**Good Afternoon. My name is Neenah Emarthle and I am a member of the
Muscogee Nation Community Partnership Board located in Okmulgee,
Oklahoma.**

**The Muscogee Nation Community Partnership Board was honored this past
year to be a recipient of a grant in the Prevention of Underage
Drinking. Today, I will be speaking about the Increased Awareness and
Follow-up Activities involving the Town Hall Meetings.**

**[Awareness]{.underline}**

**The Town Hall Meetings Increased Awareness of Underage Alcohol use in
our Communities by allowing the Board to bring the issue of Underage
Drinking back to the forefront of our Communities. Our Communities are
aware of this issue. However, Underage Drinking has become a "right of
passage" for not only our Youth, but adults. To eliminate this stigma,
our Board chose to host two (2) Town Hall Meetings in our Communities to
reach all those serviced by our Tribe. As a result of the Town Hall
Meetings, our Board was allowed to re-introduce the issue of Underage
Drinking to the Communities giving them the opportunity to become more
aware of the issue and more importantly, more aware of the solutions.**

**[Activities]{.underline}**

**The Town Hall Meetings are connected to other activities in our
Communities. Some of the activities in which awareness of Underage
Drinking is discussed include:**

-   **School Teach-Ins: As part of the Prevention of Underage Drinking
    Program, our Board hosted 4 School Teach-Ins. This event allowed our
    Board to obtain the view of the Youth on how serious this issue is.
    The results were overwhelming...the Youth were able to explain how
    readily available alcohol is to them and how often they engage in
    drinking as well as who provided the alcohol. As part of the
    Teach-In's, our Board asked the 5^th^ & 6^th^ grade classes to draw
    pictures relating to the Prevention. Although there were pictures
    stating "just say no," there were those drawings, by the Youth, of
    the different types of alcohol they are exposed to. The School
    Teach-In's were a great opportunity for our Board to interact with
    the Youth and School Officials in determining the best possible path
    for our future leaders.**

-   **Youth Speak-Out: Our Board has introduced a new event for our
    Youth...a Youth Speak-Out. This event allows our Youth between the
    ages of 12-18 to present issues of concern to them. The Youth not
    only speak to a panel of Community members, but fellow Youth as
    well. Also, this event provided the opportunity for our Board to
    reach additional schools, Youth, and Community members concerning
    events such as the Prevention of Underage Drinking Program. The
    Speak-Out is an opportunity for both the Youth and Community to
    interact and formulate solutions to the issues they are facing in
    today.**

-   **Summer Youth** -- **Employment & Training: As a result of the
    success with the Prevention of Underage Drinking Program, our Board
    was requested to speak to the Summer Youth employees. The audience
    for this presentation ranged from 16-21 year old individuals who
    provided another view on the issue of Underage Drinking. The Board
    utilized the information provided by SAMHSA, props, and discussions
    to listen and inform the Youth on the dangers of Underage Drinking
    and how that one decision could change their life. The event was
    productive in that it gave an opportunity for the Board to gain
    another perspective on the issue of Underage Drinking as well as the
    opportunity to inform the older Youth there are solutions and help
    available when faced with the decision to drink or not to drink when
    under 21.**

-   **Spring Celebration: Our Board hosts an annual Spring Celebration
    in March for the Youth during Spring Break. This event provides the
    Youth with a "free" day of activities, a meal, and snacks. The
    activities range from: 3-on-3 basketball, jump roping, obstacle
    course, and many more fun activities. Each Youth receives a t-shirt
    as well as a participation ribbon and medals, if they chose to
    participate in a competitive activity. As with other events hosted
    by the Board, we use this opportunity to speak to the Youth,
    Parents, Schools, and Community members of other events hosted such
    as the Prevention Underage Drinking. Spring Celebration is an
    opportunity for our Board to show the Youth there are many "healthy"
    activities for them to engage in.**

-   **Challenge Bowl: Although this event is hosted by the JOM
    Department, members of our Board have integral roles in making this
    event a success. The Challenge Bowl's focus is educating the Youth
    about the Muscogee Creek Tribe. The Board utilizes this opportunity
    to meet and inform schools, sponsors, and the Youth about our events
    hosted and how each one can play a vital role.**

**[Key Factors]{.underline}**

**The key factors which made our Town Hall Meetings a success
included:**

-   **Locations: Our Board chose to host two (2) Town Hall Meetings with
    the grant we received to present the Prevention of Underage Drinking
    Program. Due to the size of our service area, we chose an east and
    west location central to all other Communities. We sent out
    flyers/notices to all surrounding Communities and Schools inviting
    and informing each of the event and its purpose. Each Community was
    very receptive to host the Town Hall Meetings making this event a
    success.**

-   **Information: The information provided by SAMHSA was not only
    informative and educational, but allowed for more Community
    participation in the discussion of problem areas and solutions to
    those areas. The statistics of Underage Drinking provided a window
    into the seriousness of this issue and how important each every one
    plays an integral role in the solution(s).**

-   **Panel Members**: **Our Board was able to assemble a panel of
    members who are either directly involved in the Prevention of
    Underage Drinking or are involved in an area as a result of this
    issue. Each panel member introduced themselves and their area of
    expertise as well as ideas for solutions to the issue voiced by the
    Communities. Having such a variety of individuals present allowed
    for the Town Hall meeting to not only be productive, but
    successful.**

-   **Incentives: In any gathering hosted by our Board, Food is always
    present. We have found that when a meal or snack is offered, more
    individuals are able to attend. We took this practice and applied it
    to our Town Hall Meeting. In addition, door prizes and a token of
    our appreciation were presented to the Community hosting the
    event.**

**[Future Activities]{.underline}**

**The activities our Board wishes to address or have conducted involving
Underage Drinking are not only those named above, but many others as
well.**

**In addition to the Prevention of Underage Drinking Program, Youth
Speak-Out, Summer Youth, Spring Celebration, and Challenge Bowl, our
Board will be assisting the Diabetes and the Tobacco Prevention Camps
this year.**

**We are also hosting a Red Ribbon Week and "Go Red" for Women-American
Heart Association events in the upcoming months.**

**In the future, our Board is also planning on assisting in events
hosted by: Domestic Violence, Lighthorse Explorers, Safe and Stable
Families, Behavioral Health-Circle of Care, and Juvenile Services.**

**With the introduction of new departments to our Board, we look to many
more successful endeavors in our Communities and with the Youth.**

**[Success of the Reach Out Now School Teach-Ins (RONTI)]{.underline}**

**The Reach Out Now School Teach-Ins were very well received by not only
the Youth, but the Schools and Communities as well.**

**Initially, our Board had requested to host the Teach-In's in two (2)
Schools in which the Town Hall Meetings were held. We were to present to
the 5^th^ & 6^th^ grades classes; however, due to the response from one
of our schools, our Board was asked to speak to an additional two
classes. Our Board presented the Prevention of Underage Drinking Program
a total of four (4) times in our Community Schools.**

**Each presentation involved providing Prevention of Underage Drinking
information, personal stories, DUI props-goggles, snacks, door prizes
and certificates of participation for all the Youth and Schools.**

-   **Personal Stories: One story told of how the decision to drink and
    the consequences which followed were not cool or wise choices at all
    and how to this day this person must think about how one of those
    choices may affect their life today and in the future. The other
    story was the complete opposite. This Boar member had never had a
    drop of alcohol in his life. He shared his view of his friends and
    classmates behavior while drinking and how he never regrets the
    decision he made to say no to alcohol.**

> **Although the Youth were amazed at both stories, our Board reiterated
> how important it is that no one under the age of 21 should be drinking
> alcohol.**

-   **DUI props-goggles: To show the effects of Underage Drinking or
    drinking alcohol, at any age, impairs your body's ability to
    properly function, our Board utilize the DUI goggles. Our Board
    selected a group of 10 Youth divided into groups of 2. One Youth
    wore the goggles and drove a "make-shift" car while the other Youth
    instructed them through an obstacle course. The Youth were amazed at
    how difficult the task was to complete. Overall, the Youth were able
    to gain knowledge about the risks associated with Underage Drinking
    in a fun & educational atmosphere.**

-   **Incentives: Following the presentation, the Youth were given a
    brown bag of snacks and tickets were drawn to disburse the door
    prizes. Certificates for each Youth participating as well as the
    school were delivered.**

**Overall, the Youth were able to gain knowledge about the risks
associated with Underage Drinking in a fun & educational atmosphere.**

**[Conclusion]{.underline}**

**The Town Hall Meetings have increased awareness in our Partnership
Board resulting in the task of educating our Communities and Youth on
the importance of the Prevention of Underage Drinking. The Muscogee
Nation Community Partnership Board has been amazed with not only the
support received for the Prevention of Underage Drinking, but how
receptive the Youth and Communities have been in forming solutions to
this issue.**

**Town Hall Meetings have provided our Partnership Board with another
outlet to reach and teach in our Communities. More importantly, Town
Hall Meetings provided another means for our Board to stay connected
with those that we serve.**

**Thank you for this opportunity you have given me today to speak with
each of you concerning the success of the Prevention of Underage
Drinking Town Hall Meetings.**