When Shaquana Divers talked with her teenage daughter about e-cigarettes, she was shocked to learn just how popular they are with kids at school. Her daughter said that even though kids are told about the harms of e-cigarettes, many still use them. Some start using as early as sixth grade. Divers, an Executive Program Manager with Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, was concerned about the growing popularity of e-cigarettes.

Numbers to Gasp At

Parents like Divers aren’t the only ones shocked to learn about the popularity of e-cigarettes. In New York state, e-cigarette use among youth increased 160 percent between 2014 and 2018.

One in four high school students in New York said they used e-cigarettes at least once in 2018.  The U.S. Surgeon General has gone so far as to declare the  increase in youth vaping as an epidemic. 

Behind the Smokescreen

E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid (sometimes called “vape juice” or “e-juice”) to produce an aerosol vapor that is inhaled. They are also known as vape pens, e-cigs, mods or by a common brand name,  JUUL®.

E-cigarettes can look like a variety of objects, such as USB drives, cigarettes or pens. They can easily be hidden. In fact, some devices don’t even produce a vapor cloud when exhaled, making them harder to spot.

Small Device, Big Problems

Many young people believe that e-cigarettes are less harmful than other tobacco products. But e-cigarettes are not harmless. They can contain a number of dangerous ingredients such as:

• cancer-causing chemicals
• chemicals linked to lung disease
• heavy metals, such as nickel, tin, and lead
• ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs
• high levels of nicotine

It is unsafe for young people to use any product containing nicotine. Nicotine can cause addiction, harm the developing brain and affect memory and attention. Some e-cigarette cartridges have a higher concentration of nicotine than a pack of cigarettes.

Many people aren’t aware that e-cigarettes can contain nicotine. One study showed that 63 percent of JUUL® users between 15-24 years old didn’t know the product contains nicotine.

Wheezing, Explosions and Long-Term Risk

Research shows that e-cigarettes can also have other health impacts. E-cigarette use among young people may:

• Lead to chronic cough, bronchitis and wheezing 
• Increase heart rate and blood pressure 
• Increase the likelihood of smoking traditional cigarettes 

According to the CDC, e-cigarettes can also have defective batteries that can cause fires and explosions. A few of these have led to serious injuries, including  third degree burns, broken teeth, and even loss of vision.

Since e-cigarettes are still a relatively new product, scientists don’t know all of the long-term side effects of e-cigarettes.

Tips For Having “the vape talk”

With serious health risks and a lot of misinformation, it’s important to talk with your child about e-cigarettes. For Divers, open conversations are a key to her parenting strategy. That’s why she made it a priority to talk with her daughter about e-cigarettes and support her in continuing to make good, healthy choices.

But, it’s not always easy to have sensitive discussions with your children. The American Lung Association offers these tips for having the “vape talk” with your child:

1. Choose a time and place where you are both comfortable and more likely to open up, like when you’re riding in the car or having dinner.
2. Acknowledge the smart decisions your child makes  every day. Encourage them to keep positive choices going.
3. Ask open-ended questions  to encourage conversation. Some suggested conversation starters include: Are a lot of kids vaping at your school? What do you think about vaping? Do you know how vaping can damage your health?

Resources for quitting

E-cigarettes are not approved by the FDA as a method to quit smoking. Use only FDA-approved methods when trying to quit.

Here’s just a few ways to get the ball rolling when it comes to quitting or helping someone quit:

• Talk with your doctor
• Call the NYS Smoker’s Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487)
• Visit SmokeFree.gov
• Visit The Truth Initiative website to learn about text message programs that help young people stop using e-cigarettes

A free e-cigarettes educational poster is available to download here. 

For many years, my family has not missed the Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival. It is a great FREE, community event. You can check it out on Saturday, April 27, 2019, from 10 am to 5 pm.

Performance art, Herbology, and more!

First up this year is the announcement of the winner of the student performance art challenge. Other highlights on the schedule include “A Day at Hogwarts“: an immersion in Herbology, Potions and other classes from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We’re also excited to learn more about new uses for drones and explore an interactive exhibit about refugees in the United States.

There are favorite exhibits every year, such as climbing through oobleck, bicycle-powered smoothies, and learning about wetland wildlife. But we always stumble upon something surprising.

Photo Credit: RIT

Last year we spent most of our time in the science building, since it was raining. We tried virtual reality devices, saw a band perform, and visited the green house. We visited my husband’s students who organized a Jeopardy-style trivia game about astronomy.

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Another year at the festival, we learned how to “upcycle” by taking an empty plastic bottle and turning it into a planter. We also sat in a wheelchair and navigated a typical room to see how hard it is to accomplish many everyday tasks this way and how new innovations can help. There are also lots of hands-on math and science experiments to explore that never disappoint.

For our family, Imagine RIT is the first spring festival in Rochester and it is always great to see so many people enjoying the outdoors. About 30,000 people come to the festival each year, but it never feels crowded and we have always been able to park and move about easily.

Have you visited Imagine RIT? Tell us about your favorite exhibit in the comments section below.

Parents know there’s a lot to keep up with in the fast-moving world of teens. The latest trends in fashion, video games, music, social media …the list seems endless. But what about trends in drug and alcohol use? Would you know what they are, or what to look for?

Raising Awareness about drug and alcohol abuse

There’s help with that. “Hidden in Plain Sight, Telling Their Secrets,” a program developed by The Council on Alcoholism and Addictions of the Finger Lakes is designed to help parents, teachers and others learn about current local drug trends.

Even if your child isn’t using drugs or alcohol, this program provides information that is important for anyone who has a relationship with young adults.

“The purpose is to raise awareness and start conversations about drug and alcohol abuse,” said Timothy VanDamme, executive director of the Council on Alcoholism and Addictions of the Finger Lakes. “We all need to work together to raise healthy families and keep our children and community safe.”

Can you spot the warning signs?

I attended a recent presentation of the program. It began with a replica of a teen’s bedroom. There was a bed, a dresser and a desk with a chair. Clothing, food and drink containers were lying about. Pictures and “mementos” covered the desk and posters hung on the wall.

The contents of the room looked innocent enough.

Participants went through the bedroom and identified objects that could possibly warn of substance use. They looked closely at items on the desk and bed, and picked through the pile of clothes on the floor.

Amazingly, there were 49 items hiding throughout the small space.

Some warning signs of substance abuse were easy to identify:

• A photo of a boy and his friends drinking
• A bong
• A small vodka bottle
• A Juul (an electronic cigarette)

Girl with an electronic cigarette

Other signs weren’t so obvious.

The Signs that Went Unnoticed

Here are some of the items that I didn’t see or realize could hint at substance abuse:

• A ping pong ball on the desk. What if there was no ping pong table in the home, or the teen didn’t regularly play the game? Could it be used for a game of “beer pong?”
• “Bracelets” that could be used to smoke marijuana
• A pipe disguised as a marker.

Photos are courtesy of Council on Alcoholism and Addictions of the Finger Lakes “Hidden in Plain Sight” presentation

• Items that could hide drug paraphernalia or alcohol, like beverage cans with false bottoms and hats and undergarments with hidden pockets. To the uninformed, these items may never be identified. It was surprising to learn how easy it can be to purchase – or even make – some items.

Photos are courtesy of Council on Alcoholism and Addictions of the Finger Lakes “Hidden in Plain Sight” presentation

In addition to the search for warning signs in the mock bedroom, the program also provides education about the drugs that are readily available in our community, including marijuana, heroin, and fentanyl. Program attendees learn about what these drugs look like and how they’re used.

“The More I learn, The better parent I can be”

Russ Kenyon is a parent of teens ages 15 and 17. The program, he said, expanded his horizons.

“The more I learn, the better parent I can be,” he said. “I thought I would pick up on these things. I was surprised. Now I have a better awareness of things that I wouldn’t have thought twice about. I recommend any parent go through this, your eyes will be opened.”

Trends in substance abuse are always changing. Therefore, VanDamme and his team are always conducting more research and updating presentations, which he said is very worthwhile.

“With the opioid epidemic, alcohol consumption, vaping issues and other drug abuses we want to reach as many people as possible,” he said. “It’s our goal to witness a reduction in drug and/or alcohol use among the adolescents and young adults in our community.”

“Hidden in Plain Sight, Telling Their Secrets” is a free program. Participants should be 21 or older (due to program content). To register or host an event, call the Council on Alcoholism and Addictions of the Finger Lakes at 315-789-0310 or visit their website: http://councilonalcoholismfingerlakes.org/.

Jack J. Stout decided he didn’t like his weight gain and cholesterol numbers. What did he do to get healthy? He ran the New York City Marathon.

The New York City Marathon has been a dream for Stout, but it’s a challenging race to get into.

“Everyone thinks the Boston Marathon is the hardest race to get into, but it’s not. The New York City Marathon is a lot harder,” Stout said.

To qualify for the New York City Marathon, however, you have to be in an elite class of runner.  Stout doubted he’d be able to do that. He could enter a lottery for a spot in the marathon. But he had tried that before and it never worked out.

Stout went for a third option.

Down Syndrome: The right cause at the right time

You can enter the marathon if you commit to raising at least $2,500 for certain charities.

After years of working at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Stout said that option inspired him the most. His friends and coworkers were always volunteering in the community and fundraising for causes they believed in.

“My co-worker, AJ Hameline, has coached so many new runners here. Kim Christman has also committed so much time and energy into the community, it was inspiring.” Stout continued, “My team really added to the inertia of this.”

After being inspired, he decided to run for a cause. “I could never have had the courage to do this at any other company,” he added.

Stout partnered with an organization called LuMind RDS to raise funds for research and resources for those affected by Down Syndrome.  By getting involved, Stout became more aware of other organizations that locally support the Down Syndrome community.

Stout decided to partner with LuMind RDS because his best friend’s son, Simon, has Down Syndrome.

Jack Stout sharing his medal from the marathon with Simon, the inspiration behind his bid to run the event.

Stout had watched his friend’s family and learned of the challenges and support systems surrounding the Down Syndrome community.

“I had tried to run the New York City Marathon for almost 10 years, but I lacked motivation or the timing wasn’t right,” he said. “To have my Simon come into our lives, it provided me with an avenue to find that motivation and drive. This is the right cause at the right time, plus Simon is amazing; it’s impossible not to find ways to be supportive.”

 Why Stout pledged to raise $3,210 at the marathon

Stout signed up for the race and pledged to raise $3,210 to support those living with Down Syndrome. He picked that amount because Down Syndrome is caused by an individual being born with three of the 21st chromosome. The numbers three and 21 are meaningful in the Down Syndrome community.

At first, it was hard for Stout to ask others to donate money.

“You have to be humble enough to say, ‘I can’t do this alone,’” Stout said. “I was often almost apologetic at times when asking for support. But many friends said, ‘Jack, we aren’t doing this just for you, we are doing this because we want to do this, because it’s such a great cause.’”

On the day of the race, Stout surpassed his goal and was able to raise $4,655 for Down Syndrome research and support. The cause helped Stout to power through the race.

“I took on this challenge because I was inspired by Simon,” said Stout, who also had Simon’s name on his shirt during the run. “There were portions of the race when you’re really hurting, but hearing, ‘GO SIMON!!!’ gave me a huge lift.”

Another healthy twist to running the marathon

Stout said it felt surreal standing at the starting line after all the time he put into this effort.

“I spent a year preparing for this moment,” said Stout, who ran the race on Nov. 4, 2018.

“I ran more than 1,000 miles to prepare for this and now I am shoulder to shoulder with about 51,000 other runners who all gave up so much to get to this place,” he added.  “I felt so fortunate to be able to get to this place and be part of it with so many other people.”

Jack Stout at the marathon.

Not only did Stout succeed at raising funds for the Down Syndrome community, but he also improved his health by losing about 30 pounds and lowering his cholesterol by 50 points.

“It didn’t matter what happened during the race or what time I ended up running across the finish line,” he added. “My journey to get here was much more rewarding. You can always find reasons why you can’t or shouldn’t do something.  Just take the leap, be fearless and jump in!”

When Nina Hoyte was six months old, she and her then two-year-old brother were placed in foster care.  Young Nina’s mom had been neglecting her and her brother.

Nina and her brother continued to visit her mother for years,  and Nina remembers wanting to be with her. But then a foster family adopted Nina and her brother. It was the first foster family that they had lived with. Despite the initial struggles, Nina said they were lucky.

“I was fortunate,” she said. “Not everyone has that same experience, but I was fortunate to only have one foster home.”

Nina Hoyte

Nina’s experience as a foster child is why she wanted to bring that unique perspective to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Rochester. Nina, who is now an accounts services consultant at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield in Rochester, helps at CASA by using her own experience to help foster kids who are going through what she has already dealt with.

A connection with the kids

CASA trains and supervises a diverse group of volunteers, such as Nina, to advocate for children who have been abused and/or neglected.

Liz Caldwell, Director at CASA, notes that the advocate role brings the best interests of the children to the forefront of the discussion in Family Court, foster homes, visits, schools, and with community providers. The overall goal is for all children to have a safe, permanent home, as soon as possible.

When Nina is assigned a case, she meets with all the parties involved in the foster child’s situation. This can include the child, the biological parents, the attorneys, the caseworkers, the foster parents, and the school’s caseworkers.

She learns about the child’s well-being and history. She also observes how they’re doing with the visits with their biological parents, and how they’re doing in foster care. Then, she reports this information to the Family Court Judge. This helps the judge make an informed decision about the child’s future. If the judge rules that the home environment is safe, the child remains with their biological parents. However, if it isn’t safe, the child will be permanently moved into a safer home.

“I felt as though I could relate to these children and I could help them on a level that some people would not be able to because they couldn’t truly understand what it was like to go through that experience,” Nina said.

“CASA will train eligible volunteers to do the advocacy work,” says Liz Caldwell. “Clearly when you have an individual like Nina, with her background, she can relate to the feelings, anticipate barriers for our CASA children, and provide real heartfelt advocacy for them. She has proven herself to be very effective.”

More eyes are watching

When she was growing up as a foster child, CASA didn’t exist, so there wasn’t an advocate to protect her. Nina first learned about CASA through another volunteer. Then, after seeing a news segment about the number of foster children in the United States, she knew she had to get involved.

A young Nina Hoyte.

Nina said her foster parents took great care of her. But she remembered another child she knew who didn’t have a positive experience with her foster family.  Nina’s friend was removed from her home because her biological mother wasn’t mentally fit to be a mother. Unfortunately, her foster parents were unkind to her. For several years in other foster homes, the foster parents didn’t properly feed her, stole from her, and lied to social workers. They fostered for the paycheck, said Nina.

“When I hear bad stories of kids placed in bad homes, it’s not usually a case in which CASA is involved,” Nina said.

When CASA is involved, Nina said, “There are more eyes watching so there are more good stories happening”. The volunteers insert themselves into every part of the child’s life. That way they can see if the child is unsafe or experiencing a toxic environment. Their involvement allows the child to have the chance to experience the love and joy that a good family can give.

Getting help

It can be difficult for young children to recognize they are in a bad situation when their biological parent is all they know, Nina said. They may have never experienced what a healthy, loving family is like. When children enter the foster care system and are in a foster home, they can start to see how kids are supposed to be treated.

They start being fed on a regular basis, going to school, and having parents who take care of them. This change encourages them to better connect with their foster parents. Nina admitted that she has no idea where the children’s’ lives would head without CASA—continuing the cycle of abuse, joining gangs, doing drugs, etc.—but “they are given a chance to have a productive life.”

Not all of the cases end with the separation of children from their biological parents. “Our immediate thought is to blame the parent,” Nina said. “But CASA teaches us that we can’t just blame the parent, because some of these parents never experienced what it is to be a parent.”

Being an advocate means figuring out what the best possible situation is for the child. Sometimes that means getting help for the parent so that the children can return home. “I have learned to be more understanding of people’s situation, and not immediately judge everybody’s house,” Nina said. CASA works with the parents to help them get the classes they need, just like they work with the children to get the home that they need.

It’s not their fault

Nina wants children in the foster system to know that “it’s not their fault that they’re in this situation and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. And they’re not alone. It’s not the end of the story. They can make a difference, and they can still do and be whatever they want”. Nina added, “They can finally feel the love that they haven’t felt and they can be positive people even though the beginning of their story wasn’t so great. They can make a huge difference.”

Nina shared that volunteering with CASA Rochester is incredibly rewarding, but has its challenges. You have to be open to all different kinds of stories that will pass in front of you. However, added Nina, these stories motivate you to keep advocating for these children.

If you’re interested in joining Nina as a volunteer with CASA Rochester, click here.

Click here to donate to CASA Rochester.