Empower shows parents potential warning signs
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FAIRMONT - Empower Martin County gave parents the opportunity to see inside a recreated teen bedroom at Fairmont High School's Open House on Monday to test them on what they do and don't know about teens and signs of drug and alcohol usage.
Empower Martin County is an organization focused on empowering Martin County youth and families to prevent substance misuse, support mental health and promote overall wellness.
The bedroom was only available to people 21 or older, to not introduce any of the paraphernalia or hiding spots to any youth.
Project Coordinator Desta Owens said the main goal of the teen bedroom is to show parents risk and protective factors for youth substance use and mental health concerns. Protective factors are positive influences that can set them up to make good decisions.
"Being involved in healthy activities, 4-H, things through school, things like that," she said. "Having a great friend group, youth group, great coaches. Risk factors being things that might be signs of substance use. We’ve shown some different hides, paraphernalia and drug references, things like that, so parents can have things to watch out for."
After parents were tested on what they could suss out and what they couldn't find, they were provided with a folder of resources so they can have conversations with their kids about drugs, alcohol and mental health.
"We remind them that just because you see one of these items doesn’t mean that you know your child is going down the wrong path," Owens said. "It’s something to be aware of. Everything else in there is resources on how to talk to your children, and different resources on different substances. Vaping, nicotine pouches, cannabis, opioids."
This is the first year Martin County Empower Coalition has done this event, but Owens said it is not a new concept.
"There are other groups throughout the state that have done pretty much the same thing," she said. "We’ve replicated a lot of what they’ve done and tried to kind of make it our own to fit our area, showing different activities students might be involved in from our area."
For example, the made-up student for the bedroom is involved in soccer, one of the protective factors parents were tested on.
It was first set up at the Martin County Fair as a test run, where they got around 100 entrants who provided a good sample set for what was easy to find and what was more difficult.
"I would say the more outward-facing things like the posters that might be referencing [drugs], but then also the protective factors are pretty easy to find," Owens said. "You always know the positive things that are happening within your student’s life. The more difficult things have been some of the smaller hides that the bedroom has."
In leading parents through this experience at the fair and the open house, Owens said it's been a good way to start conversations with them on the presented information.
"Parents were excited we had this out there," she said. "They were thankful for it. As far as our day-to-day interactions, parents are always thankful to get more resources on things that they don’t always feel equipped to tackle themselves. There’s things you don’t know as you go into parenting, and there are also a lot of things that we learn from parents on the day-to-day."
While they have had it in Fairmont so far, Owens said they are looking to bring it to other school districts in Martin County, as well as community events where a display like this would be relevant.
Overall, Owens said they feel they have met the goals they set by getting this information in front of parents in a new way.