Show School and and Home Homa by Or Dr Caryl J. J McCarty Executive Secretory Utah Education Association Alcohol r use su survey rvay Results of a recent survey of teenagers in 21 Utah Utah schools contained some good goodnews goodnews goodnews news and some bad news The good news Is that fewer Utah kids are experimenting with alcohol this year than in 1972 The bad news is that a sizeable number of youths are still trying alcohol About 39 percent of those questioned in 1977 had taken drinks within the past year Back in 1972 that figure was percent Nationally lly the picture is much worse A striking percent of or teens across the nation report drinking during the past year year The Utah survey showed that since 1972 the use of alcohol and other drugs increased markedly in rural areas About twice as many boys than girls had been drinking during the past past- year The ninth nth grade is a key time for teenage experimentation with alcohol and other drugs The largest percentage of teenagers using the stuff occasionally occasionally occasionally oc oc- oc- oc or regularly are ninth graders according to the I F N P Arri tp L I When the members of some joma tribes intended to clear a bit bitof bitof bitof of forest they first built and furnished a little house for forthe forthe forthe the forests forest's spirits to live in when their trees were gone survey Broken homes seem to have some significance in the I teenage drinking picture Of the students from single parent I homes questioned by the pollsters more than 50 percent had tried alcoholic drinks Of those who live with both parents fewer had tried drinking 37 percent The study also confirmed that tha t tIt it isn't just the student who's I t performing poorly in school who has been hitting the bottle Students with a B average account for 48 percent of those who had been involved with alcohol or other drugs One particularly striking aspect of the study showed that 14 percent of the students drink alcoholic beverages 11 or more times a month and that another 2 28 8 percent of them drink five to ten times a month Some of these kids need help Its It's available from several programs sponsored by the Division of Alcoholism and Drugs the schools and other agencies More information is available from the Department of Social Services Division of Alcoholism and Drugs W W. North Temple Room Salt Lake City Utah rt f t. t iL I 1 w ON DEC 14 for the first time students of the four in the Vernal area will be presenting their own band concert Under the direction of David Platt the band of over musicians representing the and grades will be in Christmas Concert at the Uintah High School auditorium at pm p.m. Among selections played will be heard favorite Christmas carols Good King We Three Kings and the Bell Song |