NYS Looking To Expand Drug-Free Communities Program In 2005

By Larissa Lytwyn

Newtown Youth Services (NYS) recently hired Nancy Anderson of Westport to serve as manager of its Drug-Free Communities Support Program.

The program was formed from a $100,000 federal grant NYS received earlier this fall.

“It’s wonderful to return to NYS,” said Ms Anderson, who interned at the agency last year as part of her master’s degree program in community counseling. “I am thrilled to be working to empower young people through this endeavor”

Ms Anderson was a stay-at-home mother who decided to choose a career later in life.

“It was kind of the reverse of the career woman who then has the kids,” she said with a laugh. “But this has worked out great for me!”

Her two daughters are now in their late teens and early twenties.

Ms Anderson said she had a lot of faith in the new drug-free communities program, and was eagerly anticipating reaching more and more of the Newtown community.

The central goal of the program is to reduce alcohol and other drug use among youth by increasing preventative efforts, said NYS Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator Nina Allred.

“Research shows that youth are less inclined to use and abuse substances if they have at least one close, positive relationship with an adult,” Ms Allred noted.

In accordance with this research, NYS recently began piloting its Intergenerational Community Service Program between five elderly residents who frequent the town’s senior center and six seventh grade students from the Housatonic Valley Waldorf School.

“A Waldorf teacher, Anna-Lee Reilly, had contacted us regarding an intergenerational program, and we thought it was a wonderful idea,” said Ms Allred. “We were excited to put it into action.”

The group’s first endeavor was an oral history project conducted this past October, in which the students interviewed the seniors on their life history.

“It was great for the kids to hear about the differences and similarities between the generations,” said Ms Allred. “The children and seniors traded stories about their relationships with their siblings, discussed school life and homework. I think it was an excellent, mutually beneficial experience.”

Recently, the group celebrated the holiday season with a party, which Ms Anderson helped coordinate. “The kids and the seniors made gingerbread houses together, and just really enjoyed each others’ company,” she said. “It was a great time.”

Ms Anderson added that she was excited about the prospect of expanding the intergenerational program to the public schools in 2005.

Ms Allred said she is planning to discuss the program with Assistant Superintendent of Schools Alice Jackson, as well as District Health Coordinator Judy Blanchard, who is also the chair of the town’s Prevention Council.

“We have a great network of community members here, and a lot of support,” said Ms Allred. “The intergenerational program expansion is just one of several programs we can start talking about in the year ahead.”

Ms Anderson, she continued, was a welcome addition to the NYS agency.

“I believe [Ms Anderson] will do a great job,” Ms Allred said.