Healthy kids make better choices

Health Rocks has inspired youth to reduce risky behaviors associated with use of alcohol, tobacco, and opioids. Youth learn life skills that lead to healthy lifestyle choices. The program fosters healthy partnerships of at-risk youth with caring adult mentors who help guide youth to productive living.

Youth engaged in the Illinois Health Rocks program gained valuable understanding of the dangers associated with risky behaviors. They were able to articulate the health risks related to smoking, drinking alcohol, and using drugs, both illegal and prescription (opioids).

In addition to making decisions related to their own choices and behaviors, the youth have become advocates for their peers and their communities. They have identified strategies to respond to peer pressure and decipher media messages they see in print, video, and social media. Illinois youth are not only taking a stand on health and social issues, they are demonstrating an ability to thrive.

Beyond the value of skill and knowledge gains experienced by Health Rocks participants, an additional impact was realized through the involvement of Teen Teachers who delivered the program. Feedback provided by Teen Teachers highlighted the commitment they developed for educating youth about the dangers of substance abuse.

Health Rocks serves as a vehicle both for sharing a positive message and for helping teens have an active voice in their future. Beyond the skills Teen Teachers gain in their teaching role, they learn to advocate for change: they advocate for behavior change among their peers and for collaboration among members of their community in support of youth making positive choices.

In 2018, more than 2,000 youth in fourth through ninth grades participated; 75 percent self-identified as minority race, and 73 percent lived in urban or suburban communities.

Caleigh Arentsen, an eighth-grade 4-H Teen Teacher, developed a close relationship with the fourth graders she taught at Germantown Elementary. “Caleigh is a natural-born teacher and quickly became famous throughout the school halls,” says Cheryl Timmerman, U of I Extension 4-H program coordinator. She even received flowers from some of the students at her eighth grade graduation.

Caleigh is modest when asked about her popularity with the participants. “I’m better with kids than I thought I’d be,” she says. “As a mentor, I was someone the kids could confide in besides their parents since I was closer to their age.”

Success Story

One Health Rocks participant, usually quiet and withdrawn in class, had frequent questions for the 4-H Teen Teachers. She always paid attention and was engaged in activities. During the final session, she spent a lot of time talking with a Teen Teacher. The girl’s older sister had used several drugs due to the influence of a boyfriend. She had several close calls, once needing a Narcan shot after a heroin overdose. The young participant said she was worried for her sister and feared the same thing happening to her. But meeting the 4-H Teen Teachers, she said, showed her that you don’t need to use drugs. She said she would rather not have a boyfriend than to have one that makes you do bad things. She wished Health Rocks had been at their school when her sister was in middle school; the program might have helped her sister make better choices.

HEALTH ROCKS: Caleigh Arentsen of ClintonCounty demonstrates the dangers of smoking to agroup of students at Germantown Elementary.