(FROM THE APPLICATION): This project is proposed by the Midwest Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities, which is under the auspices of the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. The center is funded by the Department of Education and serves the States of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. This project will target African American adolescent females, ages 12 to 15, who live in large and small low-income urban areas in the Midwest. The purpose of the project is to develop and disseminate a health communication campaign that will raise awareness, increase knowledge, and influence attitudes about marijuana and alcohol use among the target population. The campaign will also refute myths, stereotypes, and misconceptions around media depictions of the target population. To be effective, the campaign's messages and images must be, in part, created by the young people they are intended to serve. The Midwest Regional Center will manage a collaborative effort among selected members of the target population, key informants (i.e., gatekeepers, parents, media organizations, and youth-serving community-based agencies and institutions), and advertising agencies to design, develop, evaluate, and deliver the campaign and materials. Formative evaluation of the goals and specific objectives will be conducted throughout the project. Assessment and pilot testing will be conducted in four test cities: Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Flint, Michigan; and Gary, Indiana. The target population's beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and norms will be assessed; evaluation tools to test the effectiveness of the campaign on evolving beliefs and attitudes will be developed and implemented.
