The Whitehall-Coplay Communities That Care group got together March 15 to discuss ways to address the group’s different priorities.

Denise Continenza, CTC coordinator, asked those attending the meeting to do something a little different compared to the group’s usual open discussion format. The attendees broke into groups to workshop different ideas about how best to address three of the group’s recently identified priorities. The specific areas focused on at this meeting were parent education regarding favorable attitudes toward anti-social behavior, youth recognition in the community and an increase in students’ commitment to school.

At the end of the meeting, Continenza collected the suggestions. The group’s next meeting will involve further discussion based on the input provided by the groups.

Other factors identified by the group as priorities include a perceived low risk of substance abuse among the students, food insecurity and career education.

Nicole Sharkazy, Whitehall High School site coordinator of Communities in Schools of the Lehigh Valley, and Jen Bodnar, WHS physical education teacher and SADD Club adviser, reported they would be submitting a grant to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to support a post-prom event in 2020. Data from the Pennsylvania Youth Survey will be included in the grant application.

This would give the students a safe space to enjoy themselves and continue the party with friends. It was mentioned that, too often, the parties hosted by parents include underage drinking, which can be harmful to the students. The district is looking for help financing an alternative to keep the students safe and sober.

One of the concerns questioned the best method of attracting students to come to the event. Sharkazy mentioned there would be incentives for the students who attend as a way of enticing them join the party.

Sharkazy and Bodnar said they are looking for input from the students as to what would make them attend such a gathering. Bodnar has been in contact with other school districts that put on a similar post-prom party and is discovering what has worked for them and what has not.

Continenza reported she has been appointed to lead Penn State Extension’s opioid response team. This team will bring a cross-section of people across different disciplines to address one issue. This is the first time a group this diverse and varied has been brought together by the extension.

Shari Noctor, chair of Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative, noted the Snack Pack Pals program in the Whitehall-Coplay School District has been such a success that other school districts, including Parkland, Northwestern and Northern Lehigh, are now using the WCSD program as the model.

The CTC next meets 8:30 a.m. April 12 at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3355 MacArthur Road, Whitehall.