the home of a warm and loving volunteer host family can make all the difference in the world to an inner-city child. All it takes to create lifelong memories is laughing in the sunshine and making new friends.

The majority of Fresh Air children are from low-income communities. These are often families without the resources to send their children on summer vacations. Most inner-city youngsters grow up in towering apartment buildings without large, open, outdoor play spaces. Concrete playgrounds cannot replace the freedom of running barefoot through the grass or riding bikes down country lanes.
Fresh Air children are registered by more than 90 participating social service and community organizations located in disadvantaged neighborhoods in the five boroughs of New York City. These community-based agencies are in close contact with children in need of summer experiences in rural and suburban areas. Each agency is responsible for registering children for the program.
What do Fresh Air children enjoy?

• Playing in the backyard

• Laughing in the sunshine
• Catching fireflies
• Riding bicycles
• Learning to swim
• Running barefoot through the grass
• Gazing at the stars on moonlit nights
• Building sandcastles
• Making new friends
• Simple pleasures of life away from the inner-city

The Fresh Air Fund at the Five Boro Bike Tour
Join The Fresh Air Fund at the Five Boro Bike Tour on May 1st! The largest recreational cycling event in America, the TD Bank Five Boro Bike Tour, leads bikers on a 42-mile fun course through the city and you can be a part of it! The Fund provides guaranteed entry into the event in exchange for a fundraising minimum.

What better way to bike through an amazing route while knowing that the money you raise will help children from low-income communities who live throughout the city. Along the way, bikers will enjoy entertainment, rider photos, bike repair, medical support and the company of thousands of well-wishers!

Click here for more information about the race! If you have questions or are interested in participating, please call Kate Brinkerhoff at (212) 897-8890 or email kbrinkerhoff@freshair.org.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards: Nominate a volunteer today!

Wouldn’t you agree that it should be every parent’s mission to teach their children about the positive impact volunteering can have on the world? If you just shook your head yes, then let’s speak further! Get involved with the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards to encourage your community to support the 102 youth volunteer Honorees for the 2011 season.


What is The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, exactly? Created 16 years ago, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represent the United States’ largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service.

The program recognizes young heroes who have made exceptional impacts on the lives of others through acts of volunteerism. Each year, two honorees from each state receive $1,000 dollars, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for several days of national recognition events. Support from parents, family, friends and communities show the young heroes are being cheered on and recognized.  It is truly inspiring!

While in D.C., ten students will be named National Honorees on May 2nd, receiving an additional $5,000, gold medallions, trophies, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for a charitable organization of their choice.

Do you want to become part of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards family?  There are a few ways you to do so:

1. Find your hometown hero here and then show support by sharing their volunteer project and story with your family and blog readers.

2. Visit The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Facebook Page this month and tell us what great volunteer project you and your family plan to do this spring. You can also tweet about your plans using hashtag #spiritawards.

3. Share the LIVE webcast event with your readers this coming April and urge them to watch with their family.  I can add you to “The Prudential Spirit of Community Blogging Family” and send you the official webcast link as the awards ceremony gets closer!

More information can be found at http://spirit.prudential.com.