Youth Services
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TOBACCO PREVENTION
Tobacco is the most preventable cause of death in the United States, and is responsible for 1 out of 5 deaths. Nome Community Center has made it their mission to empower the youth of Nome change that statistic, for their future.
K-12 NOME PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROGRAM
It is projected that 18,000 Alaskan Youth alive today will die at the hands of tobacco if the trend continues. The Nome Community Center has partnered with Nome Public Schools in an effort to change that trend.
The K-12 Tobacco Prevention Program functions under a grant held by Nome Public Schools that is administered by the Nome Community Center. The two organizations joined forces to tackle tobacco issues at the schools: Nome Elementary School, Nome Beltz Jr/Sr High School, Anvil City Science Academy, and Nome Youth Facility School.
The goal of the program is to prevent tobacco use through education. The Program Coordinator brings students a living tobacco-free message in the schools via presentations, work with at risk groups, cessation counseling and support, a youth group called TATU (Teens Against Tobacco Use), and maintaining a presence at local events such as health fairs and carnivals. The Program Coordinator holds office hours at Beltz High School and the Nome Community Center.
If you or your child would like to enroll in tobacco-cessation classes with a certified Tobacco Cessation Counselor, call 443-5259. It is important to encourage your child to take control over their health and future. It is equally as important to lead by example.
TOBACCO FREE CAMP
Each year Nome Community Center's Tobacco-Free Programs offer youth the opportunity to attend Tobacco-Free Camp in Council, Alaska.
Camp is an intrinsic part of the summer culture in Nome Alaska. It is an important time for subsistence with fish and berries, enjoying the beauty and bounty of the land. Recognizing the importance of this lifestyle, NCC takes the opportunity to embrace the cultural activities and blend them with a tobacco free message. These ideas beget the quote: "It's choice, not tradition" speaking of tobacco use and its link to subsistence lifestyle.
Campers find themselves boating, fishing, berry picking, hiking, swimming, building shelters and campfires, as well as learning essential survival skills. Alongside these nature skills and activities, youth also learn how to say no to tobacco products, why it's important for their health to avoid tobacco, and understand how to protect themselves from second-hand smoke.
The youth that attend tobacco-free camp embrace their environment, gain confidence in their abilities and their power to speak out, and are the beginning of a tobacco-free future.
"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build
our youth for the future."
~Franklin D. Roosevelt
YOUTH ALCOHOL REHABILITATION AND PREVENTION PROGRAM
All alcohol and drug prevention programs are grant-funded and encourage youth to make healthy choices for their future. Some programs are interventions for youth who have been caught using drugs or alcohol, and others are intended to educate kids about the risks before they get involved with these dangerous substances. The goal of these programs is to influence youth to want positive, healthy lifestyles and break the cycle of substance abuse.
If you know a youth who needs help with an alcohol problem, call the Nome Community Center at 443-5259. We will work to find the right program that fits their needs.
EUDL
Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Outreach (EUDL) is funded by a grant from the Alaska Department of Juvenile Justice. The EUDL grant funds Nome Community Center's outreach program that works with minors from the Bering Strait Region currently serving detention at the Nome Youth Facility, high school students at Nome-Beltz enrolled in Health class, as well as youth referred to the program through Youth Court (link). The goal of the EUDL program is to reduce the rate of underage consumption in the Nome Community.
The program's dual focus promotes the reduction of underage drinking from two angles. The first approach is holding youth accountable for their violation of the underage drinking laws. This accountability is enacted by the Community Service (link) program, which ensures the completion of Community Work Service Hours required by a Youth Court sentence. The youth participate in a variety of community service activities designed to positively impact the community, as well as provide the opportunity to work with positive role models.
The second focus of the program is advocacy. Through the Prime for Life (link) program, youth become better prepared to make educated decisions regarding drug and alcohol use. Prime for Life focuses on delivering accurate information, being empathetic with the youths' situation, guiding personal choices, teaching drug-resistance, supporting change and planning for success. The program is an effective tool used by the EUDL program in order to encourage behavior change as well as prevent drug abuse in the future.
EUDL instructors also support the work of the local Underage Drinking Coalition. Check out projects created through the EUDL program on our projects page.
JASAAP
JASAAP stands for Juvenile Alcohol Substance Abuse Action Plan. It is a program supported by the State of Alaska and utilized by the Nome Community Center to combat and prevent underage drinking and substance abuse in the Bering Strait Region. JASAAP Coordinators act as a liason with the Alaska Court System, Probation Office, Division of Motor Vehicles, Nome Public Schools and Tribal Organizations to promote programs and work with at-risk youth. Coordinators implement programs such as Prime for Life with support from EUDL and K-12 Tobacco Prevention, and work with other community members through the Committee Against Minors Consuming (CAMC) to develop and implement a community-wide awareness campaign primarily through the Prime for Life course.
Prime for Life is an evidenced-based alcohol and drug prevention program produced in Lexington Kentucky. The program encourages youth to challenge the way they think and make their choices. The goal of the program is to motivate youth to protect the things they values most by making low-risk choices concerning drugs and alcohol. Nome Community Center currently implements this program at Nome Public Schools in 9th grade health classes and tobacco referral programs. Prime for Life is also a component of a minor's sentence when they are charged with an offence through the Youth Court program.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
The Nome Community Center believes in the value of service to the community as a means of rehabilitation, community improvement as well as individual betterment. The Community Service Director works with individuals referred to a community service program to find opportunities for valuable and meaningful service in Nome. Community Service provides a chance to be connected with positive role models, increase self-esteem and find value within the Nome community.
If you have a community service project you think would benefit a Youth Court defendant, or to learn about available opportunities please call the Nome Community Center at 443-5259. If you are looking for other ways to volunteer your time to the Nome Community Center, visit our Volunteer page.
YOUTH COURT
Nome Youth Court (NYC) is a grant-funded program. It is established to offer youth offenders a second chance and provide civic learning opportunities for youth in the community.
JOIN YOUTH COURT
As the name implies, Youth Court is primarily run by teens aged 13-18. Teens are encouraged to join at any time by attending a Youth Court meeting. In order to serve as an attorney, judge or baliff, members are required to pass a bar exam. Volunteering for youth court offers members a chance to explore Alaska's judicial system, understand the value of justice and equality in the courtroom, and develop skills such as public speaking, professionalism, case objectivity and rational decision making.
NYC also expands beyond seriousness of the courtroom. Members also organize events such as dances, teen nights, lock-ins and gift-wrapping session to raise funds. The money raised is used for future events and trips such as the annual Youth Courts of Alaska Conference.
If you are a teen interested in joining NYC, please call 443-5259 for information on future meetings and events.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS
Youth Court gives juvenile offenders an opportunity to keep their crime off their record. Only juveniles who plead "no contest" at Juvenile Intake for Class A or B misdemeanors have an opportunity to be sentenced through Youth Court. "No contest" is a plea in which the defendant neither admits nor denies their crime, but agrees to accept the sentence without contest. The defendants' sentences focus on rehabilitation and mediation (when a victim is involved): in other words, healing and righting wrongs. The bulk of a sentence is Community Work Service hours, which are spent doing a variety of activities that improve the community and offer positive role models for the youth. Defendants can also be sentenced to write essays or apology letters to the victim(s) or their parents, sibling(s), or others who may have been affected. In cases of theft or property damage, restitution is also incorporated into the sentence.
MACLAB
Computer knowledge is now an essential skill in our technologically advancing nation. MacLab was created to offer an opportunity for youth to glean more skills and knowledge of Mac programs such as iLife, iMovie, iPhoto, Keynote, Pages, Numbers, Garage Band, iTunes, as well as basic computer programs such as Microsoft Office and Internet use. Students can come for homework help, or if they are interested in working on media projects for tobacco and alcohol education.
To make an appointment, or to see when MacLab is available, please call 443-5259. Open up your media mind with MacLab.
INTERNET RADIO STATION
Vona Radio is a youth-run internet radio station managed by the Nome Community Center. Currently in its developing stages, the goal is to encourage youth to record their own shows, play their own music, and talk about issues important to them. For many young adults, music is the ultimate form of expression and an excellent way to communicate to the world.
The radio station also serves as a portal to broadcast PSAs developed by the Nome Community Center and Nome's youth. The PSAs bring positive messaging to life for the community.
To check out the station, go to http://www.live365.com/stations/vonaradio.
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
Boys and Girls Club of Nome is funded through grants and donations. Located at 415 West 2nd Street, the Boys and Girls Club opens its doors to Nome's youth, providing a safe environment for them to learn and grow, positive ongoing relationships with adults that care, and life enhancing programs and fun activities. The Boys and Girls Club aims to encourage positive character development through instruction, role modeling, and new experiences.
The club is open Monday through Friday from 2:00pm to 6:00pm for kids from 6 to 18 years old. The club also offers teen nights, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Some daily club activities include Power Hour, which offers homework help, book reading assistance, and computer and internet use, Arts and Crafts, such as oil painting, sketching, coloring, beading etc, as well as Triple Play, which includes games like jump rope, musical chairs, limbo, and twister. Staff are always on the premises during open hours, and volunteers are always welcome.
VOLUNTEER / DONATE
Call 443-6006 if you are interested in volunteering your time, or donating items such as food, games, toys and movies in good condition. All volunteers are required to pass a Background check prior to working with youth members.
Also, visit our Volunteer or Donations page for more information.
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