Polk County’s Only Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Fun Run - Saturday, November 7, 2015

Polk County’s Only Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Fun Run
Saturday morning, November 7, 2015

Polk County’s Only Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Fun Run, presented by Title Sponsor, Publix Super Markets, Inc. is back and better than ever! Join us on Saturday morning, November 7, 2015 around picturesque Lake Mirror and Lakeland’s beautiful downtown and Lake to Lake area for a fun Family Weekend that continues a 24-year tradition of InnerAct Alliance presenting one of the largest Red Ribbon Campaigns in the state!

Activities include three races that will accommodate anyone in the family – parents can compete in the 13.1 mile Half Marathon or the 3.1 mile 5K, and elementary and middle school students can participate in the Kids Fun Run. All K-5 students receive complimentary registration and a commemorative run t-shirt, along with a FREE story book and refreshments!

In addition to the Red Ribbon activities already in place, we are extremely excited about a new partnership with the Polk County Veterans Council that will incorporate the tradition of the Veterans Day Ceremony and Parade. The annual parade will pass in front of the entire crowd assembled at the Lake Mirror Promenade after the run events and conclude our Be Your Own Hero Day!  Visit the Red Ribbon Run official race site at www.RedRibbonHalf.com today to sign up!

Focus on the Positive! - OWN THE UPSIDE

Focus on the Positive! - OWN THE UPSIDE

DO YOU KNOW THAT A MAJORITY OF TEENS IN POLK COUNTY
DO NOT USE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL? 

YOUR TEENS MAY NOT EITHER!

If you have read a newspaper, listened to the radio, or watched TV during June, you have probably seen or heard Own The Upside ads highlighting the GOOD NEWS that most Polk County teens do not engage in drug use or risky behaviors! Own the Upside is a positive community marketing campaign presented by the StandUP Polk, Drug Free Hardee, and Drug Free Highlands Coalition partners to address concerns of parents regarding teen risky behavior. Funding for the June Own The Upside ad campaign was provided by state funding through DCF and CFBHN.

Unfortunately, we have become accustomed to believing only the discouraging news or negatives in our culture, the media, and popular music lyrics.  Often, we forget there are some encouraging positives to celebrate the UP side of Polk! Statistics show that our local prevention programs are effective in shaping attitudes about and user rates of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.  Let’s focus on rewarding positive behaviors that will continue to inspire our local youth to make smart and healthy decisions!  Here are some positive facts to know and share with teens and others in our community.

93% of Teens in Polk County (grades 6-12) DO NOT use Tobacco.

88% of Teens in Polk County (grades 6-12) DO NOT use Marijuana.

80% of Teens in Polk County (grades 6-12) DO NOT use Alcohol.

Please do your part to "Own the Upside". Be the best role model possible and support your kids in making smart choices. Teach them it is okay to be who they are, present them with healthy activities, and encourage them to hang out with friends that they trust.

The Own the Upside speakers' bureau is available to speak to civic groups, church groups, employees, Parent/Teacher Associations, and other organizations. Please contact Coalition Resource Manager, Michelle Shiver, at (863) 802-0777 to schedule a presentation.

UthMpact is Proud to Announce Its 2015-2016 Leadership Class V

UthMpact is Proud to Announce Its 2015-2016 Leadership Class V

Polk County, FL - Students from Polk County high schools have been nominated by their school principals or community members to participate in the 2015-2016 UthMpact Leadership Class V. This unique program, spearheaded by InnerAct Alliance, StandUP Polk Coalition, UthMpact Coalition, and key business and community partners, is designed to help teens develop crucial leadership skills.  Please see the following page for a list of participating students.

UthMpact is the dynamic coalition of teen leaders committed to helping educate and deliver key substance abuse prevention messages to teens by their peers. Beginning in September, the new youth leaders will travel throughout the county once a month to experience the inner workings of local business, government, healthcare, education, and law enforcement. The teens will meet with influential leaders to discuss challenges faced in the community and suggest proactive solutions.

We are proud of the nearly 125 students representing almost every high school in the county who have been enriched by this program in its five years in existence. The Leadership Program entails a two-day summer retreat; six Leadership Days spent traveling throughout the community; as well as participation in dozens of events and volunteer opportunities throughout the year. The group’s most prominent project has been its social-norms program that has impacted students in 8 area high schools with important messages about bullying, distracted driving, tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, and prescription drugs.

UthMpact would also like to congratulate the graduates of UthMpact Leadership Class IV who were honored at a special graduation ceremony on April 8, 2015:  Derek Apgar, Coral Barron, Brooke Benton, Shirnest Brunson, Alexie Cadena, William Cain, Raven Calloway, Julia Canady, Katherine Carlton, Emma Carter, Danielle Clark, Adriana Colon, Jared Cossin, Catherine Curran, Emily Dunson, Madison Feddeler, Justin Gill, Lindsay Giliam, Grace Hamilton, Alexis Mace, Jobe McDermott, Hadley Owen, Karishma Patel, Emily Rozen, Racquell Salerno, Tirthan Shah, James Shiver, Daniel Sussingham, Logan Watkins, and Kenyetta West.  Each Class IV graduate received a certificate to commemorate their year together and several scholarships were awarded deserving students.

For additional information on the UthMpact Leadership Program, please call Emily Plank  at (863) 802-0777. Please visit the UthMpact website at www.UthMpact.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UthMpactPolk, and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/UthmMpact. We also invite interested teens to attend UthMpact’s monthly meetings held on the first Wednesday of each month at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on Jim Keene Blvd. in Winter Haven, FL.

Leadership Class V Participants 2015 - 2016

Alyssa Blythe, All Saints Academy
Morgan Boles, Harrison School for the Arts
Ana Brighton, IB at Haines City High School
Sydney Burroughs, Victory Christian Academy
Abby Burton, Lakeland Christian School
D’Quavion Burton, Lake Region High School
AJ Cadena, Aerospace Academy
Wendy Capule, Lake Gibson High School
Essence Clark, Fort Meade Middle & Senior High School
Gabrielle Clark, Summerlin Academy
Jackson Cook, Lake Wales High School
Emily Cornelius, George Jenkins High School
Audrey Cossin, IB at Bartow High School
Trenton Curtis, Lakeland Collegiate High School
Paula De La Torre, Mulberry High School
Conor Devore, Harrison School for the Arts
Alex Fagan, Lakeland Senior High School
Payton Gary, Auburndale Senior High School
Andrew Grant, Haines City High School
Rebecca Green, Kathleen Senior High School
Joshua Guerra, Winter Haven High School
Macy Gullifer, McKeel Academy of Technology
Llulisa Gutierrez, Fort Meade Middle & Senior High School
Andre Hall, Harrison School for the Arts
Trevor Hallet, All Saints Academy
Kayli Higginbotham, Lake Wales High School
Hannah Hogg, McKeel Academy of Technology
Catherine Holcomb, McKeel Academy of Technology
Taylor Jackson, Harrison School for the Arts
Alain Julsaint, Jr., Haines City High School
Francis Mabito, Harrison School for the Arts
Demetrius Marshall, II, Victory Christian Academy
Megan Martinez, Lakeland Senior High School
Nereli Mejia, IB at Haines City High School
Allen Mendes, Frostproof Senior High School
Jesse McKelvey, Bartow Senior High School
Emily McKinney, Lakeland Christian School
Georgia Michael, Mulberry High School
Magdalena Moskal, All Saints Academy
Sydney Mumbauer, Lake Gibson High School
Sadie Owen, Winter Haven High School
Nandan Patel, Bartow Senior High School
Victor Persichetti, Auburndale Senior High School
Colin Phillips from All Saints Academy
Mackenzie Pike, Harrison School for the Arts
Claire Pinket, IB at Bartow High  School
Desmond Richemond, Ridge Community High School
Jazmin Rodriguez, Lakeland Senior High School
Yatziri Rodriguez, Ridge Community High School
Noemi Rosario, Auburndale Senior High School
Brandon Rubio, Haines City High School
Elania Salerno, Lake Gibson High School
India Saxena, Harrison School for the Arts
Lyla Saxena, Harrison School for the Arts
Carlos Torres, Haines City High School
Jennifer Vasquez, Bartow Senior High School
Grceshma Venigalla, IB at Bartow High School
Anastasia Wall-Lobdell, Victory Christian Academy
Shelby Ward, Bartow Senior High School
Taylor Welch, Lake Wales High School
Caleb Willis, Lake Wales High School
Cole Yrastorza, Harrison School for the Arts

RED RIBBON FIFTH GRADE RALLIES POSTER, POETRY & 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 its Fifth Grade 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 on Wednesday morning, May 13, at 10:00 a.m. at Polk State College Gym in Winter Haven.

The prevention rallies focus on reinforcing critical substance abuse resistance skills before students enter middle school in the fall. 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
1^st Place $100.00 - Alexandra Gorokhova from Jewett School of the Arts   

2^nd Place $ 50.00 - Cody Holliday from Lena Vista    

3^rd Place $ 25.00 - Camila Madrid from Lake Alfred   

Poetry Contest 
1^st Place $100.00 - Laura Segura from Snively    

2^nd Place $ 50.00 - Jackson Widener from Lake Alfred     
3^rd Place $ 25.00 - Nicholas Moore from Elbert     

Essay Contest
1^st Place $100.00 - Meredith Smith from Alta Vista Elementary
2^nd Place $ 50.00 - Sasha Guertin from Lena Vista Elementary   

3^rd Place $ 25.00 - Mayson Walker from Berkley

School with the Most Contest Participants Overall – Berkley

The prevention rallies focus on reinforcing critical substance abuse resistance skills before students enter middle school in the fall. 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).

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 of 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 6^th at The Lakeland Center.

The mission of InnerAct Alliance is to reduce the abuse and underage use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs through: Community Awareness and Involvement; Prevention Education; Economic Support; and Leadership Development. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency 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.  

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 its Fifth Grade Rally for The Facts Poster, Poetry, and Essay Contest for Fifth Grade Students in the greater Lakeland area schools. Contest participants were recognized during the Red Ribbon Fifth Grade Rallies, on May 6, 2015, at The Lakeland Center.

The prevention rallies focus on reinforcing critical substance abuse resistance skills before students enter middle school in the fall. 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).

Congratulations to Lakeland Area Rallies Contest Overall Prize Winners

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

Poster Category
1^st Place $100.00 - Gabriel Munoz from Padgett              

2^nd Place $ 50.00 - Kennedy Hamilton from Wendell Watson  
3^rd Place $ 25.00 - Kiara Llerena from Carlton Palmore

Poetry Category
1^st Place $100.00 - Christie Gonzalez from Dr. N.E. Roberts

2^nd Place $ 50.00 - Gabriela Guevara from Carlton Palmore

3^rd Place $ 25.00 - John Gallagher from Wendell Watson

Essay Category
1^st Place $100.00 - Iris Denner from Churchwell

2^nd Place $ 50.00 - Angel Lee from Highlands Grove
3rd Place $ 25.00 - Cherish Johns from Kingsford 

School with the Most Contest Participants Overall – Highlands Grove

Lakeland Area Rallies Contest Overall Prize Winners for 11:30 AM RALLY

Poster Category
 

1st Place $100.00 - Kim-Tien Vo from Lincoln Academy

2^nd Place $ 50.00 - Jaiden Lopes from Winston Academy
3^rd Place $ 25.00 - Aja Haggard from St. Paul Lutheran

Poetry Category

1^st Place $100.00 - Madison Kearney from McKeel Academy Central

2^nd Place $ 50.00 - Deme-Simone Garner from South McKeel   
3^rd Place $ 25.00 - Rebekah Hammond from Scott Lake

Essay Category
1^st Place $100.00 - Isabella Salerno from St. Anthony

2^nd Place $ 50.00 - Alanna Wells from R. Bruce Wagner

3^rd Place $ 25.00 - Kennedy Blomeley from South McKeel

School with the Most Contest Participants Overall – McKeel Academy Central

The Guest speaker for the Rallies was Patrick T. Grady, a former middle and high school educator who travels throughout North America encouraging students to do their best in all of 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 on May 13^th at the Polk State College Gym. Contest winners for those schools will be announced next week.

The mission of InnerAct Alliance is to reduce the abuse and underage use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs through: Community Awareness and Involvement; Prevention Education; Economic Support; and Leadership Development. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency 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.

Fifth Graders to Participate in Red Ribbon Rallies on May 6 & 13, 2015

Fifth Graders to Participate in Red Ribbon Rallies – May 6 & 13, 2015

Polk County, FL – Nearly 6,000 fifth grade students have been invited by InnerAct Alliance to attend Red Ribbon Rallies in May to encourage the choice of a positive lifestyle without the use of drugs. Events will take place on Wednesday, May 6, at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at The Lakeland Center, and on Wednesday, May 13, at 10:00 a.m. at the Polk State College Gym in Winter Haven.

The prevention rallies focus on reinforcing critical substance abuse resistance skills before students enter middle school.  The facts show that the majority of young people choose not to use drugs or alcohol.  Instead, they find effective ways to deal with everyday pressures and challenges in their lives without resorting to substance use.

The guest speaker is Patrick T. Grady, a former middle and high school educator who travels throughout North America inspiring and encouraging individuals to do their best in all of their endeavors. Community leaders and law enforcement members will also be on hand to encourage the choice of a positive, healthy lifestyle without the use of drugs.

Fifth grade students have been challenged to participate in the Fifth Grade Rally for The Facts Contest and create original essays, poems, and posters that illustrate how they choose to live their lives drug free and convey the truth about how most young people do not use drugs or alcohol. Contest winners will be recognized during the rallies with cash prizes of $100, $50 and $25 awarded to overall first place winners in each contest category.

The mission of InnerAct Alliance is to reduce the abuse and underage use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs through: Community Awareness and Involvement; Prevention Education; Economic Support; and Leadership Development. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency 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 on May 6 and 13, please call InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777.  

Drug Prevention Resource Center Awarded Behavioral Health Care Accreditation from the Joint Commission

Drug Prevention Resource Center Awarded
Behavioral Health Care Accreditation from the Joint Commission

Polk County, FL – Drug Prevention Resource Center d/b/a InnerAct Alliance is proud to announce that it has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval* for Behavioral Health Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval* is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective care.

The agency recently underwent a rigorous on-site review to measure compliance with behavioral health care standards in several areas including services; environment of care; leadership; and screening procedures for the early detection of imminent harm. Interviews were also conducted.

Established in 1969, The Joint Commission’s Behavioral Health Care Accreditation program currently accredits more than 2,100 organizations for a three-year period. Accredited organizations provide services within a variety of settings across the care continuum for individuals who have mental health, addiction, eating disorder, intellectual/developmental disability, and/or child-welfare related needs.

“Joint Commission accreditation provides behavioral health care organizations with the processes needed to improve in a variety of areas related to the care of individuals and their families,” said Tracy Griffin Collander, LCSW, executive director, Behavioral Health Care Accreditation program, The Joint Commission. “We commend the Drug Prevention Resource Center d/b/a InnerAct Alliance for its efforts to elevate the standard of services it provides and to instill confidence in the community it serves.”

“InnerAct Alliance is pleased to receive Behavioral Health Care Accreditation from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation,” added Angie Ellison, Executive Director of InnerAct Alliance.  “Our staff continues to work together to develop and implement approaches and strategies that have the potential to improve prevention and education services for those in our community.”

The Joint Commission’s behavioral health care standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, quality improvement measurement experts, and individuals and their families. The standards are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help organizations measure, assess and improve performance.

Drug Prevention Resource Center, d/b/a InnerAct Alliance, is proud to have provided substance abuse prevention to the Hardee, Highlands and Polk County communities since 1985. Our mission is to reduce the abuse and underage use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs through: Community Awareness and Involvement; Prevention Education; Economic Support; and Leadership Development. The agency offers science based prevention classes, teen-driven social marketing, and awareness events that touch the lives of youth, parents, families, businesses, community groups, faith-based organizations, and others with an important substance abuse prevention message.