There's a lack of respect and concern for others, a refusal to distinguish right from wrong, or a failure to recognize that actions have consequences. I'd like to offer two examples of programs in New Jersey that put personal responsibility high on the priority list for our young people. One of these is the School Based Youth Services Program. Established 10 years ago, this program offers a message of personal responsibility to students in some 30 school districts across our state. Students who are at risk of dropping out of school, becoming pregnant, using drugs, or developing mental illness.
Programs operate before, during, after school, and during the summer.
Some offer their services on the weekend. We have another example of personal responsibility in our World AIDS Day of Learning for New Jersey Youth. Earlier this week I joined with 700 high school peer educators and their advisors from across the state in a Day of Learning in Princeton. In programs like these, we're driving home the message of personal responsibility. Moreover, we're letting parents know that they have to do the same.