justCommunity, Inc., is the coordinating agency and fiscal agent for the Upper Bucks Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Coalition (UBHCHY) which conducts biennial youth surveys in local high schools. UBHCHY represents the Palisades, Quakertown, and Pennridge school districts – measuring the level of risk behaviors including alcohol and drug use and the presence of resiliency factors, or the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets.
These are the results of the 2010 survey of 8th, 10th and 12th graders.
Reasons to Celebrate
- 35 out of 40 asset categories have increased.
- Only 5 asset categories have decreased.
- Of the 22 assets that schools can directly affect, a total of 19 assets have increased.
- The asset categories with the largest percentage were:
- Parent Involvement (32%),
- Youth as Resources- (26%),
- Bonding to School- (23%),
- High Expectations (21%) and
- Caring School Climate (19%).
- Total number of assets possessed by Upper Bucks youth has increased from 17.5 to 19.1- a 9% increase
- Total % of students possessing 20 or more assets has increased from 34% to 43%- a 26% increase.
- Previous 30-Day Alcohol Use among 12th graders has decreased from baseline of 52% to 40% in 2010 – a 23% reduction.
- Previous 30-Day Tobacco Use among 12th graders has decreased from baseline of 33% to 19% in 2010 – a 42% reduction.
- Percentage of 8th graders who engaged in binge drinking* in previous two-week period decreased from baseline of 9% to 6% in 2010- a 33% reduction.
- Previous 30-Day Marijuana Use among 12th graders has decreased from baseline of 29% to 21% in 2010 – a 28% reduction.
- Previous 30-Day Marijuana Use among 8th graders has decreased from baseline of 7% to 3% in 2010 – a 57% reduction.
- A majority of all youth do not regularly (prior 30-day period) drink alcohol, tobacco, or use marijuana- 73%, 88% and 87% respectively.
Reasons to Stay Connected
- After years of decreasing percentages of both 8th and 10th graders reporting prior 30-day alcohol use there has been a “leveling off” for both age groups.
- 166 members of the Class of 2010 have driven a car after drinking within the last year- 55 seniors have driven after drinking 3 or more times in the last year.
- 804 members of the Class of 2010 have been a passenger in a car with a driver who has been drinking within the last year- 277 seniors have ridden with an impaired driver 3 or more times in the same period.
- 8% of the Class of 2010 (222 youth) report using a prescription drug that was not prescribed to them by a doctor.
- The percentage of youth who have had sexual intercourse is 26% (721 youth) and 24% (173 youth) of those youth seldom or never use any contraceptive devices
- A total of 10% (277 youth) have attempted to kill themselves at least once and 4% (111 youth) have made 2 or more attempts**
- 13% of all youth (360 youth) report that they have carried a gun or knife to protect themselves during the past year.
- 15% of all youth (416 youth) report that they have taken part in a fight where a group of their friends have fought another group.
- 3% of all youth (83 youth) report that they have used a knife or gun to get something from another person.*Binge Drinking- Consuming five or more drinks in one sitting in the previous two-week period**Prior attempts to commit suicide is the number one risk factor for future attempts
Read the full 2010 Support Card 
