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Donna Henderson seated, listens to Lynn McDowell explain some of the alarming data in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey presented on Thursday, September 10 to the Botetourt County School Board.

"These results are not a school problem," said Donna Henderson a retired educator on the Botetourt County School Health Advisory Board (BCSHAB,) "It is a community problem. We just use the schools to give the test. Where else would we have access to so many middle and high school students?"  With that being said, Henderson and BSCHAB co-member Lynn McDowell presented some disturbing data to the Botetourt County School Board on Thursday night September 10.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey began in Botetourt County 11 years ago. Botetourt County was the first county to implement the survey as a response to teen suicides in the area. Up until the 2009 survey, the YRBS was held every three years said Henderson. It is now given in the spring of the year, every two years. The YRSB is funded by the Health Department, Botetourt County Public Schools and have multiple other agencies involved.

Parents and Botetourt County citizens take note.

"These are the responses of our children. While there are a few Christmas trees filled out," said McDowell, "Virginia Tech professor, Dr. Kerry Redican assures us this data is correct." The tests are taken by students who remain anonymous. That is considered one of the factual basis for the data. Students feel freer to answer the questions truthfully because of anonymity. In Botetourt last spring close to 1500 students in the 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grades completed the survey. (Parents have also been encouraged to take an online survey by the BSCHAB to see how their answers about their children compare. At Back to School Secondary School events many parents did complete the paper form of the parent survey.) Redican and Dr. David Sallee of Radford University are consultants for processing, data analysis and reporting.

The YRSB covers frequency and prevalence of ATOD, depression, safety, technology, exercise and dietary behaviors, violence -related behaviors, sexual behaviors and personal character.

Henderson began with what they called, "The Community Snapshot," Issues highlighted effect the entire community. "Schools allow access to youth to gather data. Data allows access to funds to support youth, Multi-sector participation demonstrates community readiness for change. Data is a snapshot of youth perceptions. Youth safety is a community responsibility."

Here are the areas of concern:

ATOD: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs. In this category, respondents on the middle school level are trying alcohol at an earlier age. 25.1 percent up from 21.2 percent had their first sip of alcohol before age 13. The 2007 national average is 23.8 per cent.

One of the most alarming statistics goes with the question percentage of students who have ridden one or more times in the past 30 days with some one who has been drinking alcohol. Middle schoolers respondents said "yes" at 28.9 per cent and high schoolers responded at 31.5 per cent. Both numbers have climbed three or more per cent in the past two years.

Binge drinking. The number of high school students responding they have had 5 or more drinks of alcohol in a row on one or more of the past 30 days was a whopping 215 youth or 34.3 per cent of the students in the survey. The percentage of high school students who think it is easy for them to get alcohol 85.2 respondents said fairly easy or very easy if they wanted some.

It was not all bad news; however, drinking on school property has decreased from 17.7 per cent to 11.6 per cent as well as the percentage of high schoolers having had at least one drink of alcohol in their life time from 78.7 per cent to 71.3 per cent. Tobacco smoking is down, but chewing is up in both middle and high school.

Marijuana use in rise of age of use onset is also down in the middle school level from 6.3 per cent in 2007 to 5.3 per cent in 2009. It has gone up on the high school level in respondents from eight per cent to 10.6 per cent. Inhalants have increased by about 3 per cent in both middle and high school youth to 18.2-20.5 per cent of respondents have inhaled a substance to get high. Heroin use is up to 10.2 per cent in the high school age group up from 4.3 percent. Prescription and over the counter drug use has also climbed by several percentage points.

Sexual Behavior: More sexual activity on the middle school level and high school respondents dropped in condom use.  Those who felt forced to have intercourse when they did not want to showed an increase of five per cent. 9.6 per cent of the students said they have been pregnant or have gotten some one pregnant. 31 per cent of high school respondents say they have participated in a sexual behavior that would put them at risk for a sexually transmitted disease.

Safety: Violence. 15.8 per cent of the high school respondents said they have been hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the past 12 months. In the home, 20.9 per cent of high schoolers or 131 students fear being hurt by some one in their home. 30.4 percent of middle schoolers and 28.7 per cent of high school respondents fear for their safety. 32.1 per cent of high schoolers and 26.8 per cent of middle schoolers feel they have no one with whom they can confide in.

Self Harm: 242 middle schoolers or 35. 4 percent have responded they have intentionally cut, bruised, pinched, or burned themselves. 222 high school students or 35.4 per cent of the respondents said the same. In high school 410 students responded they know someone who does self mutilate-a whopping 65.6 per cent.

Eating: Student habits reflected 24.8 per cent of high school students feel over weight while middle schoolers responded at 27.3 per cent. Many have concerns about weight, but only 3.8 per cent of middle schoolers vomit or take laxatives to loose weight while 8.1 per cent of high school students have. The increase on the high school level is almost 4 per cent.

Bullying: 414 middle schoolers or 63.1 per cent said they have been bullied and 306 or 50.7 per cent of high school students reported the same. Those who report daily or several times per day bullying rank in 13. 3 per cent in high school and 15.2 per cent in middle school.

Depression: Percentage of students who actually attempted suicide one or more times during the past 12 months. 37 middle schoolers or 5.4 per cent and 94 high schoolers or 15 per cent responded yes.

Technology: The number of students with a Facebook or personal web page or other technologies 381 or 56. 5 per cent of middle schoolers and 457 high schoolers or 75. 2 percent have a place on the web. Percentage of students who used technology to communicate for three or more hours per day on a school day-Middle school 39.8 per cent and high school 56.2 per cent. Intimidation by cell phone sent by students is on the rise. 122 students in middle school and 171 students in high school said they have sent intimidating messages or calls.

Personal Character: 360 student respondents in middle school reported cheating on a test during the school year and 412 high schoolers. 368 reported cheating on a middle school assignment during the year and 439 high school students responded they had as well. 337 and 338 middle and high school students said that successful people will cheat or do what they have to win.

Some good news in character, however. 535 middle schoolers and 525 high schoolers said it was better to be a good person than to be rich.

These are the Community Concerns identified by the YRBS:
Drinking and Driving
Fear of being hurt at home,
Self- harm
Suicide attempts
Bullying through technology
Teen pregnancy
Rx and OTC drugs,
Binge Drinking,
Accessibility to alcohol and other drugs
Weight loss using laxatives and vomiting.

Recommendations included continuing the already successful efforts like school crisis teams, nursing services, bullying prevention programs, student management and supervision techniques, professional development, student assistance program services, School Health advisory board leadership in schools and community, Curriculum assessment and revision utilizing the YRBS data and Collaboration with community planning teams. New recommendations support high school leaders through youth participation in community coalitions and the sharing of YRBS data. Provide "Too good for drugs curriculum in the middle schools to 6th and 7th graders through the VTFS grant, Provide after-school middle school prevention clubs supported by high school youth leadership, enforce the 2009-10 Athletic policy for high school ATOD violations. Share the YRBS data with school faculty and staff.

It was also stressed that parents and the community need to know the data and realize the significance of the results. PTA's churches civic groups need to know what is going on with the youth of Botetourt. Valley School board representative Michael Beahm noted, "Those who want to do away with school nurses should realize how much they are on the front lines with our youth on a daily basis." Student assistant counselors at all secondary schools were another ecommendation.

School Board Chairman Kathy Sullivan and RAYSAC Coordinator told the Botetourt View, "The community must take responsibility for what we are seeing here. Parental involvement, the PTA, School newsletters, whatever. Businesses, youth supporting agencies and governing bodies need to work together to provide a safe environment for our young people. The School Health Advisory Board or anyone on the other teams will come and speak to any group-churches, civic groups, you name it. Just ask. "