The Area 10 Spring Conference, hosted by the University of Connecticut Sexperts affiliate, was a huge success! With over 20 schools and organizations represented, we had a whopping 156 people attend to communicate new ideas and build relationships. Plus an additional 37 people completed the Certified Peer Educator (CPE) training on Friday!

Our keynote speaker was J. Lee Peters, Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students at the University of Hartford. Peters was a very inspiring speaker that shared a lot of good ideas for peer educator to utilize and relay onto their campuses. One idea that stuck out for most was a final message sent by Peters: "Never say the words can't, but, don't and why". As a peer educator, by eliminating these words from our vocabulary, we are capable of becoming better helpers.

Another interesting idea utilized by our keynote was the idea of supporting each other...literally. Four students were asked to sit on chairs making a square shape. Once in formation, the chairs were removed from under the students and they supported each other with their knees in order to keep from falling. This inspiring message helps peer educators to realize that goals cannot be achieved alone and that it takes the help and support of everyone not to have it all come tumbling down.

The Director of Health Promotions for the BACCHUS Network, Jan Gascoigne, added her welcome from the national office and offered her support and words of wisdom for Area 10 peer educators and advisors and your important work.

Your former SAC, Missy Fowler, graciously offered to assist in this year's opening ice breaker as she joined the Area Team for this special occasion.

Congratulations to our Outstanding Peer Educator:
Amy Serino
Central Connecticut State University
Choices Peer Educators

Congratulations to our Outstanding Program:
"BACCHUS Babies! Affecting the Next Generation"
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
BACCHUS Bucchaneers

If you've ever wondered what the different volunteer leadership positions are within Area 10, you've come to the right place! The BACCHUS Network relies heavily on its volunteer leadership teams in each Area to help continue the important work of supporting peer education groups across the country.

There are three leadership positions in Area 10:

Student Advisory Committee member: The student leaders of The BACCHUS Network are peer educators selected by their peers at the General Assembly each year. One student is selected to serve as the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) member for each of the twelve regional Areas. Currently, Racquel Wells of Boston College is the Area 10 SAC.

SAC tasks include representing the student voice of the network, building communication between affiliates, developing the area newsletter (which you are reading now), assisting the other area volunteers in spring conference planning and more.

Oftentimes past SACs go onto to serve as one of two Student Trustees. The Student Trustees oversee the SAC and sit on the BACCHUS Network Board of Trustees.

State Coordinators: These individuals, who are campus-based professionals, serve as an important resource person to peer education groups at the state level. Overseeing one or more states, the State Coordinator works with our affiliates by providing leadership and training opportunities at the state and local level, as well as helping the Area Consultant with charter renewals and spring conference planning.

Kimberley Timpf of Boston College serves as the Massachusetts State Coordinator, while the University of Hartford's Rosalyn Dischiavo currently covers Connecticut and Rhode Island. However, Roz will be stepping down at the end of the current semester so we wish her well in her new endeavors and thank her for her more than five years of service to the Network.

The Maine/Vermont/New Hampshire State Coordinator position is also currently available. If any advisors are interested in this or the CT/RI position, please contact Lisa Currie, Area Consultant, at lcurrie@wesleyan.edu or by phone at 860.685.2466.

Area Consultant: The AC is the highest tier of volunteers within the BACCHUS Network. One campus-based professional serves as the area consultant for each of the 12 geographical areas of the network. Their task is to coordinate all affiliate efforts in that area, including communications, leadership development, affiliate assistance and spring conference planning.

ACs typically come from the ranks of the State Coordinators due to their experience with peer education and knowledge of the network. Lisa Currie of Wesleyan University is the current Area 10 Consultant. She previously held the position of State Coordinator for more than five years in Area 10 and three years in Area 11.

Advisors and peer educators are always welcome to contact these volunteers for assistance. Please use them as a resource to help support your peer education efforts and to learn more about what the BACCHUS Network offers!

Name: Lindsey Maguire
School Name: Roger Williams University
Group Name: Health and Wellness Educators (HAWE)
Year in school: Junior (Class of 2007)
Major: Communications
Most effective campaign done on your campus: The most effective campaign presented on our campus was the Walk Away program. This was a program where our group of educators came together to present the dangers of drunk driving, including the personal story of one person from our group.
Most influential part of being a peer educator: Helping other students and educating them about better ways to take care of themselves.

In addition to the BACCHUS listserv, BACCHUS offers the following threaded discussions and interactive polls for Network participation. Be sure to check in with each regularly to post your questions and responses!

Threaded Discussions

• BACCHUS: www.bacchusnetwork.org/threadeddiscussion.asp

• Tobacco Free U: www.tobaccofreeu.org/threadeddiscussion.asp

• Friends Drive Sober: www.friendsdrivesober.org/student_involvement/threa deddiscussion.html

Polls

• Tobacco Free U: www.tobaccofreeU.org

• Smarter Sex: www.smartersex.org

Area 10 Certified Peer Educator Training will be held in late September for those that were unable to participate in CPE at the Area Conference and would still like to. Advisors, be on email alert in August for registration information!

The National Collegiate Tobacco Symposium is being held on May 1-2, 2006 in Providence, RI at the Providence Marriott.

The first national Conference for Peer Education Group Advisors is scheduled for June 28 - 30 in Denver, CO.

The BACCHUS Social Norms Conference will be held in Denver, CO from July 26-28, 2006 at the Grand Hyatt Denver.

BACCHUS General Assembly may be months away on November 9-12, 2006 but that doesn't mean fundraising should wait. This time, our area has the pleasure of travelling cross-country to Anaheim, CA (think Disneyland!). There are several ways to get started for this wonderful opportunity:

• Ask local businesses for donations, explain the benefit to the community. Local restaurants may give a percentage of their profit on certain days or months.
• Have a car wash, some stores like Wal-Mart provide the water & garden hoses for free
• Make finals week care packages to sell
• If your school has a sponsor, such as Coke or Pepsi, there may be grants available
• Sell mocktails
• Auctions
• Bake sales
• Garage sales

Roger Williams University Health and Wellness Educators are receiving the 2006 Service Recognition Award, sponsored by the Feinstein Service Learning Program. The Health and Wellness Educators are being recognized for bring their Walk Away program to local high schools in Rhode Island. Their program focuses primarily on the dangers drinking and driving, as well as blood alcohol level.

The Area leadership team and the National Office love to hear about what your groups are doing and what your needs are! If you have a question, an idea or simply want to share something great your group is doing, get in touch with us.

Also, if your contact information changes or a new advisor takes over for your group, please be sure to keep us updated on that information. This will ensure that you will stay informed of upcoming campaigns, conference opportunities, and also helps the Network to keep costs down by making sure the mail is going to the right person!

While this information can be updated during the annual charter renewal process, mid-year changes can be reported directly to the National Office or shared with your State Coordinator or Area Consultant, who will be sure to pass on the information.

"Do all the good you can,
by all the means you can,
in all the ways you can,
in all the places you can,
at all the times you can,
to all the people you can,
as long as ever you can."
~ John Wesley