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Excerpts from the Uhlich Children's Home Press Release - Teenagers Nationwide Give Adults a Report Card: Adults Get a "D+" on Stopping Teens From Smoking, Drinking and Using Drugs.

PRNewswire [06/02/99]

As the school year comes to a close, there is one report card being handed out that may raise some eyebrows among adults. Because on this report card, adults don't give grades: they get them.

In the nationally representative Uhlich Report Card, filled out by teenagers from throughout the United States, adults were given a ``D+'' on their efforts to stop teenagers from using alcohol, tobacco and drugs. Notably, 25% of the teens flunked adults when it comes to stopping teen drinking, including nearly 30% of rural teens. Indeed, teens sent a message that adults may need a little remedial summer school if they want to learn how to curb unhealthy behaviors among the nation's children. Adults also received a ``D+'' grade on running the government and a ``C'' on stopping gun violence.

Conducted in January and February by the premier research organization on teenage attitudes and trends, Teenage Research Unlimited, the nationally representative sampling of 981 teenagers (ages 12-19) gave adults an overall average of ``C'' in nineteen different ``subjects.'' Teens received the questions in the form of a mail survey, with the results weighted to reflect regional, ethnic and gender distribution across the United States. The survey has a 3% point margin of error.

Created and sponsored by the Uhlich Children's Home of Chicago, Ill., and known as The Uhlich Report Card, the card formally consists of 10 grades, the five lowest and the five highest grades from the nineteen report card subjects. The Uhlich Report Card, being presented by teenagers in Chicago on June 2, will become an annual measure of adult progress on issues affecting teens, as graded by teens themselves.

Teenagers gave the lowest and highest grades to adults for how they are doing at:

LOWEST GRADES

1) at stopping young people from drinking. D+

2) at stopping young people from smoking. D+

3) at stopping young people from using drugs. D+

4) at running the government. D+

5) at getting rid of gangs. C-

HIGHEST GRADES

6) at creating job opportunities for the future. B-

7) at providing a quality education for young people. B-

8) at spending quality time with their families. B-

9) at fighting AIDS. B-

10) at preventing child abuse. B-

In areas affecting the safety of teenagers, teens gave adults ``C'' range grades. However, the grades were chosen by teens before the Columbine High School shootings in Colorado. Teens gave an overall grade of ``C'' on adult efforts to reduce gun violence. Adults received a ``C-'' for their efforts to stop gangs. And teens gave a ``C+'' to adults for keeping schools safe from violence and crime.

``We thought that we needed to turn the table on adults, and give teenagers a chance to grade adults on issues of importance to the well being of young people,'' says Tom Vanden Berk, President and Executive Director of Uhlich Children's Home, in explaining why a Chicago not-for-profit organization created a teenage report card on adult performance. ``After all, companies spend millions of dollars a year doing market research on how to better sell products to teenagers. Why not research the views of teens on how we are doing as adults?''

``As a multi-service child welfare agency, we know the importance of communication among family members,'' says Vanden Berk. ``The Uhlich Report Card is a good catalyst for getting adults to better listen to the thoughts and recommendations of teenagers.''

To better interpret The Uhlich Report Card grades, Teenage Research Unlimited conducted four focus groups of freshman, sophomore, junior and senior high school students the week of April 19th in Chicago. Participants in the focus groups, consisting of two male and two female groups, were asked their opinions on the grades.

``What we found in the focus groups was that teens really had strong thoughts about these grades, and took them seriously,'' says Vanden Berk. ``On the one hand, they accepted with resignation the easy availability of alcohol, tobacco and drugs. On the other hand, they were eager to accept responsibility for their own behavior. They emphasized that if adults are going to influence teenagers, they have to establish trust and spend time with their children in their earliest years. The teens also urged adults to lead by example.''

``Clearly, when it comes to stopping teen smoking, drinking and drug use, adults are off-message with teens. When we get 'D+' grades, we have to go back to the drawing board in these areas. Listening to teenagers and respecting them is the best way that we, as adults, can improve our report card grades. Teens want to have a role in resolving the issues that directly affect them.''

A full copy of The Uhlich Report Card grades and the focus group report can be obtained by calling Mark Karlin at 312-920-0150 or Kristi Masten at 773-588-0180, ext. 470. Interviews with Tom Vanden Berk and teenage focus group participants can also be arranged by calling these numbers. Information on the Uhlich Report Card is posted at www.uhlich.org.

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