Alderwoman Davis Presented Resolution To Teen Std Prevention Program, The Expressions Challenge

Nov. 6, 2012 - PRLog -- ST. LOUIS, MO (November 5, 2012) – Ward 19 Alderwoman Marlene Davis, alongside Aldermanic President Lewis Reed, presented the Walgreens Expressions Challenge (Expressions) initiative with a City of St. Louis Resolution for corporate leadership in teen health education awareness.  In addition, the 2011 Expressions Challenge Grand Prize Winner of the Creative Writing Category Virgil Fuller received a special Recognition of Achievement Medal from the City of St. Louis Aldermanic Council, last week in the Aldermanic Chamber located in City Hall.  

Initiatives such as the Expressions Challenge and Virgil’s contribution to sexually transmitted disease (STD) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) awareness are of great significance.  In St. Louis, youth ages 15 to 24 years old are the highest at risk for STD and STI, according to a 2010 St. Louis Department of Public Health report.  This age group is the highest at risk for STDs/Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and untreated infections could lead to future infertility.  

“Walgreens cares about the people and that’s critical,” Alderwoman Davis expressed during her keynote address at the Resolution Ceremony.  “The Expressions Challenge program is critical because it does not leave anyone out.  It merges the talents of students through art, poetry, photography, graphic design, and other art forms to address the real issues teens face.  Youth can enter their works into the Expressions Challenge contest, use their creative expressions to speak out about teen health concerns, and win money which they can use to save for college.  This program design is wonderful because it goes directly back to the students in the community.  And programs all about the community, I like to support,” Alderwoman Davis added.  

In 2011, over $14,000 was awarded to six students from high schools in the St. Louis area for their participation. Local schools and teachers benefitted from the creativity of their students, also.

The Expressions initiative partners with area high schools to raise awareness about the alarming rates of teen STIs, including Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, in addition to a range of sexual responsibility issues. Teens use their creative voice to bring to life the healthy choice topics: STD Awareness and Prevention, Self-Esteem, Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Abstinence, Sexting, and Sexual Responsibility Awareness. Creative Writing, Visual Arts and Multimedia are the art forms youths use to communicate their perspective on these topics, and then submit their work to the Expressions Challenge contest.  By tapping into these skills, Expressions amplifies the current academic curriculum of high school partners by focusing not just on sex education, but on other disciplines as well, including Art, English and Health. Students can work on the Expressions Challenge either individually or in a group to create an entry which depicts their opinion on how they will make healthy decisions for a bright future.

“Our goal is to elevate the conversation,” said John Gremer, director of community relations for Walgreen Co.  “One of the biggest contributors to these teen health epidemics is communication. Studies continually show teens have challenges discussing sexual health with parents, teachers and other adults. Through this initiative, we’re giving them a safe and engaging place to talk about the challenges they face when making healthy sexual decisions and then the opportunity to be rewarded for it. This program matters a great deal to us, because it supports our commitment to prevention and early detection on many health challenges facing our community,” Gremer added.

After the contest ends on November 30, three first-place winners will be selected to receive $2,000, plus an additional $500 for their teacher and $500 for their school.  Three second-place winners will be selected to receive $1,250, plus a gift of $500 for their teacher.

ABOUT EXPRESSIONS CHALLENGE

The Walgreens Expressions Challenge (Expressions), sponsored by Walgreen Co., is a contest established to engage high school teens ages 14 to 18 in the conversation about healthy choices for their future through creative expression. The Expressions Challenge is held in St. Louis and Chicago, and to date has reached more than 500,000 teens.  The Expressions Challenge has awarded nearly $100,000 in cash and prizes to winners, entrants, teachers, schools, and organizations.
For more information visit ExpressionsChallenge.com/category/news-room/
Follow @ExpressionsChal on Twitter and Expressions Challenge on Facebook.

ABOUT WALGREENS

As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2011 sales of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to become America’s first choice for health and daily living.  Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services.  These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The company operates 7,840 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.