Renz coordinating annual Teen Institute

Renz Addiction Counseling Center is once again coordinating local involvement in this year's 34th Annual Illinois Teen Institute (ITI) substance abuse prevention and leadership camp, July 13-17, at Monmouth College in Monmouth.

Incoming freshmen through grade 12 are invited to participate and have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, boost self-esteem, build healthy personal and family relationships, achieve school success, and learn alcohol and drug prevention skills.

Last year over 500 teens statewide participated in the camp, and attended workshops, discussion groups and activities.

"This year we've had an increase of participants with 27 local teens registered to attend," said Renz Center Executive Director Jerry Skogmo, "and we're hoping another 20 will join them. School administrators, teachers, community leaders and parents are supportive of the camp because they see firsthand its value in our schools, community and homes."

Camp days are tightly scheduled with activities, including interactive special presentations by Mawi, Mykee Fowlin, Javier Sanchez, Milton Creagh, Ty Sells, Colin Perkins, and Angela Cornelius. Teens also breakdown into their local group's Community Action Team (CAT), and develop an action plan for their community to help preventive alcohol and drug abuse.

"Last year, our group's CAT plan was to stencil alcohol and drug prevention messages on the ground outside Streamwood High School," said Renz Center Prevention Assistant and camp volunteer Ande Suddeth. "It was a low-cost, innovative way to catch someone's attention and get our prevention message across-we received many positive responses from students and teachers."

While sponsored in part by the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA), local sponsors also support the ITI camp.

The Illinois Sheriff Association donates money for individual sponsorships; a Renz Center prevention coordinator organizes camp participation locally and assists teens throughout camp; and School District U46 has donated a bus. "Transportation is sometimes difficult for working parents," said Suddeth, "so the bus was an easy answer to get local teen participants to and from the camp."

The weeklong camp fee is $315, and covers housing, meals, speakers, programming and camp T-shirt. Scholarships are also available. All applications are due July 3, and may be obtained from the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA) office at 217-528-7335 ext. 52, or downloaded at www.os-iti.org under the ITI link. For more information on ITI and local involvement, contact Renz Center's Prevention Assistant Ande Suddeth at (847) 742-3545.

Renz Center provides a continuum of care dedicated to the prevention, intervention and treatment of addictive behaviors and disorders often associated with addition.

Services range from prevention programs for youth in the schools to outpatient treatment programs for adolescents and adults.

Offices are located in Elgin, St. Charles, and Streamwood, Renz services also include treatment for problem and compulsive gambling.

Renz Addiction Counseling Center is a non-profit organization funded in part by The Federal Government, local United Ways, The Illinois Department of Human Services, Hanover Township and St. Charles 708 boards and other local community organizations. To find out more about Renz Center's programs, call 847-742-3545 or visit www.renzcenter.com.