“Our organization believes that to have a strong viable state, we must have strong viable families,” Herbert says. “We have great concern for the children of Utah and the negative influences they are exposed to. We believe strongly that by getting the message out to parents as to the critical nature of their positive involvement with their children, we can help turn the tide of juvenile problems that we see as a growing threat to our society.”
Uplift Utah Families has distributed materials to the state’s PTA leaders to help organize an evening concert for parents and families this fall, as part of the Red Ribbon Week events. During the concert, students will perform songs from the Utah State Office of Education’s Safe and Drug-Free Schools program, Prevention Dimensions. There will also be a multi-media component, featuring a message from the First Lady, Parents Empowered commercials and spots from Strengthening Families.
More than 12,500 Utah fourth, fifth and sixth graders attended the ninth annual “Prevention Dimensions” Salt Lake Bees baseball game. Governor Gary Herbert threw out the first pitch and proclaimed May 24, 2011 as “Prevention Dimensions Day.”
Whereas, choosing to be alcohol, tobacco and drug-free, and to avoid gangs, violence and crime, is crucial to Utah’s children growing up to be healthy, productive citizens;
Whereas, it is the mission of Prevention Dimensions, “Utah’s Safe and Drug-Free Schools K-12 Prevention Program” to educate young people about the hazards of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, and arm them with healthy life skills in order to make positive choices;
Whereas, Prevention Dimensions has received a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Exemplary Program award;
Whereas, to combat gang involvement, underage drinking, and drug use most effectively, the entire community must be involved – parents, schools, students, law enforcement, religious and community organizations with each of these groups uniting behind a consistent message that illegal drug use is wrong and harmful;
Whereas, Prevention Dimensions, along with its partners, organized the gathering of 10,000 fifth and sixth grade students from Utah schools at Spring Mobile Ballpark to celebrate healthy life choices that include avoidance of alcohol, tobacco, and other illegal drug use, gangs, violence and crime;
Whereas, the Utah State Office of Education, Utah School Districts, the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, Utah Department of Health, Something Good Inc., the Utah PTA, the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Coalition on Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Parents Empowered, the Department of Public Safety and the Salt Lake Bees teamed up to support this very important activity; and
Whereas, it is crucial to communicate to our children that we are, as a community and a government, unified in the message of prevention;
Now, therefore, I, Gary R. Herbert, Governor of the state of Utah, do hereby declare May 24, 2011, as Prevention Dimensions Day.
Photos and video of the event will be posted on our flickr photostream and YouTube channel.
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