Education Secretary Supports APA/MTV Project

U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley lent his support to "Warning Signs," the APA/MTV youth anti-violence initiative in a letter sent to educators nationwide. In this letter, Riley commended the project, writing, "It is my sincere hope that you will welcome these youth forums in your school and join me in applauding the efforts of APA and MTV as they embark on this effort to educate our nation's youth."

The letter was sent to 39,000 school principals and teachers throughout the nation and also mailed to more than 20,000 educators through the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the National School Boards Association. Practitioners who registered to receive a project pre-planning kit were sent a copy of the letter in a recent kit update.

"We believe Secretary Riley's letter will help open a number of doors," said Jan Peterson, assistant executive director for public relations and communications. "When psychologists meet with or write to school officials in their communities, they'll want to provide them with a copy."

Los Angeles Launch

The "Warning Signs" project will officially be launched with a premiere on April 22 at 7 p.m. on the historic Paramount Pictures studio lot in Hollywood. Los Angeles area youth are being invited for a screening of the "Fight for Your Rights" MTV special, followed by a forum discussion. MTV VJ Ananda Lewis will moderate. Other participants include Russ Newman, Ph.D., J.D., executive director of professional practice, Dr. Jana Martin, the public education campaign coordinator for the Los Angeles/Orange Regional Psychology Network, as well as a youth featured in the show.

Kit materials online

The sample letters and media materials contained in the "Warnings Signs" planning kits are now available online. Log on and go to www.apa.org/campaign. Click on APA/MTV Warning Signs Project for materials related to the youth anti-violence initiative.

You can copy and save the letters and press materials onto your own computer desktop. Simply incorporate information about your own school or community forum and print them onto a copy of the project stationery provided in the kit. If you need technical assistance with documents online, please contact Chris Barrett via email.

The Warning Signs guide and videotape copies of the show are near completion and will be mailed soon to practitioners who have registered events with the APA Campaign Services Bureau. The "Warning Signs" planning kits have been distributed to more than 500 practitioners.

Remember, to receive your copies of the guide, videotape and forum discussion guide, call toll-free 877.274.8787, ext. 135.

Warning Signs 800#

A special toll-free line has been established for youth seeking a free Warning Signs guide. The number is 800.268.0078. Help spread the word by including it in all media and public outreach materials.

Campaign Fundraising

Raising money to support campaign advertising can be challenging. But with the Practice Directorate's 80/20 matching grant program for states and divisions, it's well worth the effort.

The Illinois Psychological Association found a unique way to provide a service to the community, increase membership and raise money for advertising and other campaign-related public outreach activities. 

The association made a connection with author and psychologist Mary Pipher, who hosted a one-hour lecture and book signing at a local high school auditorium. The March 31 event served as the exclusive Chicago promotion for her new book, "Another Country." Pipher is best known for "Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls."

The association charged $20 for advance ticket purchases and $25 at the door and raised about $3,000, said Dr. Nancy Molitor, public education campaign coordinator for the Illinois Psychological Association.

"We looked at a number of opportunities for fund raising and this is the one that seemed to have the most efficacy - to bring in somebody well-known to speak,'' Molitor said. "We were also very clear we wanted a psychologist."

Members of the association had heard Pipher's presentatin at the 1998 APA Convention in San Francisco, which Molitor said is a good place to look for speakers. Dr. Katie Klehr, president-elect of the Illinois Psychological Association, approached Pipher about the speaking engagement and learned of the exclusive book-signing opportunity.

The association's intense planning efforts paid off. In addition to raising money for advertising, the event generated positive media attention and also spurred new membership recruitment.

"Hopefully all of this will raise the visibility of our association both in the larger community and within the community of psychologists,'' Molitor said. "This achieved a number of purposes - plus it's fun. It gets us out of our offices.''

Fund-raising Tips

The advertising section of the Talk to Someone Who Can Help campaign kit contains some suggestions and a sample fund-raising letter if you choose to make a direct appeal to colleagues. You may also decide to invite fellow psychologists to an after-hours gathering at your home or office so that a personal appeal can be made to a larger group.

Below are a few important steps to help get you started:

• Determine a fund-raising goal.
• Create a mailing list of psychologists.
• Send a personal letter explaining the fund-raising effort and scope of the public education campaign.
• (See sample letter in your kit)
• Follow up with telephone calls.