Callie Main is one of the scholarship winners for the work she did to promote Make Good Decisions and the Indiana Lifeline Law at Batesville High School. Callie joined the Make Good Decisions committee this year and formed a small group at her high school, but they faced challenges initially because of similar groups in the area. However, this did not prevent Callie and her fellow students from creating fun ways to reach the students in her area. Callie lead her group to find unique ways to promote Make Good Decisions and spread awareness about the dangers of underage drinking. One event that she and fellow students established was a popcorn giveaway event. To promote the event her committee made posters and flyers, and they typed up information about Make Good Decisions and the Lifeline law to staple to the bags of popcorn. Posters were also placed on the tables so that people in line could learn while waiting. Additionally, Callie prepared a trivia game to play with the people waiting in line. Not many of the people participating were familiar with the Lifeline Law, so this was a fun and unique way to keep people entertained while also spreading education and awareness. The event was a huge success with all 300 bags of popcorn being gone and all attendees leaving educated about Make Good Decisions and the Lifeline Law.

Callie and her committee were also in the process of planning a game day in a local park to further spread awareness and education before COVID-19 occurred. Due to this, Callie was unable to hold the game day, but the plans for the event were still a fun way to engage kids and teenagers with information about underage drinking and prevention. Some of the games that would have occurred include a ball toss with goggles that simulate what it is like to be drunk, trivia focused on the symptoms and effects of drugs, and various competitive games to showcase how alcohol and drugs are not needed to have fun. Although this event was unable to occur, Callie did not let isolation stop her from trying to promote Make Good Decisions and the Lifeline Law in her community. She reached out to a local movie theatre and was granted permissions to put up a message on their marquis stating: “Suspect Alcohol Poisoning? Call or text 911. MGD IN LifeLine Law.” Callie truly appreciates the experience she has had educating and promoting awareness about underage drinking throughout her community.

Lekha Durai is one of the scholarship winners for the work she has done in promoting Make Good Decisions at West Lafayette Junior/Senior High School. Lekha was the vice president of her school’s drug awareness club REACH, and through this club she created several events to promote Make Good Decisions and the Indiana Lifeline Law. One event that she promoted Make Good Decisions and the Lifeline Law at was an ice cream fundraiser at the school’s homecoming football game. This is a yearly event that REACH puts on, but she altered the event to bring awareness to underage drinking. Lekha designed stickers advertising the Lifeline Law to place on the ice cream cups. Additionally, the first 40 buyers received Make Good Decisions wristbands. When kids and teenagers bought ice cream they also received candy if they could explain the Indiana Lifeline Law; the law was also explained to those who were unfamiliar with its purpose and function. 

Another way in which Lekha worked to promote Make Good Decisions and the Lifeline Law was through presentations given to eighth grade students. REACH members attended three health classes and taught the students about various topics including vaping, underage drinking, and marijuana usage. Lekha specifically created the slides used to teach the students about the Indiana Lifeline Law. This section of the presentation was taught subsequently with the presentation on underage drinking because of the relation between the two. Lekha made sure to include various aspects pertaining to the Lifeline Law in the slides she created. She made sure to explain how the Lifeline Law works and emphasized that underage drinkers will be protected if they cooperate. REACH educated the students on the dangers of underage drinking, but also wanted to make sure that if any of them were in such a situation that they would understand how the Lifeline Law works so they could stay safe. She also made sure to mention how the Lifeline Law can be used to protect victims of certain sexual crimes. To showcase how the law functions in real situations Lekha made sure to include a news segment from the Make Good Decisions website that explained how the Lifeline Law was used to save a student from Marian University. 

One of the last projects Lekha worked on was creating a Prezi presentation focused on what REACH members did to promote Make Good Decisions and the Lifeline Law. This presentation was created to be shared with other schools so that they could see the work that REACH members did. This presentation also included additional project ideas to inspire other schools to host their own events. 

Indiana Youth Services Association and it’s partners the Indiana Afterschool Network and 21st Century Community Learning Centers are committed to enhancing organizations’ ability to serve youth and families in need during the COVID-19.

The following guide is intended to be reference for agencies to use when helping families address the challenges they are facing during this time. It is not an all- inclusive guide but rather contains information in four areas:

     Education and Enrichment

     Social-Emotional Health

     Food/Nutrition

     Agency operations

Download the COVID-19 Agency Resource Guide

DCS continues to issue news and update guidance to program partners and stakeholders regarding many of the programs it oversees as our state responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

View the information here

IYSA is seeking bidders for the Anti-Human Trafficking Media Campaign promoting the Indiana Trafficking Victims Assistance Program (ITVAP). The goal of this campaign is to create an all-encompassing campaign to reach as many youth (24 and under) in the state of Indiana using creativity and unique media avenues with messaging that can help youth identify themselves or others that are being trafficking or are in danger of being traficked. Applications are to be submitted to Michele Whelchel (mwhelchel@indysb.org) no later than March 28, 2020.

For more information or to access the application, please click here.

The United States Senate designated January 11 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in 2007. Men, women, and children are sold into a $150 billion annual market for sex and labor. This is happening globally, nationally and locally; in hotels, restaurants, and on street corners. Slavery is wrapped up in almost every industry’s supply chain, tainting the food we eat, the clothes we buy, and the electronics we love. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery and involves the movement of people by means of violence, deception or coercion for the purpose of forced labor, servitude, or slavery-like practices. It is a market-based economy that exists on principles of supply and demand. It thrives due to conditions, which allow for high profits to be generated at low risk. ITVAP Service Partners have served over 700 trafficked, sexually exploited, and high-risk youth from October 2015 to December 2018.