Students polled about social norms

    Editor’s note: A question about releasing the results of the biannual Illinois Youth Survey was asked at the Chamber of Commerce forum last month. Candidate Tim Cragg, president of the Board of Education, made good on a promise to The Free Press Advocate, and that data has been released.
    Although its students have participated for many years, this is the first time the School District 209-U administration has agreed to release the results of the Illinois Youth Survey, as neighboring districts do.
    The Illinois Youth Survey is self-report survey that gathers information about health and social indicators such as bullying, depression, smoking, drinking and drug use. Wilmington students in eighth grade participate in the survey during language arts class, 10th and 12th graders take it during physical education classes, explained Dr. Matt Swick, superintendent.
    The survey is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and administered in even-numbered years by the University of Illinois’ Center for Prevention Research and Development.
    School districts receive individualized reports that can be used to assess needs, track progress toward the district’s physical, social and mental health goals, and evaluate student support services. The Wilmington Coalition for a Healthy Community uses the survey data to support its Drug Free Communities grant application, which was awarded for programs focused on curbing teen tobacco and alcohol use.
    Ninety-two sophomores and 51 seniors participated in the survey that was administered in the spring 2016 Illinois Youth Survey. Here’s what the students had to say:
Alcohol use
Sophomores
    Fifty-three percent of sophomores admitted to using alcohol in the previous year. Seventy-three percent said they do not drink regularly.
    Thirty-five percent said it’s very wrong to drink regularly and 24 percent labeled the activity as “wrong.” Fifty-one percent said it is sort of easy to very easy to obtain alcohol. Friends and parties were the most commonly listed sources.
    Forty-eight percent said they’d talked with a parent about not using alcohol in the past year. Seventy-eight percent were cautioned about drinking and driving or riding with a drunk driver, and 43 percent said their parents would always find out if they drank and drove.
    Seventy-seven percent said their families have clear rules about alcohol and drug use.
Seniors
    Fifty-seven percent of seniors admitted to using alcohol in the previous year. Fifty-six percent said they do not drink regularly.
    Eighteen percent said it’s very wrong to drink regularly and 28 percent labeled the activity as “wrong.” Eight percent said it is sort of easy to very easy to obtain alcohol. Friends and parties were the most commonly listed sources.
    Forty-five percent said they’d talked with a parent about not using alcohol in the past year. Eighty percent were cautioned about drinking and driving or riding with a drunk driver, but only 35 percent were certain their parents would catch them drinking and driving.
    Seventy-five percent said their families have clear rules about alcohol and drug use.

Tobacco use
Sophomores
    Seventy-four percent said they’d never smoked a cigarette, not even a puff, and 79 percent said they’d never used other tobacco products.
    Fifty-two percent said smoking cigarettes is very wrong, 23 percent said it’s “wrong.” Forty-nine percent reported they’d talked with a parent about not using tobacco in the past year.
    Half of the sophomores felt it would be sort of easy to very easy to obtain cigarettes.
Seniors
    Thirty-five percent said they’d used cigarettes, other smoked tobacco, chewing tobacco, hookah or e-cigarettes in the 30 days before being surveyed.
    Thirty-two percent said smoking cigarettes is very wrong, while 28 percent said smoking cigarettes is “wrong.” Forty-two percent said they’d talked with a parent about not using tobacco in the past year.
    Eighty-eight percent of the senior respondents felt it would be sort of easy to easy to obtain cigarettes.

Marijuana
Sophomores
    Seventeen percent said they’d used marijuana in the past year, and 11 percent admitted to marijuana use in the past 30 days.
    Sixty-five percent said its wrong or very wrong to smoke marijuana.
    Only 36 percent thought it would be sort of to very easy to obtain marijuana. Most got it from a friend, although some did purchase it from someone who sells drugs.
Seniors
    Eighteen percent reported marijuana use in the past year, and 6 percent said they’d used it in the 30 days leading up to the survey. Sixty percent said its wrong or very wrong to smoke marijuana, and reported that 47 percent of their peers and 94 percent of parents would consider smoking marijuana wrong or very wrong.
    A bit more than half thought it would be sort of to very easy to obtain marijuana. Most got it from a friend, although some admitted buying it from someone who sells drugs.

Bullying
Sophomores
    Thirty-three percent of the underclassmen surveyed said they’d been bullied by someone calling them names in the previous 12 months, and 11 percent said that they had been intensely bullied (all types of bullying). Thirteen percent said they’d actually been hit, punched, kicked or pushed. Twenty-four percent said they’d been bullied, harassed or been the subject of rumors circulated on the internet or through text messages.
Seniors
    Thirty-seven percent of the senior surveyed said they’d been bullied by someone calling them names in the previous 12 months, and 6 percent said that they had been intensely bullied (all types of bullying). Just 6 percent said they’d actually been hit, punched, kicked or pushed. Thirty-three percent said they’d been bullied, harassed or been the subject of rumors circulated on the internet or through text messages.

Other items
    Sixty percent of the sophomores and 61 percent of the seniors reported being involved in a school athletic program, with about one-fourth and one-third respectively being involved in other sport programs. Thirty-eight percent of sophomores are involved in service or activity clubs such as Scouting and 4-H, while 56 percent of the seniors reported involvement. Twenty-one percent of sophomores and 26 percent of seniors are involved in a church youth group or other faith-based group.
    Just 2 percent of the sophomores and 5 percent of the seniors surveyed in 2016 report involvement in a youth drug prevention leadership group.
    Sixty-nine percent of sophomores and 62 percent of seniors felt it pretty much true to very much true that at school, there is a teacher or some other adult who really cares about them. Fifty-eight percent of the younger students and 57 percent of the senior students said there is an adult, other than a parent, that they could talk to about important things in their lives.
    The survey results are shared with administrators who use the data to develop programs aimed at changing student behaviors and attitudes.
    “From our perspective, none of it’s top secret. It’s just that it’s self-reported, so you don’t know the validity [of the responses],” Dr. Swick said. “... but it’s not ignored by any means. We get it to the right people who can make decisions and try to help the kids.”
    The district is a partner in Coalition activities, and tries to reinforce appropriate behaviors in health classes, through the Lions Quest program and preventative initiatives such as random drug testing.
    “Virtually everything covered in the Illinois Youth Survey, we’re already in some way trying to discourage — or encourage the positive behaviors,” Dr. Swick said.
    “But it’s not about the heavy stick, because you know they’ve got a problem,” the superintendent added. “So counseling is important. And I’m glad to see the Coalition has some local counseling now, because that’s always been a challenge, sending a kid to Riverside or Joliet.”
    The superintendent believes it’s important that parents are aware of the test so that they and school officials understand if kids are making poor choices and how prevalent an issue is. He also believes it’s equally important for parents to recognize the dangers, are actively engaged with their kids, talking with them, looking in their rooms, and not just assuming their kids are making the right choices — because even good kids are pressured to stray.
    “Kids are kids, you just hope and pray. I have two teenagers of my own and I pray every day that they stay away from that stuff,” Dr. Swick said.