The OTUS Trailer: Recognize Signs of Youth Substance Abuse In Plain Sight

 

Most kids are doing the right thing, but there are signs to watch for to know if they are heading in the wrong direction. Correcting risky behaviors early is the key to successful prevention!

Own the Upside is a campaign formed by the Coalition Partnership of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk Counties to help prevent harm and promote health for our youth. We are proud to partner with the Polk County Sheriff's Foundation to present an exciting resource to educate parents and caregivers of teens in our community.

OTUS Trailer - The "Own the Upside...Avoid the Downside" trailer is a mobile, interactive exhibit housing a replica of a teens' bedroom that parents can walk through to learn how to recognize clues signaling potential involvement in drugs and risky behaviors visible in plain sight or easily concealed in ordinary everyday items in the room. This presentation is meant for adults only - no children please!

How Can You Help? - to support efforts to encourage healthy behaviors and reduce substance abuse, your organization may invite a representative from InnerAct Alliance to visit with the OTUS trailer and share an informative presentation with your group who all play a pivotal part in educating youth about making healthy choices - the community standard we all want to promote and grow. We look forward to visiting your PTA, PTO, Booster Club, or other adult group in Hardee, Highlands, and Polk County soon!

To schedule a presentation for Fall 2026, 

please call (863) 802-0777 or visit

https://www.inneractalliance.org/own-the-upside.html 

Be On Top of Current Trends for THC & Cannabis Products

 

Another current youth drug trend that parents should watch is the growing variety of THC and cannabis-related products which may include vapes, gummies, edibles, drinks, hemp-derived products, and products marketed with terms like delta-8 THC.

In 2025, the Monitoring the Future Survey found that cannabis use remained stable among teens, with 8% of 8th graders - 16% of 10th graders - and 26% of 12th graders reporting cannabis use in the past 12 months. The same survey also found that some terms reported using intoxicating hemp-derived cannabis products, including delta-8 THC.

For parents, the concern is not only whether a product is called "marijuana" - "cannabis" - "hemp" - or "THC." The concern is that these products can affect a young person's brain, judgment, memory, attention, and school performance. The CDC warns that cannabis use can have lasting effects on the developing brain, especially when use begins in adolescence or becomes regular or heavy. 🧠

Experts recommend having frank, nonjudgmental conversations about cannabis early and often - with focus on safety and health. Knowledge is power so educate yourself first so that you can convey the message that today's cannabis is not the same as it used to be. It is now engineered to be highly concentrated, with THC levels sometimes exceeding 90% in vapes. This growing variety of products poses some severe risks to the adolescent brain which is still actively developing until the mid-20s.

Read this informative article highlighting results from a large national study of adolescents led by Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons about cannabis use and its impact on the health and academic performance of teens. 

https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/teens-any-cannabis-use-may-have-impact-emotional-health-academic-performance

What Parents Should Look Out For As Summer Vacation Begins

 

With summer vacation upon us, kids have more opportunities to enjoy free time. Although there are some risks associated with that freedom, we are encouraged by the good news that the majority of today's youth are  choosing not to use substances. 

National data from the 2025 Monitoring the Future Survey showed that reported use of most drugs remained relatively low among U.S. teens, with many students reporting no recent use of marijuana, alcohol, or nicotine. Still, prevention matters because the products, risks, and ways that youth are exposed continue to change - meanwhile drug potency is on the rise.

With this in mind, our prevention partners at Informed Families - The Florida Family Partnership - have kindly shared an informative article outlining what today's youth are seeing, hearing, and potentially being offered when it comes to alcohol, vaping, THC products, and other substances. In this week's blog, we will highlight a few of these - beginning today with an update on Vaping.

Vaping Is Still a Major Youth Prevention Concern - vaping remains one of the most important substance use prevention topics for parents, schools, and communities. According to the FDA and CDC, e-cigarettes were still the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youth in 2024, with 1.63 million middle and high school students reporting current e-cigarette use.

Parents should know that many of today's vape products are easy to hide, flavored to appeal to youth, and often disposable. More than 8-in-10 current youth e-cigarette users reported using flavored e-cigarettes, and disposables were the most commonly used device type among current youth users.

This is an important health issue. Teen vaping can affect attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harm the developing adolescent brain. Parents should continue monitoring their children's activities and keep the lines of conversation open. 

InnerAct Alliance can help! Our agency provides prevention education presentations at schools, summer camps, youth programs, and community events to help youth learn about the risks of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances. Working together, we can help our children feel informed, supported, and prepared to make healthy decisions. Programs are provided free of charge - call us today at 802-0777 for more information.

https://www.informedfamilies.org

40 Years-40 Stories of InnerAct Alliance | Story #36: Celebrating UthMpact Class XV Graduates – Nicholas Roll & Hellen Sierra

 

40 Years-40 Stories | Story #36: Celebrating UthMpact Class XV Graduates - Nicholas Roll and Hellen Sierra

As we continue celebrating our 2025-2026 UthMpact Class XV graduates, we're honored to highlight two more exceptional young leaders who completed the program on April 1, 2026!

Today, we celebrate UthMpact Graduates:

🎓 Nicholas Roll
University of Alabama
Majoring in Architecture

🎓 Hellen Sierra
Polk State College
Majoring in Graphic Design

The UthMpact Experience! - These graduates traveled throughout Polk County on monthly Leadership Days to meet with community leaders and experience the inner workings of local volunteerism, business, government, healthcare, education, and law enforcement. They learned crucial leadership skills while educating their peers about substance abuse prevention through projects like Project Prom, Project HOCO, and the UthMpact Facts social norms campaigns. 

Congratulations, Nicholas and Hellen! Your dedication to leadership and prevention has made a lasting impact on our community. We can't wait to see all you'll accomplish!

*UthMpact: https://www.facebook.com/UthMpactPolk

*Contact: Samantha Barwig @ (863) 802-0777

*Support Prevention: https://www.inneractalliance.org/donations.html

*Text IAA to 26989

#40Years40Stories #InnerActAlliance #UthMpact #ClassOf2026 #GraduatingSeniors #FutureLeaders #ProudMoment #PolkCounty #YouthLeadership

Healthy Risk-Taking Supports & Builds Resilient Kids

 

Healthy risk taking can be beneficial, as it encourages kids to try new things, accept challenges, and venture into the unknown. By guiding children toward healthy challenges, parents can help kids satisfy their natural desire for risk taking, avoid negative outcomes, and bolster confidence and leadership skills - all in an effort to help youth become better equipped to manage risk as they grow into the teen years and into adulthood.

5 Top Tips for Families to Participate in Healthy Risk Taking

*Get out into nature together, such as in parks or on bush walks, as natural settings proving many amazing risk play opportunities.

*Provide experiences with real tools together, such as cooking, gardening, or "fix-it" jobs around the house.

*Give your child space where appropriate, supervising out of the child's direct view so they can gain confidence in mastering their skills 'on their own'.

*Identify the risks or hazards. If there is a hazard, step in and help.

*Try to avoid saying 'no' or 'be careful' in risky play situations. Rather, encourage your child to identify the risks and discuss ways of managing them together. Set boundaries to help guide them through a progression of experiences and levels of risk according to their abilities and experience.

When it comes to teens, it can be a bit more challenging for them to find ways to express themselves in a safe way. Our prevention partners at the Partnership to End Addiction remind us that taking risks is a natural part of teens' identity and development. It provides opportunities to learn new things and explore boundaries. Key is for risks to be healthy ones that will help kids gain confidence and practice problem-solving, decision-making, and resilience - important skills they'll need to succeed in life.

Encourage new learning experiences, such as Summer Camps, that offer a perfect opportunity for kids to give new activities a try. Our friends at Lakeland Mom have compiled the ultimate list of camp options in Lakeland, Bartow, Winter Haven, and across Polk County in their Summer Camp Guide for Lakeland + Polk County at: https://lakelandmom.com/summer-camp-directory/

Reassure your kids that there's everything to gain and nothing to lose - either way, it can be a valuable learning experience. There are always other activities to explore if the first one doesn't work out. 

Talk about your healthy risk-taking and share the rewards and failures so kids will know that trial and error is a normal part of finding what works best for us all!

Read more about Healthy Risk Taking

https://drugfree.org/article/healthy-risk-taking/

IAA Joins Heartland for Children at the Annual Child Welfare Provider Fair Today!

 

Looking for something fun to do now that school is out? Grab your hat and saddle up at Heartland for Children's 2026 Child Welfare Provider Fair today, Friday, May 29, from 10am to 2pm, at the Bartow Civic Center. 👪

This FREE event features community resources, health screenings, snacks, games, raffles, and fun. Participants will have an opportunity to connect with child welfare providers, explore local services, and discover new support opportunities for children and families in our community!

While you're there, be sure to stop by the InnerAct Alliance table to say "howdy" to IAA's own Angie Ellison and Tammy Coker! 🤠  

40 Years-40 Stories of InnerAct Alliance | Story #35: Celebrating UthMpact Class XV Graduates – Kadence Lesnett & Audrey Norman

 

40 Years-40 Stories | Story #35: Celebrating UthMpact Class XV Graduates - Kadence Lesnett & Audrey Norman

As we continue celebrating our 2025-2026 UthMpact Leadership Class XV graduates, we're honored to highlight two exceptional young leaders who completed the program on April 1, 2026!

Today, we celebrate UthMpact Graduates:

🎓 Kadence Lesnett
Entering the workforce

🎓 Audrey Norman

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Pre-Dental

The UthMpact Experience - through monthly Leadership Days, these graduates traveled throughout Polk County to meet with community leaders and experience the inner workings of local volunteerism, business, government, healthcare, education, and law enforcement. They learned crucial leadership skills while educating their peers about substance abuse prevention through projects like Project Prom, Project HOCO, and the UthMpact Facts social norms campaign.

Congratulations Kadence and Audrey! Your dedication to leadership and prevention has made a lasting impact on our community. Whether entering the workforce or pursuing higher education, we can't wait to see all you'll accomplish!

* Follow UthMpact: https://www.facebook.com/UthMpactPolk?

* More info: Contact Samantha Barwig (863) 802-0777

* Support Our Programs: www.inneractalliance.org

* Text IAA to 26989

#40Years40Stories #InnerActAlliance #UthMpact #ClassOf2026 #GraduatingSeniors #FutureLeaders #ProudMoment #PolkCounty #YouthLeadership