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Students at Belmont Middle School in a Media Power Youth program. Photo courtesy of Media Power Youth.

Students at Belmont Middle School in a Media Power Youth program. Photo courtesy of Media Power Youth.

Media Power Youth on the rise

New Hampshire organization gains national recognition for effectiveness of programs

By Lois R. Shea, Senior Writer and Communications Officer  |  

Media Power Youth is changing the way kids think about and use media.

Now it has gained national recognition to show that its programs work.

Media Power Youth is the first New Hampshire organization to be listed on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices.

“Media Power Youth’s Media Literacy for Safe & Healthy Choices is now nationally recognized for evidence of a positive effect in helping children understand and make healthy decisions about media’s effect on violence, bullying, alcohol use, smoking, and food choices,” said Joseph Harding, Director of New Hampshire’s Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services. “We hope that students in schools across the state will continue to benefit from this important program.”

The Foundation has been a key supporter of Media Power Youth as it has built its programs – providing almost $350,000 in program and operating support since 2010.

Media Power Youth’s programs and curricula are available to schools and communities throughout New Hampshire, and the organization had already been recognized as evidence-based by the New Hampshire Center for Excellence in Alcohol and Other Drug Services.

The national SAMHSA listing, showing Media Power Youth’s programs to be “best practice” in the field, means that other communities around the country can replicate and use them.

Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital evaluated Media Power Youth’s curricula. “We are pleased to find how effective this program is,” said Dr. Michael Rich, who directs the hospital’s Center on Media and Child Health. “We hope that children, teachers and families everywhere benefit from Media Literacy for Safe & Healthy Choices.”

“We are thrilled to see Media Power Youth gain this national recognition as a media literacy program contributing to the prevention of substance use, violence and other risk behaviors,” said Tym Rourke, Director of Substance Use Disorders Grantmaking and Strategic Initiatives at the Charitable Foundation.

The Media Literacy for Safe and Healthy Choices program had already been implemented in New Hampshire schools with funding from the New Hampshire Department of Justice.

“We are proud to show that we can help children understand and use media to make healthy choices,” said Media Power Youth Executive Director Rona Zlokower.

To learn more about Media Power Youth, visit www.mediapoweryouth.org.


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