Make Some NOYS!

The NOYS -National Organizations for Youth Safety coalition is a network of over 40 national organizations and federal agencies advocating on behalf of youth safety and health. The NOYS network promotes collaboration at the national, state, and local levels emphasizing highway safety, violence prevention, alcohol, tobacco and other drug issues among youth ages 5 to 24.

Last week ACE attended the annual NOYS Fall Meeting in Washington, DC; a two day event dedicated to facilitating insightful round-table discussion of youth focused issues as they relate to upcoming NOYS projects, programs, and special events.

In May 2010, NOYS plans to support National Youth Traffic Safety Month by raising awareness of the dangers associated with distracted driving- specifically targeting the use of cell phones while driving. NOYS has organized a “Thumbs Up” campaign to discourage teen drivers from texting while behind the wheel, and is set to be launched in the next few weeks by an unidentified female winner of the popular TV show American Idol.

Notable speakers at this years gathering included Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education Kevin Jennings who heads the federal Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, and Katherine Wootten, Senior Prevention Specialist for the Suicide Prevention Resource Center in Washington, DC.

After outlining the U.S. Department of Education’s current objectives and goals, Assistant Deputy Secretary Jennings shared his thoughts regarding the necessity of ‘safe schools’ for America’s youth, citing bullying and peer harassment as two significant factors responsible for hindering a student’s ability to learn and excel academically. Jennings adamantly stated; “kids can’t learn if they don’t feel safe and secure…period…it’s that simple.”

NOYS membership not only enables ACE to network with fellow youth focused organizations and establish professional relationships among both federal agencies and non-profit foundations, but offers ACE the ability to extend and promote our mission and core programs to a wider audience. For more information visit http://www.noys.org/!

Remember Jacob's Smile...

My name is Gail and I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be writing this story. No parent ever wants to write about their child's death. I pray every day that no other parent ever has to write a story about the death of their- child.

On May 18,2008 the Henry family celebrated the graduation of their son, Jacob Albert Henry, age 18. We had a big party at our home with all the aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Aunt Linda made dishes from the Philippines and other American food was provided. A good friend of Aunt Carol's made the cakes. Everything was delicious. There was fun for everyone.
Jacob was grateful for the gifts of money he received. The money was needed for expenses when he went to college in June 2008.
Jacob made friends easily. His grandma always said that Jacob never met a stranger. He was kind to everyone and loved family, friends, our dogs (Dusty, Xerox, Jazz) football, video games, music (Saxophones), Civil War History and Indian Lore. Jacob moved to Evansville the end of May to live with his Grandma. He planned to attend college at Madison Media Institute (MMI) in Madison, Wisconsin. I never saw Jacob as excited as he was about starting school at MMI. He started classes at MMI on June 2, 2008. He enjoyed school and was well liked by his classmates, the staff and teachers. Jacob made many good friends during his short time at MMI. He really enjoyed his classes.

I received phone calls most everyday telling me what he had done in his classes that day. The phone call I remember the most is the day he called and was so excited he almost reached through the telephone wires, In one of his classes, Jacob had the opportunity to play a vintage bass saxophone brought in by Mr. Hanah, his instructor. Jacob loved his saxophones. He had played all the different saxophones in high school, except the Bass. Playing that Bass Sax was a dream come true for him. After Jacob's death I talked to his high school band teacher. She told me that Jacob had asked her many times if the school could get a Bass Sax, She told him no because that they were very expensive and there wouldn't be a Bass Sax at school. Jacob told me that he played the Bass and he was so nervous he was hardly able to play. He talked for a long time about how he was chosen to play the Bass. He also told me the Bass Sax he played was only one of ten in the U.S.A. That moment was very special to him.

He was having trouble with some of his classes so he was signed up to work with a tutor. He went to his first class and that afternoon he called me like most days and told me that the things he was having trouble with were clear to him now. He was excited about going back the following week but he never returned to that tutoring class. We were in the process of moving from Northern Wisconsin, where Jacob grew up, to Evansville, Wisconsin. We would be closer to Jacob and we planned to bring some more things down that weekend. Jacob's dad worked in Illinois so he just drove up to Evansville that Friday night. I would travel down from our home on Saturday.

When my husband arrived at the house on Friday night, Jacob wasn't home which wasn't too shocking because he spent a lot of time at the pool with his friends. Jacob never came home Friday night. We were all worried and shocked at the same time. It wasn't like Jacob not to call whenever he was gone for a long time he would call. I called his cell phone many times on Saturday without an answer. I didn't know it was sitting on his nightstand. That was strange because that phone seemed to be attached to some part of his body all the time. I arrived at mom's around noon on Saturday and Jacob was still not home.

We really started to worry because this wasn't right. He always called when he wasn't coming home to let us know where he was and when he would be home. We drove around looking in the park and around town asking kids if they had seen him and when. We even drove out of town thinking he may have gone someplace with someone that had a car. We spent lots of time calling the numbers on his cell phone thinking maybe one of them would know where he was.

On Saturday afternoon around 3 pm we called the Evansville Police Department. The officer came to the house and we filled out a missing persons report. The officer asked us questions and looked in his room. My husband told the officer that when he arrived on Friday evening Jacob's X-Box was on "Pause". To us that meant that someone had knocked on the door to drag him away from playing his game. When he was playing the video games nothing could drag him away from them. The Officer later returned with a copy of the report that went out to other police departments. Waiting for any news was a torture I never want to go through again.
We were talking about where he could be. My mom said something about the neighbor's sunroom door being unlocked. Jacob told her about it earlier that week because he had accidentally opened it. I thought what the heck I might as well check it out so I walked out of our sunroom door over to the neighbors who had recently moved. I opened the door and looked inside hoping that maybe Jacob had gone in and fell asleep. I didn't see anything.

I turned to walk back and met my husband coming out of the door. We saw Jacob at the same time. He was lying by the air conditioner behind my mom's apartment. We both yelled his name and ran over to him. My husband got there first and shook him. He turned to me and said," He is dead, go call the police". Jacob had a black plastic bag over his head. My husband ripped it open and walked away. I went to tell my mom that Jacob was dead and called 911. I told the police that I had filled out a missing persons report on him earlier and that we had found him dead outside my mom's apartment. When I saw him lying with that black plastic bag over his head my thought was that he had killed himself but I couldn't believe that he would do that. However I had heard earlier from his cousin that he was having some problems with some kids teasing him. It was really bothering him.

The police came to the house and started an investigation that would shock all of us in many ways. The officer told me something that I never thought I would hear about our son. The police officer told us that they thought Jacob was "huffing freon". I had never heard of such a thing. I looked at the officer and told him straight out that someone have had to shown him how to do that because there was no way he would thought of that on his own. It had been a problem around Evansville. The officer knew there had been 3 different kids sent to the hospital because of the huffing of freon. He told us that it does one of three things:
It will get you high as intended
It will freeze your lungs and send you to the hospital
It will KILL you

At that time the Rock County Detective came into the house and talked to the family including my brother and his wife. They asked us questions about Jacob such as what kind of a kid was he? When we last saw him? What time we last talked to him? I made it clear during that questioning that someone had to have shown him how to do that because " There is NO way" that he would have thought of that himself. They told us that they thought Jacob had laid there since sometime Friday.

On Sunday we received a phone call from a friend of Jacob's. She told me the names of two boys that she said had shown him this deadly high. I immediately called the Rock County Detective and informed him of this new development. They had to look for the boys but finally found them and talked to them. The two boys admitted that they did in fact show Jacob how to huff freon. When the detective told me this I was shocked to think that someone would show others how to do something that could possibly kill them. The most shocking thing is that the detective told us that there was nothing they could do to the boys because they denied they were with him that day. We found out a few days later that one of the boys was caught showing a 13 year old girl how to huff freon. These two boys are out showing other peoples children how to do this deadly thing and nothing is being done about it by our law enforcement.

Since Law enforcement isn't able or willing to protect our children, we as parents have to be their guardians. Please talk to your children; make sure they know just what freon can do to them. Huffing anything can KILL you. Our family still doesn't believe that Jacob was alone that day. I will close this with something that a dear friend said at Jacob's funeral. This touched me so much because it was truly Jacob as you can see in his picture.

"Remember Jacob's Smile And Carry It With You In Your Heart".

Red Ribbon Recap!

Red Ribbon Week 2009 was celebrated throughout the country last week, as communities, school systems, and advocacy groups nationwide came together to promote drug prevention awareness and education. In particular ACE would like to highlight the efforts put forth by communities in Kentucky, Florida, and Delaware, as each uniquely honored Red Ribbon Week!

Middle school students in Shelby County, Kentucky participated in a week long celebration, attending drug awareness assemblies, receiving self-stick ribbons that read “say peace out to drugs” and “join the fight against drugs.” Students were also given the opportunity to dress according to specific ‘Theme Days’ which included a 60’s inspired ‘say peace out to drugs day,’ a camouflage themed ‘join the fight against drugs day,’ and ‘wear red day.’

Students from North Dover Elementary in Delaware honored Red Ribbon week with a creative arts and crafts project; tracing, signing, and decorating their foot prints which were displayed all across the school. A banner reading “We’re stepped out against drugs” tied all of the foot prints together.

All schools in Gilchrist County, Florida were visited by a school resource officer who spoke to students about drug related issues. In particular, students from Trenton Elementary School received a ‘K-9 Demo’ in which they learned how police dogs track drugs.

ACE is looking forward to Red Ribbon Week 2010!

Celebrate Red Ribbon Week!

In case you missed it, October 23rd - October 31st is Red Ribbon Week- an annual anti-drug campaign sponsored by the National Family Partnership (NFP). Since its creation in 1985, Red Ribbon Week has become the largest and most visible drug prevention campaign in the U.S. with over 80 million participants!

The campaign’s focal point, the red ribbon, symbolizes an individual’s commitment to live a drug-free lifestyle; unifying communities across the country to take a stand against youth substance abuse and promote a drug-free America.

Red Ribbon Week was created to pay tribute to DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena who in 1985 was kidnapped and brutally murdered by Mexican drug traffickers. Be sure to visit www.nfp.org to learn more about Red Ribbon Week and to find events being held in your area!

EAA Steps Up to The Plate in Addressing Inhalant Abuse

ACE would like to thank the Eastern Aerosol Association (EAA) for all they are doing to help combat inhalant abuse.

This past summer, EAA partnered with the Camden Riversharks baseball team on an aerosol awareness project . ACE was pleased to see that as part of the project, EAA included a number of anti-huffing messages.

During the home games, ACE’s Public Service Announcement, Silence, was played on the large on-field screen. In addition, Queshia Bradley, ACE Education Programs Coordinator, conducted a live interview with the game announcer in stadium.

Third, EAA Board Members, during the games, volunteered their time to staff an informational tabletop display. In the photo below, EAA Board Trustees Maria-Lind Hansen and Chris Nyarady help distribute ACE’s materials and inform consumers about the dangers of inhalant abuse.

For more information on the Eastern Aerosol Association, please visit: http://www.easternaerosol.com/

ACE in the Community: CFC event!

The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is an annual workplace charity campaign that takes place from September 1st to December 15th in which federal employees donate to various charities.

ACE was invited by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to attend their Wellness & Work/Life Fair today. ACE was introduced to this group during the National Capital Area Combined Federal Campaign Leadership Conference Charity Fair.
Alyssa and Queshia of ACE exhibited at a table and talked to numerous attendees about the organization and its programs. This is the first of many CFC charity fairs ACE hopes to be exhibiting at this season!

If you are or know of a federal employee who participates in the CFC please tell them about ACE (CFC #12104). To invite ACE to your agency's CFC event, please contact Ms. Queshia Bradley at Qbradley@Consumered.org.

For more information on the CFC please click here.

Freon Abuse Story-It Does Hurt Family Too

First of all I want people to know that there is more than drugs around here to get you high that you don't think will hurt you. Your right, it will kill you.

First of all let me tell you, I am Tommy's mother and what I had to go through really hurts more than anything. I would rather go through labor 20 times over than losing my child. My only son and first child.

It all started August 4, 2005 around 10:30 am. I was downstairs with the baby daughter and watching Barney with her. Around that time I heard a thump from upstairs, which of course I thought maybe Tommy or his girlfriend was getting up out of bed or either they were arguing. Cause when anyone gets up from upstairs it sounds like a thump from down stairs. So I watched the stairs to see if anyone is coming down before I wanted to see what was going on. A few minutes later his girlfriend comes down and heads to the bathroom. So I figured that was his girlfriend getting up, the thump that I heard.

She was in there for awhile so I figured maybe she was cleaning up or something, cause I heard water running. Anyways close to 11:00 am. I go to wake my older daughter up to see if she was riding with me to Harrisburg, I had to go there to attend to some business. So as she was getting up his girlfriend heads back upstairs. My older daughter goes to the bathroom and then she comes out and tells me she is gonna ask his girlfriend if she can borrow some makeup from her. A few minutes later she comes down and says his girlfriend told her to get out of there and shut the door.

My daughter comes to me and says where is Tommy, I didn't see him. I said well he should be upstairs cause I didn't see him come down here and his jeep is still here. So he should be there. So my daughter says well I didn't see him. So she continues on getting ready while she is talking on the phone. I noticed that she goes back upstairs and then she comes running down to me and tells me that Tommy ain't moving.

I grabbed my baby daughter and run upstairs. I thought maybe he had passed out. I started barely pushing him on his shoulder and saying Tommy, get up, get up. Then I lightly shake him and start yelling louder Tommy, get up, please get up. He didn't move so I told my oldest daughter give me the phone right now. I call 911 to get someone here real quick. They start telling me to feel for a pulse, but of course I am so shaky that I can't tell. Then the lady asks me if anyone is here yet. I said I can't see I am upstairs. She says is anyone there that can perform CPR while I go check to see if anyone has arrived. I said I think his girlfriend can cause being in high school I figured she might have took the training. I run downstairs and see my mom and yell and tell her that Tommy ain't breathing. She runs over here. I run back upstairs and see that his girlfriend is still sitting in a chair on the phone. I get mad throw the phone and start to perform CPR on my son. Then my oldest daughter hands me back the phone and the 911 operator is making sure I am doing everything right. Which I am. My neighbor comes over and she has had CPR training, she starts to work on him.

Finally an ambulance arrives and they rush upstairs to work on him. Next thing I know they are rushing him to the hospital. The officer here asks everyone to stay till they can get all the names that was here in this home so they can do a investigation of what happened. Knowing I want to go to my son so bad, I have to stay and tell him what I knew and who was all here. In that process his girlfriend has someone to pick her up even though everyone was told to stay in this area till everything was taken care of. She leaves. Finally, the officer lets me leave. My oldest daughter gets a ride to the ER with a friend and my mom rushes me and my baby daughter to the ER. I rush into the ER and they want to know who I am and tell me to go out just for a minute while they work on him. They finally let me go in. I stand beside him and worrying what is going on. It really hurt to watch him lying there. They continue to work on him, so I step back outside to tell everyone I don't know. They give me a wheel chair to sit in and within just a few minutes of sitting down, the doctor comes out and tells me that he is sorry, but your son has passed away. I screamed and cried and went to the room where my son lies. I rubbed his hair, kissed him, cried so hard. Then all at once his right arm slowly dropped to my hand. Then I really started crying, knowing that was a sign he was gone and would be alright.

The coroner asked me if there was anything that he could do, the only thing I could say was bring my son back. He said he wished he could. I went out of the room crying telling everybody that he was gone, still crying so hard. Then the coroner comes to me and asks me what funeral home I would prefer to come pick him up. That is a hard thing for a parent to do. His father was on the road so he didn't get to see him in the ER. He had to wait when he got in and go the funeral home to see him. Now I would have to say how hard that would be to be traveling and get a call to come to the funeral home. I stayed at the hospital. Of all things to watch I watched my son being picked up by a hearse. Now who wants to watch their child being picked up in that way? It hurts.

The autopsy came back clean, the only thing in his system was caffeine, which of course he loved his coke drink. So I really can't tell ya what really caused his death. A lie detector test was not taken, since she agreed to one, they figured they wouldn't have to give one. Freon was not found in his room, it was in another room across the hall. So I don't know. They say possible Freon inhalation. Not proven actual Freon inhalation. What really gets me is that my son was raised around Freon. His dad installed and cleaned air conditioners for people, and not once have we had to deal with this kind of stuff. Never even heard of this. So where Tommy had learned this, I have no idea. Tommy hated drugs and couldn't even stand smoking. So go figure.

My son Tommy loved to go out with his friends and have fun with his jeep mud and all. He would come home sometimes his jeep so darn muddy and him too. As soon as his mudding was done he would get out his water hose and armor all and shine his jeep all up again. He liked to go mudding but couldn't stand for it to stay muddy. I miss him in the back yard just doing his little things. Cleaning his jeep or just working on things. He loved his little sister Destiny, he would give her rides in his jeep, she loved the jeep too. When he had money and would go anywhere, he bought her toy jeeps to play with. I still have them too. As for his big sister Heather, well they got along sometimes, but that is older siblings for you. He would take her places sometimes but not always. You know how that goes for older ones.
His favorite movie that got him into his mudding and jumping was Dukes of Hazzard. He loved that movie so much. So every time we went to Tennessee we had to go by Cooter's Place. His favorite place in Tennessee.

We all miss him so much and wish this had never happened. Tommy will never be forgotten.
If that is what happened all I can say is please keep Freon out of reach for any child. What you think won't hurt you, will eventually kill you.

-Tommy's mom