Coalition for Simi Valley Youth gaining influence
Group against teen drinking about to begin second year
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers ALLIANCE- From left, Sgt. Darin Muehler of the SVPD, Nancy Lukunich, Scott and Kristin Tignac, and Cpt. Ken Tacke of the SVPD are members of the recently formed Coalition for Simi Valley Youth and Community. The group was attending the Police Foundation 11th annual Community Awards Luncheon at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Sept. 20.

The Coalition for Simi Valley Youth and Community is a snowball that just keeps getting bigger.

While its goal last year was to gather information on how Simi teenagers are able to get their hands on alcohol, the organization in its second year will be trying to find new and effective ways to keep it out of those hands.

The ultimate goal is to curb underage drinking in Simi and its surrounding communities.

"The grant we had the first year was a needs assessment grant. . . . The statistics we were able to get supported that there is an issue with underage drinking in our area," said coalition coordinator and founder Kristin Tignac. "This year we have an implementation grant. We think there can be policy changes that would reduce the access to alcohol."

The moneys the coalition earned come from federal funds that are distributed to the state and then filter down to the county level in the form of grants.

Tignac, whose four children grew up in Simi Valley, said she wrote the initial grant to start the coalition after discovering just how serious the problem of underage drinking was.

"It was an eye-opener," Tignac said.

According to a 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, there are about 11 million underage drinkers in the United States. About 7.2 million are considered binge drinkers who typically consume more than five drinks in one sitting.

According to a 2005 survey conducted by the International Institute for Alcohol Awareness, about half of all high school students in California had admitted to having at least one drink of alcohol within the prevous month. Gathered every two years, information for the next survey will be collected in October.

This year, Tignac said, the coalition will concentrate on increasing parents' knowledge of their children's drinking habits. She also wants businesses to watch out for teenagers who attempt to buy or steal alcohol.

Straight Up, a member of the coalition, is a project of Ventura County Limits based in Camarillo. It relays a similar message by staging mock parties for parents where teenagers act out scenes from a high school party. The most recent mock party was held on Sept. 15 in Thousand Oaks. Straight Up will host another party in Oak Park on Saturday, Sept. 29.

The coalition is hosting an adult reality party at a member's home in Simi Valley on Saturday, Oct. 6 (see sidebar on page 13). To volunteer, call the coalition at (805) 955-9052. To attend, call Straight Up at (805) 647-4622.

These mock parties give parents an idea of what potentially could happen when teenagers abuse alcohol in an unsupervised environment.

"The message we're working on right now is 'Drinking in Moderation,' " said C. Scott Campbell, a 2007 graduate of Santa Susana High School who's been involved with Straight Up for about a year and a half. "We're trying to prevent kids from drinking and driving. Our focus is on people ages 16 to 25. You can't prevent everyone from drinking, but you can promote safety and the well-being of others."

Campbell, 18, was introduced to the coalition at its first meeting of the year on Sept. 5. The coalition and Straight Up want to continue working together, he said. Campbell's reason for trying to help curb underage drinking is very personal.

"Growing up, my biological mom was into drinking all the time. It wasn't a good lifestyle to be around, and I got myself into it," said Campbell, a freshman at Cal State Northridge who hopes to become an English teacher. "I got into a rough patch. I've been through it; I know what it's like and the negative things that happen with underage drinking.

"I look at this as a way to give back to those that helped me get out of that lifestyle."

With Campbell's help, the coalition plans on several other events this year.

On Saturday, Oct. 20 the group will set up a kiosk from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Simi Valley Town Center mall that will feature a questionnaire for teenagers to fill out.

"They don't even have to put their name on it. We want to find how easy is it for teenagers to get alcohol in Simi Valley, if they get it at a private home or did their parents buy it for them or another person," said coalition member Nancy Lukunich. "In return, we'll give them a gift card."

Tignac said the coalition is developing a program called "You Lift It, You Lose It," where teenagers will place signs in grocery stores warning their peers about the consequences of stealing alcohol. One of those consequences can include losing a driver's license, which Tignac hopes will grab the attention of teenagers.

Acorn Bits

Straight Up Ventura County is presenting a teen house party reenactment to increase parent awareness and understanding of the social issues and the dangers young people face today regarding underage and binge drinking.

On Saturday, Oct. 6, adults will tour a home in Simi Valley every 30 minutes between 5 and 9 p.m. Tours last approximately 25 minutes, followed by a short discussion. The address will be given when the reservation is made.

The Coalition for Simi Valley Youth and Community is hosting this eye-opening event.

"One of our main concerns is educating parents on the dangers of letting teens drink alcohol," said coalition member Candace Gray. "Many teens state that their parents haven't a clue when it comes to what actually happens at the parties or 'kick backs' they attend, reported in youth focus groups we conducted last year."

A Simi Valley home will be set-up to portray a local teen drinking party. Parents and other adults will have the opportunity to tour the rooms of the house to see various activities that have become a "normal" part of teen parties in Ventura County. Teen actors throughout the county will play the parts of young people engaging in dangerous activities and will express the attitudes and concerns that teens reported to the Straight Up and Coalition for Simi Valley Youth and Community focus groups.

Adults only are invited to this event. There is no fee.

For reservations or information, call (805) 6474622 or email katherine@straightupvc.org.

Straight Up is a project of Ventura County Limits and is made possible through funding from the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department Alcohol and Drug Prevention Division. For more information, visit www.straightupvc.org.