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02/28/2024 08:30 AMAs prevention coordinator for Guilford Youth & Family Services (GYFS) and in her role with Guilford D.A.Y. (Developmental Assets for Youth), Leah Foster is especially excited to help welcome Chris Herren back to town to support Guilford’s youth and the mission of Guilford D.A.Y.
“Chris Herren is a former basketball star who struggled with addiction and now is a motivational speaker, so he has a very big platform from which to talk to about living substance-free and how to get out of that mindset,” says Leah.
Herren first spoke in Guilford about 10 years ago. In addition, Herren’s “Project Purple,” which represents kids living substance-free, has also tied into Guilford D.A.Y.’s annual display of purple flags town wide during D.A.Y. Week. The annual week of events and prevention awareness takes place each spring.
“Chris Herren coming here back then was a catalyst for a lot of what’s currently happening in D.A.Y. and has been happening since then,” says Leah.
Since 2009, Herren, a former NBA player, has spoken to over two million students, athletes, and community members nationwide about substance-use prevention and wellness, according to herrentalks.com. As a person in long-term recovery, Herren shares his story to develop honest conversations about these topics, in addition to promoting prevention education and challenging audiences to rethink the ways the disease of addiction is viewed.
Herren’s two upcoming Guilford talks will take place on Tuesday, May 21, which is during D.A.Y. Week. On that day, Herren will speak to all Guilford High School (GHS) students during a school assembly. That evening, Herren will speak during a free community gathering set for 6:30 p.m. at GHS.
Both talks are being funded by Town of Guilford federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that were earmarked for this D.A.Y. program by the Board of Selectmen.
“It’s really important that all of the students are going to hear Chris Herren’s talk, but we are also really encouraging parents to come to the evening event that we’re having,” says Leah. “We’re really hoping parents and community members will come out and support what the kids are learning about during the day and, through programs at school, to be a catalyst for those conversations at home.”
As a licensed master social worker (LMSW), Leah also provides clinical work at GYFS. She earned her master’s in social work at UConn’s School of Social Work. Leah first came to GYFS as a clinical social work intern in 2021. Leah was hired as the GYFS youth prevention coordinator in Feb. 2022, and she also works with Guilford D.A.Y.
Guilford D.A.Y. brings together a coalition of youth and adult volunteers with the focus of unifying the community to build a healthier environment for Guilford youth. At its website (itsworthitguilford.org), Guilford D.A.Y. shares that this result can be created by demonstrating that the community values its youth, by reinforcing the importance of family boundaries, by encouraging adult role models, and by applauding positive peer influence.
“Through these efforts, Guilford D.A.Y. and its supporters will help Guilford youth make positive choices, ultimately reducing drug and alcohol use,” the coalition notes.
Most recently, Guilford D.A.Y. presented the results of its annual Attitudes and Behaviors Community Youth Survey that was conducted with the Search Survey Institute. In addition to sharing the results with Guilford’s Board of Education and Board of Selectmen, survey results are also available for the public to view at itsworthitguilford.org.
“We’ve been doing the survey since 2010. It’s kind of a snapshot of the youths’ day in life, such how they’re experiencing relationships and boundaries, and those developmental assets,” says Leah. “It’s been a really helpful tool for D.A.Y. in seeing how things have progressed and why.”
Leah says that, not surprisingly, the latest results reflect a continuing downward trend, since 2010, in youths’ perceptions of the risks involved with most types of substance use. Fallout from the COVID pandemic, increased use, and legalization laws are factors in this trend, says Leah.
“Things are more accessible and more normalized. That’s something we’re definitely keeping an eye on,” she says.
In good news, participation in youth programs is up.
“That’s showing us that providing the education and the spaces for youth to have those pro-social experiences in really important,” Leah says.
Volunteers are always needed to assist Guilford D.A.Y. in its efforts. There are a variety ways to get involved that don’t require an extensive time commitment, but will still make a difference, Leah says.
Leah encourages community members, parents, youth, and families to visit itsworthitguilford.org for more information. The website is also packed with information about upcoming events, education and training opportunities, tips and facts on substance-use prevention, and much more. Programs, events, and other updates are also shared at on Instagram (@guilford.day) and at Guilford Day on Facebook.