MARCH CAMPAIGNS
National School Breakfast Week | March 6 - 10th
National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) celebrates the importance of nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success.

Studies show that kids who eat breakfast do better in school, have better concentration and memory, and are more alert and energetic. Additionally, teens who regularly eat a nutritious breakfast experience improved mental health and are less likely to smoke tobacco or drink alcohol.
Two Ways to Get Involved

1. Join the Campaign - The School Nutrition Association provides an abundance of free support materials for partners interested in participating in NSBW, including logos, artwork, toolkits, handouts, and marketing and promotional resources. Learn more about NSBW and how to utilize these resources to celebrate in your community here.
2. Share Eat Together Idaho's Breakfast Meal Cards - Breakfast is a chance to connect with your family at the beginning of the day, and the best way parents can help influence their children to eat breakfast is by eating it themselves. So use these meal cards to find quick, easy ideas for games and conversation starters to help you kick off the day on the right foot, even if you've only got a few minutes to spare.
Find more family meal resources at Eattogetheridaho.org.
International Brain Awareness Week | March 13 - 19th
Brain Awareness Week is the global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science. Every March, partners host imaginative activities in their communities that share the wonders of the brain and the importance of understanding brain science.

Two Ways to Get Involved

  1. Join the Campaign - Plan an activity in your community, find other events across the country to join, or share handouts and resources. To learn more about Brain Awareness Week and find a host of resources for kids, parents, and educators, including fact sheets, puzzles, handouts, and lesson plans, visit brainawareness.org
  2. Register for ODP's Brain Awareness Week Presentation - Each year during Brain Awareness Week ODP organizes a virtual presentation to raise awareness and provide education on youth brain development and substance use. This year's speaker is Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, co-author of The Whole-Brain Child, The Yes Brain, and The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired. Dr. Bryson will be doing a virtual 75-minute presentation on Monday, March 13th from 12-1:15pm MST, titled The Power of Showing Up: How Presence and the Four S's Shape How Kids' Brains Get Wired. The presentation will discuss how the predictable presence between a child and an adult plays a role in childhood outcomes, including youth substance use. Dr. Bryson will share stories and simple strategies to help set children up for success, including the four S's: Safe, Seen, Soothed, and Secure. Learn more and register here.
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week | March 20-26
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®, or NDAFW, is an annual, week-long, health observance that inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. It provides an opportunity to bring together scientists, students, educators, healthcare providers, and community partners—to help advance the science so that we can improve the prevention and awareness of substance misuse in our own communities and nationwide.

Two Ways to Get Involved

  1. Plan an NDAFW event, take the Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge, or post on social media. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has all the resources you'll need to organize and promote NDAFW activities in your community. Learn more.
  2. Use NDAFW as an opportunity to raise awareness about fentanyl. The Natural High campaign has a Fentanyl Toolkit and Fentapill Lesson Plan to help parents and prevention providers talk with teens about the dangers of fentanyl.
CURRENT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
FY24 Substance Abuse Block Grant
FY23 Youth Vaping Prevention Mini-Grant
PARENTS' CORNER
New Blog
Emphasizing Self-Awareness and Reflection on National Leadership Day

Why is leadership an important skill to teach children? 

National Leadership Day was on February 20th, 2023. Everyone is touting leadership’s importance to the point that we are sick of hearing about it. But the truth is leadership skills serve us all well. Learning to think critically and be self-motivated is a gift that is the best prevention against life’s storms and challenges.
GRANTEE & PARTNER SPOTLIGHTS
Kuna School District
Over two days, the Kuna School District secondary students, members of the Kuna community, and a large group of treasure valley athletes heard a powerful message from former Drug Enforcement Agency officer Rocky Herron about helping our students choose their future. Rocky is a retired DEA agent with 31 years of experience and now takes that experience literally around the world as a drug prevention advocate and speaker. Rocky shared information about the challenges — social media pressure, high potency drugs, and easy access to drugs, that our youth face that are impacting their mental health and well-being. Rocky had an emphasis on the Fentanyl Crisis because it is the biggest challenge facing the treasure valley right now, and unfortunately our kids will encounter this drug in several forms as they navigate through life.
KNOW VAPE Campaign
Idaho Public Television is launching a two-fold anti-vaping awareness campaign to address the crisis currently impacting Idaho's teenagers. Part one of the campaign is a two-hour documentary "Nic Sick" that airs March 21st at 7:00 on IPTV. The trailer features testimonials from teens who have been impacted by vaping. Part two of the of the campaign is a video contest for Idaho teens, with opportunities to win a portion of over $10,000 in prizes.

For more information and resources, visit the campaign website.
Part 1: NIC SICK Documentary
Airing March 21st | 7:00 PM IPTV
Part 2: Video Contest for Idaho Teens
Raise your voice about the dangers of vaping and win big cash prizes!
Idahoans aged 13-18 years old are invited to participate in the KNOW VAPE video contest to expose the shadowy commercial tobacco marketing tactics behind vaping, the known and unknown health effects, the misinformation about vaping and how addictive and harmful vaping can be for teens. Just create and upload a 90-second, vape-bashing masterpiece for the opportunity to win a portion of the more $10,000 in prize money being awarded.  
NEWS STORIES & REPORTS | UPCOMING EVENTS
Observances
  • February 6 - February 12: Children's Mental Health Week
  • February 17: National Caregiver's Day
  • February 17: National Random Acts of Kindness Day
  • February 20: National Leadership Day
  • February 20: Presidents Day
Webinar & Training Opportunities
  • March 2: Getting Ready for Sustainability Planning: An Enhanced Prevention Learning Series. Learn More.
  • March 8: Investigative Reporting on Excessive Alcohol Use. Learn More.

Next Month...

Find all upcoming events at www.odp.idaho.gov/events
What's new with you?

Have an update, story, or other news you'd like to share in a future newsletter?

Send an email to Destinie Triplett at destinie.triplett@odp.idaho.gov
We envision a safe and healthy Idaho free from the devastating impact of substance use on youth, families, and communities.
Idaho Office of Drug Policy | https://odp.idaho.gov/