Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 5/28/99
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple   132

SLU SPONSORS SUBSTANCE ABUSE 'TEEN INSTITUTE' IN JULY 
     HAMMOND   Southeastern Louisiana University is inviting area high school students to
campus this summer for a four-day "Teen Institute" designed to help them become year-around
leaders in living and promoting an alcohol, drug and tobacco free lifestyle.
     The program, co-sponsored by Southeastern's Division of Student Affairs, the state
Department of Health and Hospitals and the Region IX Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, is
funded through a $40,000 grant, said Teen Institute coordinator Amy Livingston of
Southeastern's Program Development and Evaluation Office.
     Livingston said five-member Teen Institute teams from high schools in Tangipahoa,
Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, accompanied by a teacher-team
leader, are invited to Southeastern for a four-day, three-night stay, July 27-30. Teen Institute  is
free and is open to students in grades 9-11. Students will be housed in Southeastern's Lee Hall
residence hall. 
     Livingston said Linda Lipscomb of the Region IX Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse will
be the program's "prevention coordinator," and will be assisted by a committee of Southeastern
Division of Student Affairs staff.
     "Teen Institute is a great place to have fun while learning," Livingston said. Participants
"will learn about ways to stand up to peer pressure and feel good about themselves in the
process."
     In addition to classroom instruction on resisting alcohol, tobacco and other drugs,
students also will participate in recreational activities such as basketball, volleyball, dancing, arts
and crafts, music, creative step and will learn skills such as creating a newspaper and web page,
Livingston said.
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TEEN INSTITUTE   Add One
     Team leaders will receive a one time $250 stipend for accompanying and supervising
their students and will learn how to plan year-around prevention campaigns.
     Livingston said information about organizing Teen Institute teams has been sent to 
principals in the five-parish area. Students interested in participating should talk to their
principals about organizing teams as soon as possible, since space in limited. Principals or
individual students can contact Livingston at 504-549-3806.
     Teen Institute is a national program to promote and advocate comprehensive youth
leadership training programs in prevention. The program empowers participants to make 
positive changes in individuals, families, and communities. 
     
                            - SLU -
     This press release is available on the World Wide Web:
      www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsp99.htm