Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 6 December 2002 — Page 7

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6,2002 ■ PAGE A7

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Teen suicide a growing

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By Jocelyn Hurst Cathedral High school Recorder Intern

Every year almost 5,000 young people all over America commit suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in the age group of 15 to 24 years old. Indiana has the second highest rate of suicides in the Midwest. The rate of Black males in Indiana who commit suicide has increased from about 15 percent to 37 percent per 100,000 males from 1994 to 1998. "As a Black male, I think we are under immense pressure because of education, problems such as teen pregnancies, and drugs and alcohol (abuse),” said 16-year-old Theory Robinson. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate’s increase is due to an increase of pressures in modern life, competition in academics and the stiff requirements students must meet in order to be admitted into college. Another reason behind the increase is that there is easier access to the materials needed to commit suicide such as firearms and pills. Three of every five suicides have involved the use of a gun. Th4 media also has been cited as a contributing factor to the number of suicides today because there is more violence reported in various print and electronic media. By the time most Americans are 18 years of age they will have viewed over 200,000 violent acts on TV. When the average American reaches the age of 70, they will have watched 7-10 years worth of television. This amount of violence continues to desensitize Americans to violence everyday. Dorothy Anderson, an Indianapolis mother of five sons, said, “Teen-agers today tend to crave attention from a close-knit family, but families today aren’t close anymore and the family structures are weak. The parents are younger, and are just as wild as their kids.”

To order AFSP's Teen Suicide Prevention Kit free-of-charge, call I-888-333-AFSP Ext. 14, or email Please allow 4-8

(young Black males) Just feel that no matter what they say It will not change their feelings towards their life,** said 16-year-old Black female, Adrtene Cox (Photo by Jocelyn Hurst) In many families today both parents work, so they spend less time* with their children. According to one study, 90 percent of the teens that are suicidal believe their parents don’t understand them. Those that have tried to open up to their parents about their feelings and problems say their parents have either denied that their child has a problem or ignored it “Some (young Black males) just feel that no matter what they say it will not change their feelings towards their life,” said 16-year-old Black female, Adriene Cox Among the many reasons teens decide to end their life is the lack of communication with their parents. Parents are encouraged to talk to their kids and listen to them as well. Parents should reassure their teens that they love and support them regardless of the problem they may be dealing with. "Communication between parents and their children is only hard for those who aren’t open,” said Anderson.' Teens need parental guidance to help with the emotional and physical changes that they experience from day to day. Being open isn’t an easy thing to do for anyone. "I think its harder for Black males to open up because of their pride,” said Robinson. There are several places across Indiana where teens can get heip outside their homes. "Teen Link,” which is a special 24-hour telephone hotline developed espedafiy for teens is provided by the Mental Health Association in Marion County. For information call (317) 251-7575.

Jump starting knowledge about car emergencies

By Jane Tuv North Central High School Recorder Intern A recurring perception that female drivers are more acci-dent-prone than they were a few years back, raises a question, "What is different about female drivers during the present time than the previous?” It must be noted that a great number of female drivers who have been driving for a long period of time are unable to prevent themselves from basic car troubles or cannot perform basic car emergency skills. By not knowing what to do in case of car emergencies, females threaten their lives and reputations. In high school, after buying the first car and receiving a license, teen-age girls acquire & sense of freedom; however, in many circumstances, the adolescents do not know what to when dealing with a car emergency such as a dead battery. “When I first bought my car last year, I used to forget to turn off my headlights and would find my car battery dead after the school day was over,” 17-year-old car owner, Mariam Sharifi, said. “I had to call my mother or my father to come and help me start my car because I had no idea what to do. I did not know anything about jumper cables and how to use them,” she added. It is always beneficial to ask other people for help if car troubles arise; however, it is advantageous to learn how to personally handle the problems. Buying a car emergency kit or a car manual that helps drivers in case of emergencies is extremely useful. “My friend’s battery died and she asked me to jump her after school one day,” 18-year-old North Central High School student, Kelly Deitz, said. She continued, “She had the jumper cables but both of us had no idea what to do with them, so I got out my car manual and after a long process of attaching positive and negative cables, we got her car starred. According to tips found on CarBuyingTips.com, jump starting a car is not as hard as it may seem. It is essential for a person to purchase jumper cables and put them in the trunk of the car so that they will always be in one spot One needs to find a driver who has a running car in order to acquire the energy needed for the battery. The two cars

should be positioned depending of time do not know what to do in upon where the batteries are lo- case of basic car troubles, cated because some jumper cables “A couple of months ago, I had cannot reach too far. Make sure to my first flat tire and had absolutely turn off both cars before proceed- n o idea how to fix it,” 42-year-old ing. Irine Tomilina said. “I never imagThe driver with the car emer- ined I would have to worry about gency should take the first end of something like a flat tire because I the cables and clamp the negative am such a careful driver.” (usually black) end on to the nega- Unfortunately only a few people tive symbol ( - ) on h ' s ,or her realize that being careful while drivbattery. Next, the same driver ing is not enough. It is a must that needs to clamp the positive end one always carries a car kit or a car (usually red) on to the positive manual to understand the steps of symbol (+) of her battery. a quick car fix. After the job is done on one car, “I think it is important for girls the same process should be fol- or females (in general) to have a lowed on the other car. After all is basic knowledge of responsibilifinished the driver of the working ties behind changing a flat, jumping car should turn on her car engine a car - or ^r 1 pumping their own and the one with the “dead” bat- gas.” 25- year-old car owner, Dertery should follow. The cars should rick Beausejour, said, be on with the jumper cables at- He continued, “I guess guys are tached for about five minutes and just better drivers than girls.” then thf jumper cables should be The perception of men drivers taken off. The person with the being “better” is due to the steprevious car trouble should de- reotype that women are more tach the cables one by one, placing accident-prone or that they do them on the ground so that they not know how to handle car do not touch. The other individual troubles without help from othshould follow by taking off the er s. cables and placing them far from “I always think that girls panic each other. and cry too much if something It is necessary to be prepared simple happens with their cars,” for such situations. For some rea- Beausejour said. “Instead of panson, females are less informed icking, (they) need to be prepared about accident prevention or car for car emergencies, so that we repair. A number of women, who men won’t make fun of how silly have been driving for a long period cb®/ are ”