Delivering Positivity: Elkhart County Teen Jaycee Spreads Kindness Through The Mail
Jaycee has been walking the neighborhood every day and leaving positive and inspirational notes, quotes, messages, and drawings in everyone's mailboxes. Way to be awesome, Jaycee!

POSITIVELY ELKHART COUNTY

When our world came to a grinding halt in March due to COVID-19, teens suddenly had a lot of free time on their hands. No school, no sports, no social gatherings.

Free time could mean more time for teens to make bad decisions — but at Positively Elkhart County, we know that’s not the case. Instead, the teenagers in our community are making positive choices.

Jaycee is one of those teenagers making positive choices. She has used her free time to lift the spirits of her neighbors by delivering handwritten notes and drawings.

“You are absolutely beautiful inside and out,” Jaycee wrote in one of her letters. “Another tip: 99.9% of the time, no one cares how you look. It is all in your had. Also, your inner beauty is what really shows. Everyone’s personality, opinions, and thoughts are different. You wouldn’t be you without your unique traits. Finally, I have one last point. You should never depend on others to make you happy.”

Know of a teen in your life that is making positive choices? Let us know using the form below!

We believe that healthy truths reduce use.

The healthy truth: Teens in Elkhart County aren’t drinking, smoking or using drugs.

But their peers think they are — and that makes a big difference.

Positively Elkhart County is a social norming campaign that aims to change students’ attitudes, behaviors and perceptions surrounding alcohol and drug use.

The goal of our program is to show students in our community that drinking and using drugs is NOT the norm and is NOT “cool.” Research shows this approach will reduce use over time.

Most teens in Elkhart County are making positive choices about alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs.

However, many believe they are in the minority and their typical peers engage in substance use. What teens think about their peers’ behavior has a strong influence on their own choices.

Our surveys show that high school students who believe their typical peer uses drugs or alcohol are 2-3 times more likely to engage in use themselves.

TEEN DRINKING OVER PAST 30 DAYS

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When Students Believe Their Typical Peer Drinks

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When Students Know Their Typical Peers Do NOT Drink

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