Monday, May 15, 2017

RED RIBBON FIFTH GRADE RALLIES POSTER, POETRY and ESSAY CONTESTS - WINTER HAVEN AREA WINNERS

RED RIBBON FIFTH GRADE RALLIES
POSTER, POETRY & ESSAY CONTESTS – WINTER HAVEN AREA WINNERS

Polk County, FL – InnerAct Alliance is proud to announce the winners of the Red Ribbon Rally for The Facts Poster, Poetry, and Essay Contest for Fifth Grade Students in the greater Winter Haven/Haines City area schools. Contest participants will be recognized during the Red Ribbon Rally tomorrow, Tuesday, May 16, at 10:00 a.m. at the Polk State College Gym in Winter Haven.

The prevention rally focuses on reinforcing substance abuse resistance skills before students enter middle school. Students were challenged to compose essays, write poems, or draw posters to illustrate how they live their lives drug free and show the truth about how most young people do not use drugs or alcohol. Overall winners in each category will be awarded cash prizes of $100 (first place), $50 (second place), and $25 (third place).

Winter Haven Area Rallies Contest Overall Prize Winners

Poster Contest
1st Place $100.00 - Kayra Flores Samuels from Lake Alfred
2nd Place $ 50.00 - Rubi Pena from Pinewood
3rd Place $ 25.00 - Anyla Manuel from Lake Alfred
                                   
Poetry Contest
1st Place $100.00 - Taylor Remy from Loughman Oaks
2nd Place $ 50.00 - Dejahyria Callaway from Alta Vista
3rd Place $ 25.00 - Alin Contreras-Campos from Auburndale

Essay Contest 
1st Place $100.00 - Kaiden McGuire from Alta Vista
2nd Place $ 50.00 - Hunter Burns from Lena Vista
3rd Place $ 25.00 - Adielysmar Castro from Elbert

School with the Most Contest Participants Overall - Lake Alfred

Guest speaker for the Rally is Patrick T. Grady, a former middle and high school educator who travels throughout North America encouraging students to do their best in their endeavors. Grady is the author of “Who Packs the Parachute,” and co-author of “Teen Power Too,” and “Teen Power and Beyond.”

A similar rally for Lakeland area schools was held last week on May 10, 2017 at The Lakeland Center.

InnerAct Alliance is proud to have provided substance abuse prevention to the Hardee, Highlands and Polk County communities since 1985 with services including science-based education in elementary and middle schools, teen-driven social marketing, and awareness events that touch the lives of youth, parents, families, businesses, faith-based organizations, community groups and others with an important substance abuse prevention message.

For further information on the Fifth Grade Rally, please call InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777. 

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

RED RIBBON FIFTH GRADE RALLIES POSTER, POETRY & ESSAY CONTESTS - LAKELAND AREA WINNERS

RED RIBBON FIFTH GRADE RALLIES
POSTER, POETRY and ESSAY CONTESTS - LAKELAND AREA WINNERS

Lakeland, FL – InnerAct Alliance is proud to announce the winners of the Red Ribbon Rally for the Facts Poster, Poetry, and Essay Contest for Fifth Grade Students in the greater Lakeland area schools. Contest participants will be recognized during the Rallies that take place today, Wednesday, May 10, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., at The Lakeland Center.

The prevention rallies focus on reinforcing critical substance abuse resistance skills before students enter middle school. Students were challenged to compose essays, write poems, or draw posters to illustrate how they live their lives drug free and show the truth about how most young people do not use drugs or alcohol. Overall winners in each category will be awarded cash prizes of $100 (first place), $50 (second place), and $25 (third place).

Lakeland Area Rallies Contest Overall Prize Winners for 9:30 AM RALLY

Poster Category 
1st Place $100.00 - Kelliam Santiago-Leon from Dr. NE Roberts             
2nd Place $ 50.00Kacy Connell from Purcell 
3rd Place $ 25.00Izuarelis Garcia from Berkley  

Poetry Category
1st Place $100.00 - Serenity Hernandez from Padgett       
2nd Place $ 50.00 - Byron Burton from Dr. NE Roberts                 
3rd Place $ 25.00 - Zackary Breitenbach from Churchwell            

Essay Category 
1st Place $100.00 - Kya Long from Berkley           
2nd Place $ 50.00 - Katherine Oliver from  Churchwell
3rd Place $ 25.00 - Sasha Lopez from Dr. NE Roberts

School with the Most Contest Participants Overall – Berkley Charter
Lakeland Area Rallies Contest Overall Prize Winners for 11:30 AM RALLY

Poster Category
1st Place $100.00 - Jaalyn McBride from Dixieland
2nd Place $ 50.00Jasmine Hagan from Cleveland Court               
3rd Place $ 25.00 - Giovanni Lopez Garcia from Jesse Keen

Poetry Category
1st Place $100.00 - Sarah Wright from McKeel Academy Central
2nd Place $ 50.00 - Pranav Gunjala from Lincoln Academy                            
3rd Place $ 25.00 - Kaylienne Duran from North Lakeland

Essay Category
1st Place $100.00 - Kiara Vargas from St. Anthony           
2nd Place $ 50.00 - Kendell Anthony Joseph from South McKeel
3rd Place $ 25.00 - Melanie Colbert-Cortright from St. Paul

Guest speaker for the Rallies is Patrick T. Grady, a former middle and high school educator who travels throughout North America encouraging students to do their best in all their endeavors. Grady is the author of “Who Packs the Parachute,” and co-author of “Teen Power Too,” and “Teen Power and Beyond.”

Another rally for Winter Haven and Haines City area schools will be held next week on May 16 at 10:00 a.m. in the Polk State College Gym. Contest winners for those schools will be announced next week.

InnerAct Alliance is proud to have provided substance abuse prevention to the Hardee, Highlands and Polk County communities since 1985 with services including science-based education in elementary and middle schools, teen-driven social marketing, and awareness events that touch the lives of youth, parents, families, businesses, faith-based organizations, community groups and others with an important substance abuse prevention message.

For further information on the Fifth-Grade Rallies, please call InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777.  

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Spring 2017 DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Event Successfully Nets 2,396 lbs. of Medications


Spring 2017 DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Event 
Successfully Nets 2,396 lbs. of Medications


Polk County, FL - StandUP Polk and local law enforcement agencies were proud to participate in the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back event on Saturday, April 29, 2017 for Polk County citizens to turn in expired or unwanted human and pet medication.

An estimated 2,396 pounds of recovered pharmaceuticals were collected and safely disposed of via incineration. The 8 drop-off sites that participated in the Spring Medication Take Back included Auburndale Police Department, Bartow Police Department, Haines City Police Department, Lake Alfred Police Department, Lake Hamilton Police Department, Lakeland Police Department, Lake Wales Police Department, and Winter Haven Police Department.

The latest event brings the total for collections held in Polk County to over 12,000 pounds of recovered pharmaceuticals dating back to 2010. All medications were safely disposed of via incineration. 

Unwanted medications may also be taken to the county’s six permanent drop sites at the Police Department locations in: Auburndale (2 Bobby Green Plaza, weekdays 8-5); Haines City (35400 Hwy 27, weekdays 8-5); Lake Alfred (190 N. Seminole Avenue, 24hrs/7days); Lake Hamilton (100 Smith Avenue, weekdays 8-5); Lakeland (219 N. Massachusetts Avenue, 24hrs/7days); and Winter Haven (125 N. Lake Silver Drive NW, weekdays 8-5).  To avoid harming lakes and ground water, please do not dispose of medication in the toilet.  

StandUP Polk is a community coalition working together to prevent harm and promote health through education, public awareness, and advocacy including strategies to prevent youth substance abuse. For more information, please contact StandUP Polk at (863) 802-0777.