What is Life R U READY?
Life RU Ready? is an event that is a "life-simulation" health activity designed for young adolescents. Life R U Ready? is a cooperative effort between Fremont County schools, prevention agencies, health care agencies, law enforcement, legal professionals, and youth volunteers. During this event, these agencies and volunteers to come together in an effort to educate and help encourage youth to make better choices; by simulating the consequences and outcomes that participating in risky behaviors can have on their health and how it can affect their future.
At the beginning of the event, students find themselves in a simulated party scene, where they are exposed to a variety of risky behaviors and experience peer pressure to become involved in these activities. The party is "broke up" by volunteer law enforcement. The students are then divided into small groups and will participate in stations that simulate some of the consequences that can result from participation in these types of risk taking activities. The consequence stations will be presented by professionals and will include: a car crash scene and roll-over car demonstration, an Emergency Room/ Emergency vehicle seen, a court room, a mock jail cell and a mock mortuary. Each group will be guided through the stations by a student mentor. A safe area will be available to any student who may feel overwhelmed by the simulated events. All students will be debriefed by professional counselors at the completion of the event.
Fremont County Life R U Ready will also include wellness activities that will be held in the other building at the fairgrounds. These activities will include information on suicide prevention, bullying/cyber bullying, a disabilities station and a station with emergency vehicles. Additionally, a Jaws of Life demonstration will take place. Students will attend consequence stations as well as wellness activities during the course of the event.
Sixth graders from Riverton Middle School will be participating in the event as well as students from Wind River, Fort Washakie, Shoshoni, Lander and Dubois Schools.
Why target 6th graders?
The Wyoming Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) is an assessment survey conducted in schools during grades 6, 8 10 and 12. The 2012 assessment indicates that 19% of 6th graders have tried alcohol. By the time students reach the 8th grade 43% of students have tried alcohol. So providing this event for 6th graders is directed at changing their choices in subsequent grades.
Additionally, there is documented evidence that providing this program to younger students has a greater impact on changing attitudes and risk taking behavioral choices than waiting until the students are older.
Who will chaperone the children?
Teachers, Nurses, School Counselors and adult volunteers from each school will be attending with your child. Additionally, High School student volunteers from each school will also be in attendance to serve as mentors and role models. Volunteers from local county and community agencies will be in attendance and will be presenting this program to the students.
Who else will be helping with this event?
*Injury Prevention Resources
*Law enforcement officers from Fremont County
*Department of Family Services
*Guardian Life Flight
*Community Entry Services
*Fire Departments
*Public Health Nurses
*Sage West Hospital Doctors and Nurses
*Fremont Counseling
*Wyoming Department of Transportation
*Wyoming Department of Health
*Youth Services of Fremont County
*University of Wyoming Outreach Program
*Teachers, Nurses and Counselors from school districts
*Along with many others!
