Tolland Youth Services Receives $10,000 Grant

Tolland Youth Services has received a $10,000 grant to fund a new student group called VOICES: Youth and Police, Partnering for a Better Community. Youth Services will work jointly with Tolland High School and the town’s resident state troopers to encourage students to address issues such as bullying, substance abuse and teen suicide and depression.

Tolland won the competitive grant because the VOICES program fits the grant criteria of promoting “positive youth development” and will “increase the numbers of police officers who are experienced and comfortable working and interacting with youth," according to Youth Services Coordinator Nancy Dunn.

She said that a large portion of the state Office of Policy and Management’s Police and Youth Program grant will be used to pay overtime for the troopers, who will be training to interact with youth while on the job.

“That’s how we’re going to learn the tools we need for the job,” Tolland resident trooper Sgt. Scott Smith said. He said that he wants to build a rapport between high school students and police officers so officers can establish an open dialogue and better provide public safety.

“If they don’t know you, they’re not going to talk to you,” Smith said.

Everyone involved seems to agree that the youth in Tolland need a program to address their needs. According to Smith, troopers have seen an increase in calls to the high school for substance abuse issues or students displaying signs of depression or suicidal thoughts in the past year.

Smith said he is unsure if there is actually an increase in these incidents or if the death of student last year has brought these issues to the forefront for students. Regardless, Smith says that without a DARE program or trooper presence at the school, VOICES will help the school address crucial issues.

“There are issues in the school,” Smith said. “People will say there’s nothing going on in Tolland, but there is. 

According to the ERASE  (East of the River Action for Substance Abuse Elimination, Inc.) survey posted on the Tolland Board of Education Web site, alcohol abuse is another trend that is too prevalent in the student community.

In the survey, conducted in June 2010, 50 percent of 11th graders and 58.7 percent of 12th graders said they had used alcohol in the past month. Of those students, 37.8 percent of 11th graders and 49.1 percent of 12th graders admitted to binge drinking in the past month. For purposes of the survey, binge drinking is defined as having four or more drinks at a single occasion.

“It’s a prevalent issue,” Dunn said of underage drinking. “It’s not just a concern for parents, it’s a concern for students, as well.”

According to Dunn, the students at Tolland High School have met twice already to discuss the program and student issues. Nearly 90 students, invited to the meeting as student leaders, showed up to determine what issues are important to them.

The participants narrowed the possibilities down to three essential areas: bullying, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts and depression.

Dunn said that the students are generally very positive about the new group and are glad that VOICES will give them the opportunity to speak up.

“They feel like they’re being heard,” Dunn said.

According to Dunn, Tolland was one of 11 towns chosen to receive the grant. Thirty-two applications were received in total.

The VOICES program is still in the preliminary planning stages, but will become active in the early fall.