Later this month, SRSLY Dexter will host release events at schools throughout the Dexter Community School District to distribute CPTN SRSLY (pronounced: Captain Seriously) comic books to students in grades 2 through 8.
The CPTN SRSLY project is a local collaborative effort that aims to support Dexter youth by teaching them about healthy and positive behaviors. Comic books connect language and art in a way that draws readers in and encourages literacy among children. By using a medium that kids already enjoy, adults are able to pass along messages that benefit kids and help them establish a positive sense of their place within the community.
Several installments within the series include local Dexter landmarks and the cartoon likeness of local students. The project has grown to include comic book installments for students in grades 2 through 8, a comic workshop where students learn how to create their own comics, and CPTN SRSLY mascots that attend local community events.
The CPTN SRSLY comic book series is valuable for the work SRSLY does as a coalition. The topics and themes for the CPTN SRSLY books are as follows:
2nd grade – Promoting proactive self-care, good hygiene and hand washing
3rd grade – Promoting positive family involvement and working with parents to solve problems
4th grade – Cyberbullying and encouraging students to say something to an adult if they see something bad happening
5th grade – Maintaining one’s integrity despite peer pressure
6th grade – Supporting friends to overcome obstacles
7th grade – Working as a team to achieve a common goal
8th grade – Importance of making your own decisions and standing up for what’s right
Local cartoonist and CPTN SRSLY comic series creator Jerzy Drozd will appear at scheduled release eventsthroughout the school district and has exciting activities planned.
Below is the schedule of comic book releases planned for Dexter students in March:
2nd Grade: Beacon & Anchor Elementary – Thursday March 7
3rd& 4th Grade: Wylie Elementary – Thursday, March 21
5th Grade: Creekside Intermediate – Friday March 22
7th& 8th Grade: Mill Creek –Monday March 18
About SRSLY
SRSLY is a community coalition dedicated to the prevention of destructive behavior in youth. SRSLY’s mission is to empower youth to live healthy, substance-free lives, by bringing the community together. SRSLY was formed in 2008 in response to local data showing teens in Chelsea are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than state and national averages. SRSLY promotes positive family and community involvement and school bonding, works to limit youth access to alcohol and other drugs and reduce parental approval of youth drug use. SRSLY receives support from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea, the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation and the Coghlan Family Foundation. For more information, call (734) 593-5279, or visit www.srslycoalition.org.
The SRSLY coalition consists of representatives from across Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester and Stockbridge, including the schools, hospital, library, law enforcement, churches, businesses, parents and youth. SRSLY focuses on primary prevention among youth aged 10 to 15, but is open to anyone interested in preventing youth substance use by promoting a more positive and healthy community.
