LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

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Since 2004

Tag: LEAAD

  • Loveland Legacy Foundation Honors the Work of Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs with Grant Award

    Loveland Legacy Foundation Honors the Work of Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs with Grant Award

    Loveland Legacy Foundation Executive Committee Member CeeCee Collins presented a check of $1,000 to Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) Program Coordinator Katie Sedziol for LEAAD’s important contributions to the betterment of our community.

    Loveland, Ohio – Katie Sedziol, program coordinator for Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD), accepted an award and donation from Loveland Legacy Foundation on Monday, December 9. With a mission of supporting a wide variety of ideas, interests, initiatives, and needs benefitting the betterment of Loveland, the Foundation presented a check of $1,000 for LEAAD to continue the important work providing students with direction, education, and awareness of healthy life choices and supporting families in prevention and intervention strategies through community and school-based activities.

    “As an example, the LEAAD youth ambassador program has taken prevention initiatives to the next level by engaging students in meaningful discussions, activities, and experiences to create positive change in our community.”

    “LEAAD has a tremendous impact through its work for students and families in Loveland,” said CeeCee Collins, member of the Loveland Legacy Foundation executive committee. “As an example, the LEAAD youth ambassador program has taken prevention initiatives to the next level by engaging students in meaningful discussions, activities, and experiences to create positive change in our community.”

    Youth ambassadors make up the student sector of the LEAAD coalition, which is a partnership of numerous community-based organizations, including Hope Restored Counseling, the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance, the Loveland Police Department and the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department, local faith-based organizations, NEST, and many others. For more information, visit LEAAD’s page on lovelandschools.org.

     

    Image result for Loveland Legacy Foundation

    About Loveland Legacy Foundation

    The Loveland Legacy Foundation was initially created in response to the devastating 2017 fire in downtown Loveland. Businesses and residents affected by the fire received financial support through the generosity of members of the Loveland community and in turn, created the foundation as a way to pay it forward.

     

  • Rx Take-Back Day is this Saturday in Loveland

    Rx Take-Back Day is this Saturday in Loveland

    Loveland Safety Center Lobby
    (126 South Lebanon Road)

    Loveland Elementary/Primary School parking lot – drive-thru collection location
    (600 Loveland Madeira Road)

    Loveland, Ohio – National Take-Back Day is a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription medications. The April 2019 Take Back Day brought in 937,443 pounds (468.72 tons) of unused or expired prescription medications across the country. The Loveland Police Department alone collected 170.4 pounds.

    Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) is partnering with the Loveland Police Department for National DEA Rx Take-Back Day on Saturday, October 26, from 10 AM until 2 PM.

    Volunteers will assist with handing out Deterra Prescription Drug Deactivation System pouches – in a simple three-step process, medication can be deactivated, thereby helping to prevent drug misuse and protecting the environment.

    “The patented Deterra® System is a scientifically proven product, powered by proprietary MAT12® Molecular Adsorption Technology. In a simple 3-step process, a user can deactivate drugs, thereby preventing drug misuse and protecting the environment.”

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  • Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs Youth Ambassadors Join the We Are The Majority Rally

    Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs Youth Ambassadors Join the We Are The Majority Rally

    21 LEAAD Youth Ambassadors from Loveland, led by program coordinator Katie Sedziol (on the left), attended the 2019 We Are The Majority Rally in Columbus on April 30.

    Thousands of teens from across the state come together to celebrate their drug-free lifestyle

     

    Columbus, Ohio – On Tuesday, April 30, 21 LEAAD (Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs) youth ambassadors from Loveland City Schools embarked on their first trip to the “We Are The Majority Rally” in Columbus, Ohio. There they met more than 2,000 other teens from across Ohio to celebrate that the majority of youth in the state are choosing to stay drug and alcohol free. The day was full of events to shine a light on the fact that youth in Ohio are promoting mental health wellness and leading the way in alcohol and drug prevention efforts. The event, organized by the nonprofit “Prevention Action Alliance,” included a performance and testimony from the local Columbus band Pray for Sleep. In addition, Governor Mike DeWine spoke to the youth about the importance of the hard work within the prevention realm they are facilitating in their communities.

    The vision of LEAAD, a  coalition with members that include Loveland City Schools, the NEST Community Learning Center, Hope Restored, Little Miami River Chamber Alliance, the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department and many more, is to provide students with direction, education and awareness of healthy life choices in a positive environment, and support children and families in prevention and intervention strategies through community and school activities based on best practices research, data and policy.

    “They’re making our community a better place to live”

    “The coalition is beyond thankful to the youth ambassadors for leading the charge on prevention efforts in the community of Loveland,” said Katie Sedziol, LEAAD program coordinator. “They’re making our community a better place to live, grow and learn. We hope that this rally marks the first of many future trips to Columbus in the years to come to celebrate that youth are an integral piece of the drug prevention efforts in Loveland.”

    For more information about LEAAD and how to join the coalition, please contact Katie Sedziol at sedzioka@lovelandschools.org. All adults and youth are welcome.

  • LEAAD to host 1st Community Tailgate at Loveland High School this Thursday before game vs. Milford

    LEAAD to host 1st Community Tailgate at Loveland High School this Thursday before game vs. Milford

    Loveland, Ohio – Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) will host its first community tailgate on Thursday, February 7, before the Loveland varsity men’s basketball game against the Milford Eagles. The event, open to all community members, is supported by many local churches and businesses and offers free food, raffles, informational booths and prizes to the first 50 students who attend. Spearheading the event is Katie Sedziol, who joined Loveland City Schools District as LEAAD program coordinator earlier in the school year.

    “The purpose of this event is to offer a healthy alternative activity to drugs and alcohol, and provide an inviting atmosphere to educate about LEAAD and our vision,” said Sedziol. “We hope the tailgate will serve as an educational experience to show just how important it is to have regular events that youth in our community can attend, and that they can be around others while making healthy, safe and drug-free choices.”

    The Search Institute – a nonprofit that bridges research and practice to help young people be and become their best selves – has identified 40 building blocks of healthy development that help young people grow up healthy, caring and responsible. Based upon these principles, LEAAD wants to focus on the importance of the “constructive use of time” component, specifically that young people spend three or more hours per week in sports, clubs or organizations at school and/or in the community. (https://www.search-institute.org/, December 2018). The vision of LEAAD is to provide students with direction, education and awareness of healthy choices in a positive environment, and support children and families in prevention and intervention strategies through community and school activities based on best practices research, data and policy.

    “Our LEAAD coalition strongly believes this event will be the perfect opportunity to role model healthy behaviors and reinforce positive community norms,” said Sedziol. “It is our goal to showcase Loveland asa strongleader in healthy choices and lifestyles, especially when it comes to ouryouth. A gathering to celebrate and support our youth before a game is a protective factorthat we hope all in the community want to be a part of!Come on out to support your Tigers, have a good time, and learn more about LEAAD.”

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  • Loveland Students celebrate Red Ribbon Week

    Loveland Students celebrate Red Ribbon Week

    Students at Loveland Intermediate School created paw prints, declaring they are “PAWsitively Proud” to be drug free.

    District-wide initiative to embrace drug-free and healthy lifestyle

    Loveland, Ohio – The national Red Ribbon campaign reached students at Loveland October 23-31, with activities focused on living drug-free and healthy lives. Under the theme of “Life is your journey, travel drug free,” all students – from the Kindergarteners to the high school seniors – were engaged in age-appropriate activities to reinforce the importance of doing the right thing and making the right choices.

    “It is important to celebrate Red Ribbon Week to make sure that the facts the students are getting are indeed the facts,” said Jayson Bruce, Loveland Middle School assistant principal and athletic director. “We know that the younger we can educate our youth, the more likely they are to not experiment with drugs and alcohol. It is also important for our students to understand that those that do not try or use are in the majority. It’s all about starting great conversations.”

    Second year that the Loveland High School Student Council developed and led the activities at the high school.

    With themed dress-up days, drug and bully-free wristbands, stickers and announcements, a series of anti-drug messages were shared daily with the students. It was the third annual Red Ribbon Week for the district and the second year that the Loveland High School Student Council developed and led the activities at the high school.

    “Red Ribbon week is a fun, interactive way to keep students informed and on the right path early on so we can all keep our journeys through life drug free!” said Student Council Member and LHS Senior Grace Powell.

    Earlier in the month, the Student Council also worked with Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) and PreventionFIRST! – a Cincinnati-based coalition addressing youth substance abuse – to present a program focused on juuling, vaping, and opioids to the ninth graders at Loveland.

    Student at Loveland High School celebrate Red Ribbon Week with a “Lei off Drugs” theme on Friday, October 26.

    “Newly released statistics by the CDC are alarming – although tobacco is still the leading cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States, almost five million middle and high school students in our country use at least one tobacco product,” said Loveland District Nurse Judy Leamy.  “JUULs, e-cigarettes with some of the highest nicotine content, have exploded in popularity especially among teens, with a nearly 800 percent increase in sales last year compared to 2016.”

    The work of educating students and families about drugs and alcohol continues throughout the year with programs like “Right Under Your Nose” (RUYN), which offers parents and other adults in the community information on the negative outcomes of drugs, how to spot the signs of use, and how to talk to youth about drugs and alcohol. Children with parents who regularly talk about the dangers of drugs are 42 percent less likely to use drugs compared to those that don’t, but only about 25 percent of teens report actually having these conversations at home. Stay tuned for information on LEAAD and RUYN events planned for the school year.

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  • Drug Take Back Day is October 27 in Loveland: collecting any unused, expired, or unwanted medications

    Drug Take Back Day is October 27 in Loveland: collecting any unused, expired, or unwanted medications

    Loveland, Ohio – Numerous studies have shown prescription medication is the primary way most addicts get hooked on opiates. Don’t expose your family or friends to the risk of addiction hiding in your house.
    The Loveland Police Department and the Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) team have partnered with the Drug Enforcement Agency to collect any unused, expired, or unwanted medications.
    On Saturday, October 27, you can safely dispose of medications at the Loveland Safety Center and the Loveland Elementary School from 10 AM. until 2 PM.
    These locations only except pills and tablets. They cannot accept creams, patches, injectables, or other forms of medications.

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  • LEAAD’s ‘Right Under Your Nose 2.0’ a success for parents

    LEAAD’s ‘Right Under Your Nose 2.0’ a success for parents

    Miami Township Police Chief Sue Madsen, Loveland Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse, and Loveland Police Chief Sean Rahe presenting at the Right Under Your Nose 2.0 event.

    By Johnnie Kanoza,

    Great success. 

    That’s the way participants of the Loveland Educating Against Alcohol & Drugs (LEAAD) Right Under Your Nose (RUYN) 2.0 event described the Sunday, March 11, informational session at Prince of Peace Church. Attended by Loveland parents and members of the surrounding communities, the event was designed as an educational opportunity for adults only, uncoveringthe hidden dangers that students face on a daily basis, including: substance abuse, violence, juvenile crime, technology, and risky behaviors.  

    The evening was kicked off by hearing a powerful, joint message from Loveland Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse, Loveland Police Chief Sean Rahe and Miami Township Police Chief Sue Madsen expressing their commitment of locking arms to make our communities safer as we face the drug epidemic through promoting awareness.  

    RUYN 2.0 educated us on several ways as parents we can help guide and lead our children. In these rapidly changing times where technology has become a key mode of communication, it is important to equip parents with information about what their students have access to. LEAAD Executive Committee Member and Loveland Middle School Assistant Principal Jayson Bruce did an outstanding job on sharing insight about different apps and aspects of social media, coaching parents that conversations with children around the potential dangers of technology and social media are as important as conversations around the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

    Loveland School Resource Officer Fred Barnes shared his knowledge on drug paraphernalia and use, along with telltale signs to look for in the bedrooms of our children. The “mock bedroom” display was a great way to bring his message together. Officer Barnes reminded us all the power of simply talking to our children, and even more importantly, always listening and knowing they are looking for guidance.  

    Speaker Beth Renner shared a powerful, personal story of loss as she talked about her son Zack, who lost his life to addiction. It was a poignant message filled with courage and her hope to impact one life as she continues to share her story.

    As the program coordinator of LEAAD, I want to offer a special and sincere thank you to Loveland’s Prince of Peace Church for allowing us to host our event in their beautiful facility, and to all of the community resources that made this such a great evening.  

    Johnnie Kanoza is the Program Coordinator for Loveland Educating Against Alcohol & Drugs

    As we move forward into spring, LEAAD’s mission is to continue leading, educating and promoting awareness about alcohol and drug abuse throughout the Loveland community. We are dedicated to providing the resources and tools to help keep our schools, neighborhoods and surrounding communities safe. Our hope is through events like this we will activate our community to take action, join together and stand united as one.

    More details on the event will be located on our LEAAD Facebook page, along with other events we will be participating in.  

    Our work is just getting started. There are many great things in the works for next school year. Stay tuned!

  • Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) joins forces with the Governor’s Office

    Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) joins forces with the Governor’s Office

    Start Talking! lunch a way to open communication to help students

    Members of Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) met with the Stephen Caraway from the Governor’s Office Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 to learn about Start Talking! – an initiative to give parents, guardians, educators, business, and community leaders the tools to start the conversation with Ohio’s youth about the importance of living healthy, drug-free lives.

    Loveland, Ohio – Tuesday, Feb. 13, inside the Loveland Middle School Media Center, it was a lunch date with a purpose – help all Ohio students make good choices. At the table with Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) – the office of the Ohio Governor – and on the agenda for both groups was a focused conversation on the “Start Talking!” program, an initiative to give parents, guardians, educators, business, and community leaders the tools to start the conversation with Ohio’s youth about the importance of living healthy, drug-free lives.

    “Through LEAAD, Loveland has been a leader in spearheading these – many times – difficult conversations as we work to get in front of the drug epidemic that has impacted so many people in our state,” said Loveland Interim Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse. “We were happy to host the Governor’s regional liaison, Stephen Caraway, as he works to get the message out about the Start Talking! program. This was a healthy exchange of ideas and best practices, and we are certain the conversation will continue.”

    “Governor Kasich’s work to fight drug abuse and addiction began even before he took office, and over the last seven years, Ohio has put in place one of the nation’s most aggressive and comprehensive approaches to fighting opiate addiction and drug overdoses,” said Stephen Caraway, regional liaison to the Governor. “Ohio continues to provide tools and resources to local communities to help combat addiction and drug abuse and it is imperative that communities collaborate with those on the frontlines of this battle and put the resources to work in neighborhoods. The Governor’s Regional office appreciated the opportunity to hear about the important work of the LEAAD organization, and we encourage anyone to contact our office if they would like to have someone from Start Talking! give a presentation.

    “The evil we’re fighting continues to take on a changing face, making it essential that communities have a determined, community-based sense of commitment and a shared purpose to make progress. We’re thankful for the work you are doing in your community.”  

    LEAAD presented Right Under Your Nose Sunday, March 11, at Prince of Peace Church. Designed as an educational opportunity for adults only, Right Under Your Nose uncovers the hidden dangers that students face on a daily basis, including: substance abuse, violence, juvenile crime, technology, and risky behaviors.

  • Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs presents adults only, “Right Under Your Nose”

    Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs presents adults only, “Right Under Your Nose”

    Tiger parents encouraged to attend the March 11 event

    Loveland, Ohio – Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) presents Right Under Your Nose Sunday, March 11, at Prince of Peace Church. Designed as an educational opportunity for adults only, Right Under Your Nose uncovers the hidden dangers that students face on a daily basis, including: substance abuse, violence, juvenile crime, technology, and risky behaviors. Doors will open at 4:30 PM for adults to tour a mock teenager’s bedroom, visit an artifact table, and meet with community resources including drug addiction professionals, mental health counselors and preventative programs. The Right Under Your Nose presentation will start at 5:30 PM.



    “If you were unable to attend the presentation in 2016, now is your chance!” said Loveland Middle School Assistant Principal Jayson Bruce, who serves on the executive committee of LEAAD. “However, if you did see it the first time, a lot has changed, and this experience would be worth your time.”

    To date, LEAAD has presented the Right Under Your Nose program to more than 1,000 adults – including sessions at several local school districts, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Changing the Future of Children of Addicted Parents Conference.    

    “I am beyond ecstatic with what we have been able to accomplish with Right Under Your Nose,” said Bruce. “The conversations that parents are having with their children because of this program is so important. If we can help one parent or one young adult, then all of this is well worth it.”  

    Included in the Right Under Your Nose presentation is a mother’s heartbreaking story of how drug addiction ultimately took her son. Beth Renner hopes that by sharing her story, she can help one parent or one child that is struggling themselves. The night will conclude with a Q & A session.

  • A new face and fresh look for the Loveland Drug Task Force

    A new face and fresh look for the Loveland Drug Task Force

    By Johnnie Kanoza

    Johnnie Kanoza is the program coordinator for LEAAD

    Hello Tiger Family! 

    My name is Johnnie Kanoza, and I am the new Loveland City School District program coordinator for Loveland Educating Against Alcohol & Drugs, or – as we like to call it – LEAAD. This group, formally known as the Loveland Drug Task Force is in a transitional pilot year, but with the same commitment to stand – school and community – united as one to bring positive impact to our students.  

    United as one to bring positive impact to our students.

    I have a true passion for health and wellness, with more than 10 years of professional experience in personal training and health coaching; in addition to my exciting new role with LEAAD, I am also the owner of Empowher Fitness Studio, focusing on women’s health. 

    From youth obesity to eating disorders, from alcohol consumption to drug use – addiction can present itself in many ways. As parents, we also have seen how social media has influenced behaviors and perceptions – one being a strong desire for instant gratification.

    In Loveland, with LEAAD – we are looking for opportunities to educate both parents and students to inspire the desire for true change.

    In Loveland, with LEAAD – we are looking for opportunities to educate both parents and students to inspire the desire for true change; this involves a different level of connection. If we can start this process when the need arises it can change the life direction for our students in a positive way. The key is to create habits today that will set a solid foundation and build confidence in better decision making.  

    I am a wife and a stepmom to three beautiful adult children. I have experienced first-hand the concerns of many unknowns that come with raising great adults. Through this and our personal journey together I developed a desire to help impact more young adult lives.    

    This opportunity gives me the ability to do just that. 

    I look forward to you joining us as we make our community stronger, together!  For more information on how you can help LEAAD this change, email me at kanozajo@lovelandschools.org.

    Johnnie Kanoza is the program coordinator for LEAAD