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DESTINATION: ANNE MARIE PROJECT
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ANNE MARIE PROJECT PLAN BOOK
This document was produced by AdZou at the Missouri School of Journalism. The contents are the property of Anne Marie Project. All
information is confidential and proprietary and shall not be modified, reproduced, distributed or used for any purpose without prior
written consent of Anne Marie Project © TEAM POPULUS; November 30th, 2015.
4 54
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SITUATION ANALYSIS
Client & Audience
Competitors/Affiliates
SWOT
SECONDARY RESEARCH
Why Early Intervention
D.A.R.E Program
PRIMARY RESEARCH
Methodology
Findings
STRATEGY
Target Profile
Big Idea
Identity
	
tABLE OF CONTENTS
5
TACTICS
Intern
Budget
Evaluation Metrics
MEET THE TEAM
APPENDIX
6
10
16
20
26
64
75
106
112
6 7
When first introduced to Anne Marie Project, our team, Populus, was challenged
to discover how its audience interacts with its website, and in what ways it could
be improved to better complement its drug prevention and
education presentations in schools.
We identified our target to be high school freshmen and sophomores in
mid-Missouri who are slowly adapting to the new struggles of being a teenager.
After executing both secondary research and quantitative and qualitative
research of our own, the Populus team is eager to navigate Anne Marie Project
through our findings, recommendations and strategies for success.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SITUATION ANALYSIS
10 11
Our client is Anne Marie Project, a faith-based
non-profit organization in the drug prevention and
education category. It runs learntalklive.com, and says
the site exists to provide resources to help young people
seeking information and guidance on topics ranging from
substance abuse and bullying to stress and sex. The site
publishes articles written by teens, young adults, youth
leaders, and priests.
The organization was started eight years ago after its
founder was inspired by the story of a young girl in her
church who was affected by the pressures of teen life. It is
primarily funded from small private donations and grants,
but fundraising is not its main focus. Rather, AMP has
tasked us with learning how young teens respond to their
current methods and providing recommendations
to improve.
SITUATION ANALYSIS
OVERVIEW - CLIENT OVERVIEW - ADUIENCE
Anne Marie Project speaks to middle and high school
students, ages ten to eighteen. The targets they requested
for the website are high school freshmen and sophomores,
age 15, with hopes to create content for parents of middle
and high school students. The website currently publishes
articles for parents as well as teens, though the majority of
the articles are meant for teens.
OVERVIEW - COMPETITORS/AFFILIATES
The competition of the organization is primarily competition for receiving funding or grants; however AMP has not asked us to focus
on grants. Rather, we’re turning our attention to the program’s affiliates. The program works together with Jim Marshall, a drug
awareness and prevention education speaker whose program is called Cody’s Gift. AMP is partnered with Compass Prevention,
Grace Counseling and Crossroads, although it is important to note that these organizations are not actively involved with
Anne Marie Project.
12 13
SITUATION ANALYSIS
The Crossroads Program is a rehab center for teens
in Missouri with facilities in St. Louis, Kansas City
and Columbia. It is known for both their young adult
and parent support groups, individual staff and IOP
program. The program emphasizes the importance
of parental involvement and considers it vital to the
recovery process.
Grace Counseling, located in Jefferson City Mo. is a
counseling center for individuals, couples and families.
It provides individualized mental health care and works
with Anne Marie Project to encourage seeking help
when dealing with issues surrounding drugs
and alcohol.
Founded by Jim Marshall, the program aims to educate
teens about the dangers of drug use and provide them
with testimonies. Marshall shares the story of his son,
Cody, who passed due to drug overdose in 2011 in
hopes that teens will recognize the negative effects of
substance abuse.
Compass Health Network provides many services to
families in the area of healthcare, one of them being
drug and alcohol treatment. This organization is crucial
to Anne Marie Project- giving them tools to educate their
audience and informing them of where they can receive
aid in reference to issues surrounding the abuse of
drugs and alcohol.
14 15
SWOT
16 17
|minimal competition|
|religious|
|easier access to their audience|
|strong paternership and resource|
|public health model|
Anne Marie Project’s strongest quality is that it is a resource that has
little competition. Very few websites/organizations in Missouri offer
the same resources and services to teens. Because of its Catholic
religious affiliation it has access to private schools in Jefferson City.
It is currently in the process of branching its efforts to Columbia.
Anne Marie Project also partners with Compass Prevention, Grace
Counseling and Crossroads, organizations that deal with prevention
and the counseling of drug and alcohol addiction. It is committed
to building an accessible digital safe space for troubled kids and
pre-teens. Additionally, Anne Marie Project uses a known, effective
prevention model, the Public Health Model, which takes into
consideration the environmental factors including social attitudes and
behaviors that contribute to drug abuse in youth.
SWOT
STRENGTHS
|potential rebellion to the program|
|limited funding available due to religious affliation|
|social medial presence|
|lack of cohesive branding and design|
One weakness of Anne Marie Project is the possibility of
teen rebellion to their curriculum, as the DARE program
experienced with teen backlash.¹ Anne Marie Project’s
emphasis on religion limits their potential audience
population, as well as potential funding. Furthermore,
the emphasis on religion could potentially alienate kids.
Currently, the Anne Marie Project’s social presence is
weak; as is their PR, digital marketing, advertising, SEO,
and organization contacts. Finally, Anne Marie Project
lacks cohesive branding and design across all platforms.
WEAKNESSES
opportunitieS
THREATS
Some of the opportunities available to Anne Marie Project include
enhancing its website to appeal to younger people. Expanding the
young adult presence on the website may also add an appealing facet
to the resource. Creating a focus on cyber or social media bullying
will also be a great opportunity, as bullying has been linked to selfharm
and risky behavior that may lead to drug and alcohol abuse.²
In addition to the site, the organization has an opportunity to use
other social media platforms to advance its mission and gain more
exposure. It should also take advantage of Compass Health Network,
Grace Counseling, LLC, and The Crossroads Program. By registering
the domain type to a Missouri organization, Anne Marie Project has an
opportunity to be focused on the state of Missouri.
|enhance website|
|more research on causes of drug use|
|strengthen partnerships|
|domain ownership|
|dual appeal to both kids and parents|
|information too repetitive|
|busy teen lives|
|limited potential to grow audience reach|
One threat is children not responding to its messages. There are many
reasons children may not respond to the organization’s message;
either the message is not suitable to their interests or they may be
blocking out information they may have heard elsewhere. Another
threat is the fact that it is competing for teens’ attention. Teens today
have a lot going on, from homework to school to after-school programs
and family life. Grasping their attention and for long enough may be
a threat that needs to be addressed prior to doling out the targeted
messages. Since the organization is faith-based, it may come into
threat from non-religious programs that typically have a larger reach.
Finally, parents and guardians of children may have different views on
drugs and alcohol and how their children are educated on the topic.
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SECONDARY research
20 21
Anne Marie Project operates in Jefferson City and
Columbia, with no current plans to expand their
presentations beyond Missouri. There is a need for
early intervention in the state, as Missouri is the leading
state for Methamphetamine manufacturing, with 1,825
laboratory incidents identified by authorities³. The high
prevalence of Meth in this environment puts Missouri
teens at greater risk for coming in contact with the drug.
Thus, there needs to be programming to combat the
probability of exposure.
In the United States, there are now more reported drug-
related deaths than alcohol-related deaths. This is a switch
from 1999, when across the country there were more
alcohol-related deaths. This information indicates that
there is a greater need for programming to combat drug
abuse. Additionally, Missouri has one of the highest
percentages of tobacco product use in September
compared to other states. 33.75% of Missourians over the
age of 12 have used tobacco products in the last month.
Additionally, 15.12% of adolescents age 12 to 17 have
used tobacco products in the last month.4
Reports from the National Household Survey on Drug
Abuse reports conducted by the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration reveal that some
children are already abusing drugs at age 12 or 13,
which was further supported in our own research. Drug
prevention programming must begin in early adolescence.
OVERVIEW - WHY EARLY INTERVENTION
MISSOURI
Leading state of Methamphetamine(Meth) manufacturing
High percentage of tobacco use
Drug prevention programming MUST begin in early adolescence
TEENS
Greater risk for coming in contact with the drug
Some children are already abusing drugs at age 12/13
SECONDARY RESEARCH
22 23
Spent roughly $700 million a year;
One of the most expensive drug
prevention programs in the
country, and the least effective
Founded in 1983, D.A.R.E is a program that exists to educate students on substance abuse
prevention. Students who participate in the program take a pledge to not use drugs after
the program’s completion. It was a prominent educational tool for quite some time but lost
government funding in 2010 due to the inconclusive research on its effectiveness. Findings
displayed overall expense and increasing numbness of students to the program’s curriculum.5
The problem with many of the programs is that they present drug use
as being “inevitable.”
Reached over 60% of elementary
schools in America
As of 2010 DARE was
federally defunded
D.A.R.E PROGRAM
“Information or education programs using scare tactics are used less often because research
and experience have demonstrated that they are either counterproductive or ineffective, and that
students learn better with a low fear appeal message and with a credible communicator.”
							 —— David J. Hanson, Ph.D. 6
“Fear appeals may cause an audience to tune out a message or not believe it, or worse,
be encouraged to do the opposite of the intended behavior because they like taking risks.”
							 —— Jodi Upton 6
“While current research regarding the effectiveness of fear appeals/scare tactics is rather
limited, there is enough evidence from research conducted during the past 60 years to indicate
that the strategy does not produce long-term, sustained reductions in drug use.”
							 —— PREVENTION FIRST 7
SECONDARY RESEARCH
24
primary research
26 27
Our primary research took to new depths as we felt the
multiple causes or triggers of drug abuse are so widely spread.
Our group targeted multiple demographics, based on AMP’s
ambitions to improve their program as well as branching out
to appeal to parents. Focusing on both children and adults,
we were able to gather information that served to aid our
understanding of the concept of substance abuse from the
angles of prevention and recovery while gaining insight on how
to improve the website.
To start, we administered surveys for students to complete
after listening to a presentation by Ann Marie Project with
Cody’s Gift. These students all attended a private Catholic
middle school in Jefferson City called St. Francis Xavier. The
survey led to new insights about the concept of “safe spaces”
for children and the importance of early prevention education,
while also leading us to question how receptive children as
young as ten are to fear-based or religion-based programs.
In addition to surveying students, our team also created a
survey for parents of teenagers in middle school and high
school. Some students identified as having a faith background
while others did not. The goal of these surveys was to find
out whether or not parents are educating their children about
issues regarding drugs, alcohol and sex (all three subjects
focused on by Anne Marie Project) in addition to their
involvement in monitoring their child’s activity on the Internet.
Finally, our team looked to go more personal with our
qualitative research. We were able to gain some of this insight
from the parent surveys but mostly from conducting one focus
group and nine individual interviews. These interviews varied
from youth in recovery, adults in recovery and an
addiction counselor.
Our focus group proved beneficial to our qualitative primary
research. Our team was able to conduct a session with high
school aged teens in a faith-based setting. This allowed us
an opportunity to get feedback on the content of Anne Marie
Project’s online platform, Learn Talk Live, as well as their
social media content.
Each of these methods has been helpful in guiding our
campaign and grasping an understanding of the multiple
people and viewpoints that revolve around drug and alcohol
abuse prevention.
methodology
PRIMARY RESEARCH
quANtitAtivE RESEARCH quALITATIVE RESEARCH
PARENTS
Find out how parents are educating
their children about issues
regarding drugs, alcohol and sex
FOCUS GROUPS
To gain feedback on the content
of the Anne Marie Project’s online
platform as well as their
social media content
STUDENTS
This method led to new insights
about safe space for children and the
importance of
early prevention education
INTERVIEWS
Participants were asked individually
about their experience with drugs and
alcohol, their recovery, with who and
where they feel safe and the website
content of Learn Talk Live
28 29
PRIMARY RESEARCH
We were able to attend one of the presentations of Anne Marie Project and Cody’s Gift sponsored at a Taos, MO middle school.
During our time there we handed out paper versions of our Middle School Qualtrics survey to be completed by students at the end of
the presentation. We also observed the students (grades 5-8) during the presentation and as they were completing the surveys.
During the presentation we found that many of the students did not know of or fully understand the information they were being
given regarding prescription pills. None of them (or very few of them) have ever heard of the names of any pills that were being
described. For this age range, we found that the tactics being implemented throughout the Cody’s Gift presentation were very
successful, but interpreted as “scare tactics.”
Observers of the presentation noted this may be due to the fact that students of this age group have not yet fully developed opinions
on any of the drug, alcohol or generic problems the presenter mentioned and/or don’t fully understand what he was talking about.
Many students seemed to not understand how their religious beliefs could/should affect decisions they make regarding these topics.
middle school
DEMOGRAPHIC AT PRESENTATION
100% CAUCASIAN
AGE: 12-14
Catholic Private School
BOYS
48%
GIRLS
52%
30 31
PRIMARY RESEARCH
88%
61%
stated they never seek out information about drugs,
alcohol, sex, etc. online.
stated they were somewhat to very unlikely to look
toward a faith-based website for information on
topics related to drugs, alcohol, sex, etc.
Student Survey Results
80%
79%
100%
felt most comfortable speaking to their parents
about personal problems.
stated the presentation was either effective or
very effective.
stated they had never tried marijuana, sex or
prescription pills (outside of their intended use).
32 33
FINDINGS-QUANTITATIVE
Students prefer talking about their problems in person rather than online.
Snapchat and Instagram are most used social platforms.
Each parent who took the survey had a student who was under the age of 18. Through this research, we found that
parents were less concerned about their child using drugs, regardless of whether they were using any at-home education
tactics. We also found that alcohol was easily accessible to children in about half of the homes surveyed and over half of
parents mentioned they do not monitor prescription usage. What differed most from the student surveys is that parents
prefer a website or educational program that is faith-based.
100%
93%
were little to not at all concerned about their
children using drugs, alcohol or tobacco.
stated they had never encountered a child under
the influence.
Parent Survey Results
34 35
FINDINGS-QUANTITATIVE
50%
60%
stated that their children had some chance to very good
chance of having access to alcohol at home.
stated that they do not monitor their children taking
prescription pills in their home. 60%
stated that they monitor their children’s
online activity.
stated that their children spent more than 6 hours
per week online.
93%
36 37
The focus group we held was at Forum Christian Church in Columbia and it was in a youth group of teens ages 14-16. We
handed out printed homepage articles from Learn Talk Live and asked them to read over the material before giving us their
thoughts. In addition to this, we asked the same group of youth how they felt about Anne Marie Project’s social media presence.
This was presented to them in document form, as a printed screen grab of the organization’s Twitter account. We prompted
them to respond to each tweet from that month. Our focus was to find out how this age group interacts with the website’s
content as well as the organization’s social media strategy.
AGE: 14-16
HANDOUTS:
printed homepage articles
from Learn Talk Live
pinrted screenshots of the
organization’s Twitter account
focus group
Being a religious affiliated organization, many of the kids at the
youth group analyzed and focused on this aspect. The teens
who expressed greater religious interest were more likely to
believe Anne Marie Project’s content was credible compared to
teens who showed less interest towards religious content.
In addition, our group found that while students care about
their faith, they did not believe that faith should discriminate
against abusers of alcohol or drugs. Many students felt judged
by the content, stating it was “aggressive” and potentially
“biased.” When provided with the an example of tweets,
students felt as though they did not include any relevant
information from the Bible itself (i.e. no mention of
specific verses.)
Of the whole teen focus group, only about half completely
participated in the discussion. We believe this could be
explained in two ways: some participants appeared to remain
quiet because of shy personalities or lack of interest in the
example content provided.
Further, our research has shown us that teens are often
bombarded with anti-drug and alcohol messages that come
from many sources in their life. There was an obvious need
to differentiate Anne Marie Project and its message when
students noted that the message was redundant and therefore
would not refer a friend to the website. In summary, the teens
interviewed did not think AMP offered a unique or valuable
service for themselves or their peers.
38 39
FOCUS GROUP
BIASEDJudGED“
”
aGGRESSivE
iRRElEvANt
REpEtitivE
twitter screenshot
40 41
articleS from website
FOCUS GROUP
42 43
YOUTH IN RECOVERY
We interviewed 2 subjects who have very different experiences with drug and/or alcohol abuse. With one male and one female,
one religious and one not and both in recovery, we were able to touch on many different points of view based on their identities
and beliefs. They were asked the same set of questions about their experience with drugs and alcohol, their recovery, with who and
where they feel safe and the website content of Learn Talk Live.
interviews
YOUTH IN RECOVERY 01
16 YEAR OLD
FEMALE
caucasian
ROMAN CATHOLIC
FORMER ALCOHOLIC
SOBER 18 MONTHs
INTERVIEWS
In March 2014, this 16 year old realized she needed serious
help with her addiction to alcohol. Turning to the internet
for definitions and information and then to her parents for
help, she was sent to rehab and has since been in recovery.
She finds support in her family, church leaders, Alcoholics
Anonymous sponsor and friends who do not drink. Her active
roles in the church and the people surrounding her there have
been crucial to her journey to sobriety.
Being religious, she indicated that she spends a few days a
week online looking up faith-related information, although, this
information has nothing to do with drugs or alcohol. She stated,
“I don’t want to read about drugs or alcohol online any more,
now that I’m in recovery. I only think I would look up something
about drugs and alcohol if it had something to do with
recovery.” We also asked her who she would turn to for
information about drugs or alcohol now and she said her
Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor, her family and a teacher or
counselor. She explained that each of these resources has
something valuable for her and are all equally valued, it just
depends on the topic.
After spending about 40 minutes reading through the
Learn Talk Live website, she came up with a few conclusions of
her own:
• She noted how confused she was at first visiting the site.
Once she found her way she said, “It looks like a lot of kids who
are my age are the ones who are writing the posts so I don’t
really think it was all very credible.”
• She saw that there was some posts done by priests but could
not “really tell how old each writer is.”
• She also suggested knowing more about each writer would
aid her issue with believability and accuracy of the
information provided.
As a Catholic, she felt that even with her understanding of the
faith-based platform, she felt “judged” by the content. She
mentioned that when she was seeking help she never wanted
to be told she was a “sinner” and so she fears others will feel
the same and overlook the other valuable information the
website has to offer. In contrast, positive things she noted, “I
think the articles like that will really help kids my age at least
understand more about what they are going through. I like
that they have a lot of stories from teens that show the same
problems that I went through.”
“It looks like a lot of kids who are my age are the ones who are writing the posts so I don’t
really think it was all very credible.”
44 45
15 YEAR OLd
MALE
caucasian
secular
multiple substance abuse
SOBER 9 MONTHs
YOUTH IN RECOVERY 02
INTERVIEWS
At the age of 10 years old, he started smoking marijuana with
his father. This addiction quickly escalated into something
much larger with the addition of Methamphetamine, Xanax
and alcohol. Just a few shorts months ago, after an arrest, he
decided he needed a solution- he knew his life was in
serious jeopardy.
The addiction started as a way to connect with an abusive dad.
His mother had passed away from a drug overdose. He had no
guardian to turn to that was not abusing narcotics; his journey
with drugs seemed inevitable. Albeit this was his struggle, he
has found his way to recovery.
Living with foster parents has deterred this 15 year old from
drug abuse. He now regularly attends AA and NA meetings,
in addition to attending a new school with new friends. He
explains this situation as being incredibly useful to his journey
through recovery because his old influencers have
now vanished.
He does not have access to a computer, so most of his
questions about drugs and alcohol while in recovery are
answered by people at AA or his foster parents. When asked
about his visit to the Learn Talk Live website, he simply
stated he was not religious but read a few articles anyway.
He questioned the credibility of the articles and also noted
navigating the site was confusing from the home page.
Overall, he noted that the site could be extremely useful for
religious and secular teens.
46 47
TAYLOR
20 YEAR OLd
feMALE
secular
SOBER 15 MONTHs
in recovery from abuse of several substances
including Ecstasy, Molly, and Marijuana
adults IN RECOVERY 01
INTERVIEWS
Taylor first reached out to her boyfriend when she realized she
had a problem with substance abuse. She is now a member
Alcoholics Anonymous, using the 12 step program to maintain
her sobriety. Taylor has never attended a treatment center. Taylor
is not affiliated with any religion and she told us that she doesn’t
spend time online reading faith-related content. While Taylor says
she is “not interested in religion,” she considers herself
to be a spiritual person.
We wanted to find out what resources Taylor had to information
about drugs,alcohol, sex and bullying when she was younger,
specifically ages 12 to 17. As an adolescent, Taylor told us she
did not seek out information on these topics because she felt
embarrassed to reach out for help. Although she did not actively
seek out help, when asked to choose, Taylor said that she would
have preferred to find information online, compared to talking in
person. Looking online would have allowed taylor anonymity;
“I could hide behind my screen,” she told us.
We also asked Taylor about her experience with bullying as an
adolescent. Taylor described herself as a bully when she was
younger. However, the situation reversed as peers began to
stand up to her. She became the victim of bullying which led to
self-esteem issues. “When I got bullied, I would not stand up for
myself. I would internalize what they said and see myself
that way.”
Taylor also spent an unspecified amount of time browsing
Learn Talk Live. Her initial reaction was that the website seemed
“harsh” towards the subjects and victims of drug and alcohol
abuse, whereas it should have been a resource for people trying
to overcome these adversities. “I would probably feel like I was
a bad person for doing drugs and didn’t deserve to get help.
Because of these insights about the website, Taylor says she
would not have used Learn Talk Live as a resource for drug and
alcohol information. On the other hand, Taylor appreciated the
“college life” section of the website, specifically how this section
talked about how to deal with this time, compared to other
websites which just give resources. Taylor would like to see a
broader range of resources on Learn Talk Live, so that different
types of people could receive help.
“I would probably feel like I was a bad person for doing drugs and didn’t
deserve to get help.”
48 49
adults IN RECOVERY 02
mike
20 YEAR OLd
MALE
Greek Orthodox Christian
SOBER 10 MONTHs
in recovery from abuse of several substances
including Alcohol, Marijuana, and Tobacco and Cocaine
INTERVIEWS
Mike had just started college, and had noticed that the amount
of alcohol he drank increased “exponentially” during this
transition period. Mike first sought treatment for his drug and
alcohol abuse after he was arrested on felony charges and his
parents mandated that he attend AA meetings. His initial motive
was not to get clean, but rather to appease his parents and “gain
favor with the courts.”
Mike is unlikely to read about his faith online. Furthermore, Mike
self reported that he is more likely to seek information on drugs
and alcohol on faith-related online websites, although he does
consume recovery oriented content a few times a week. As an
adolescent, Mike would have gone to his mother for information
on alcohol, drugs, and sex. However, as Mike got older and
began to abuse drugs and alcohol and engage in sex, he became
more inclined to speak to his peers on these issues. Now that he
is sober, Mike prefers to talk to his AA sponsor for support
and information.
Mike appreciated the intent of Learn Talk Live, but disagreed
with some of the content, specifically one article that compared
the dangers of caffeine to the dangers to cocaine. He also
thought that the faith supported articles hurt the credibility
of the website. Finally, Mike disagreed with the tone of some
articles, which he described as “jaded.”
Mike said that he would not have likely used a website like
Learn Talk Live when he was younger. Mike did not believe
the information provided on the website would have deterred
him from experimenting. To make Learn Talk Live more useful
for struggling teens, Mike recommended adding more secular
reasoning with the religious and moral arguments.
50 51
adults IN RECOVERY 03
CHRIS
29 YEAR OLd
MALE
secular
SOBER 7 YEARS AND 10 MONTHs
in recovery from abuse of several substances
including Alcohol, Marijuana, and Cocaine
INTERVIEWS
When he first knew he was struggling with alcohol and drugs,
Chris reached out to a close family member who was in
Alcoholics Anonymous. Chris joined AA and continues to attend
12 step meetings and work with a sponsor. Furthermore, Chris
now helps run an AA program for others in recovery.
Today, Chris does not spend time reading faith-related content
online. However, he does spend about 30 to 45 minutes online
weekly browsing content related to his recovery.
If Chris had a friend struggling with drug and alcohol abuse, he
would try to relate to them by his own experiences, he told us.
When we asked Chris about his experience with bullying, he
said that he was a victim of bullying. His reaction to bullying was
to fight back, as opposed to “crying about it and running to my
parents to protect me.”
Chris believed LearnTalkLive was “ineffective” because of the
“narrow-focus on faith driven recovery methods.” Furthermore,
he wouldn’t use Learn Talk Live because he questioned the
accuracy of the content. Specifically, Chris cited a problem with
opinions being presented as facts. For example this blurb taken
from an article called Live Talk Learn, “and as far as the brain is
concerned large amounts of caffeine are no different, and just
as addictive as cocaine.” He doesn’t think he would have used
Learn Talk Live as an adolescent. “I would have laughed at it,”
Chris told us, implying he would not have taken the
website seriously.
52 53
adults IN RECOVERY 04
ADAM
21 YEAR OLd
MALE
secular
SOBER 3 YEARS AND 5 MONTHs
in recovery from abuse of several substances
including K2, Marijuana, Alcohol and “Pills”
INTERVIEWS
Adam uses 12 step programs, 12 step meetings, and similar
programs to maintain his sobriety. Within AA he has a sponsor
to help work him through the 12 steps, does service work for
the AA program, and practices spirituality to stay in recovery.
When Adam first realized he had a problem, he reached out to
his parents who put him into a treatment center. Adam sought
treatment for drugs and alcohol three times. The first two
treatments were to please his parents, Adam told us, and the
last was for him.
Now in recovery, Adam tells us he reads recovery focused
content about 10 to 20 minutes every day. However, he is
unlikely to use faith-related resources to find information about
drugs or alcohol. When he was younger, he was likely to talk with
his parents, his therapist, or counselors for information about
drugs, alcohol, and sex. Furthermore, he preferred talking
in-person about issues, compared to online. As an adolescent,
Adam said that he was a victim of bullying, and felt he couldn’t
do anything so he just “took it.”
Adam’s initial thought considering Learn Talk Live was that is
was entirely faith based. This would have discouraged Adam
from using Learn Talk Live as a struggling teen because he
“hated the idea of God” when he was struggling with drugs and
alcohol. Furthermore, he “didn’t find it (Anne Marie Project)
to be credible.” “All of the people involved are religious and
seemingly unqualified to discuss these issues.” Statements
in Learn Talk Live article, such as “it’s a sin to take drugs. . . “
made Adam feel judged.
Adam believes that personal stories are the most effective way
to reach out to struggling peers, however the stories on
Learn Talk Live seemed more aimed at criticizing rather
than relating.
“All of the people involved are religious and seemingly unqualified to discuss these issues.”
54 55
Addiction counselor
Youth Alcohol and Drug Counselor
45 YEAR OLd
feMALE
white
in recovery 26 YEARS
helps youth, ages 12 to 17 recover from drug and
alcohol addictions
INTERVIEWS
She spent 15 minutes browsing Learn Talk Live before answering
our questions. Her initial reaction was that the website was
“cluttered.” She said that the facts and statistics cited in blogs
did not seem factual. Furthemore, the facts cited were not
referenced, but instead were juxtaposed to Bible passages.
We also asked her what the biggest problem with adolescents
in recovery. She said that families were the biggest obstacle to
recovery. Many youth who enter treatment have family members
who also abuse substances. Many youth re-enter these toxic
environments after treatment. That is why the rate of relapse for
youth in recovery “far exceeds that of adults.” Another obstacle
to recover is that youth with substance abuse do not want to give
up their lifestyle. More commonly, they are forced into treatment
by parents.
As the site is, she would not recommend it to clients. The content
would need to be “less harsh and judgmental” to be a viable
resource for touchy subjects like addiction, bullying and suicide.
Finally, the site would need to be more organized and easier
to navigate.
56 57
FINDINGS
58 59
During the presentation, we found that many of the students did not know of or fully
understand the information they were being given regarding prescription pills.
Many students seemed to not understand how their religious beliefs could/should
affect decisions they make regarding these topics.
MIDDLESCHOOL - QUALITATIVE
FINDINGS-QUALITATIVE
PARENTS - QUALITATIVE
In surveying the parents, we had opportunities to have them note what specific tactics they
use in their homes to educate their students.
Many parents took to education in various ways; some more strictly than others. Overall,
most of the respondent had a decent amount to say about what they hope their children
have learned through conversations with them outside of school.
The following quotes from parents who took the survey represent the wide range of ideas
and tactics used in the home:
“We’ve known families who have lost children in alcohol related auto accidents and to drug
overdose. I don’t hesitate to use those sad things to highlight for them that bad thing can
happen as a result of using them.”
“They are not God’s plan for us and lead us down a wrong path.”
“Drugs: best not to do them; if you do choose to do them, do them with safe people. Alcohol:
you should not have any because of the medicine you are taking; if you choose to drink, do
not drive...I will pick you up. Sex: here is all the info on fertility and STDs; it’s your body; you
are responsible for the choices you make; condoms are in my bathroom. All: I hope you make
good choices; bad choices can affect you forever.”
60 61
The following quotes from parents who took the survey are about their methods of
monitoring online activity:
“Ask to see what she is looking at. Ask questions about their online experiences. Look at
things online with her (videos, pictures...).”
“Most internet time is in the open in our house and we watch over what they are doing.
Phones have to be able to be checked by either parent or they lose them.”
“I check their history and if at any point i ask them for their phone or tablet they must hand it
over without pause for me to check.”
We also asked parents if they monitored their child’s online activity. Some parents noted
that they do not make any efforts to monitor their children while others were very specific
about their rules regarding online freedoms.
Much of our research has shown that bullying is one of the largest facets that can lead
to drug and/or alcohol abuse in teenagers. It is important to note that in this generation,
online or cyber bullying is largely identified as harmful and at times more severe.
Monitoring their child’s online presence could be beneficial in knowing more about their
lives and what could potentially affect their future decisions.
FINDINGS-QUALITATIVE
6362
Strategy
64 65
Young men and women between the ages 14-16. They are in their first two years of private high
school in mid-Missouri.
For the first time in their lives, they are finding themselves in environments where drinking,
smoking, and having sex are not only prevalent, but encouraged by their peers. They don’t feel
comfortable talking to their parents about their problems anymore, and the only time their friends
talk about real stuff is when they’ve already been drinking. Each time one of their friends offers
them a drink, the option seems more appealing. Although while in middle school they never
thought they would drink or consider using drugs, these activities seem like an acceptable way to
deal with the newfound anxieties of high school. The next time they’re offered a drink, they’ll likely
take it.
They have never interacted with the brand, because they do not know Anne Marie Project exists.
They know they would prefer to talk about their problems online, but at the moment they feel
limited to social media. However, their preferred social platforms are Instagram and Snapchat,
neither of which allow for #realtalk in the same way an article-based platform like Anne Marie
Project does.
Basic Demographics
Lifestyle
STRATEGY
“I feel stressed all the time, but no one seems to take me seriously. Every time I mention being
stressed about school to my parents, they just tell me to “hang in there” and remind me how
easy my life is compared to theirs. I would feel stupid asking my friends if they feel this way too,
because none of them act like it. I feel like everyone else is handling high school better than me.
I know I’m not supposed to drink or smoke, but at the same time I know that I’m not a kid any
more. If this is what everyone else is doing, maybe it’s just the way people deal with
their problems.”
Part of growing up is navigating how to express yourself. Teens have an inherent desire to talk
about the problems in their lives, but are too scared to be vulnerable in person or on social media.
Anne Marie Project gives them the platform to present their worries and ideas anonymously.
Anne Marie Project is a natural fit for students seeking deeper interaction than can be done on
social media alone. The campaign will help expand Anne Marie Project’s audience. The website
will become an essential part of these students’ lifestyles through high school and into college,
creating consistent readers and future writers.
Key Insight
Rationale
66 67
Teens today search for a safe space where they can voice
questions, find answers and be themselves but where is
a good place to do that? This time of their lives can be
confusing. New social situations, emotions, schools, or
friends can all lead to difficulties making choices, or doing
what they know is right. Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol
present themselves as solutions to the confusions of
teen minds.
But we know this is not the solution.
Anne Marie Project will act as a guide to answering all
of those tough questions and, so much more. With the
incorporation of facts, personal testimonies and the word of
God, these teens will be able to rely on this organization to
keep them on the straight and narrow. Discussion forums
will urge teens to share their struggles anonymously, yet
find that they are not alone. Anne Marie Project will foster
a community where teens can share their stories, develop
through scripture, and together stand up to the challenges
of adolescence.
BIG IDEA
STRATEGY
Giving teens a personal map
to navigate the challenges of adolescence
68 69
Identity- Brand
We suggest changing LearnTalkLive.com to AnneMarieProject.org. This move to strictly Anne Marie
Project will adhere to the expectations of a new reader when first visiting the website. Without
brand confusion, readers can engage with the content more quickly, therefore generating potential
for more website exploration. In addition to improving the overall brand, moving the domain to .org
will establish credibility as a nonprofit organization. This credibility will increase positive attitudes
toward the brand from the audience, whether they use the website or not.
Consistency is key. Anne Marie Project will uphold a brand voice that is of a concerned, trusted
adult. These adults care about these teens and want to see them succeed. They are people
teens can talk to without feeling judged. The voice will offer inspiration, education and a sense of
community throughout all media platforms.
Introducing: AnneMarieProject.org
Brand Voice - Concerned trusted adults
.org
STRATEGY
Key Value
Logo Design
The logo was created from the abstraction and synthesis of two people embracing one
another with the intention to incorporate Anne Marie Project’s core value and create a
reliable brand image.
Embracing Design Goal
Identity- visual
Abbreviation: AM
Simple, Recognizable
Two-tone Color
DESTINATION
GUIDANCE
FOSTER
SAFESPACE
RELIABLE
70 71
Final (Full Color)
ANNE MARIE
PROJECT
STRATEGY
Secondary Versions
ANNE MARIE
PROJECT
ANNE MARIE
PROJECT
73
TACTICS
74 75
Anne Marie Project is in need of a campaign that embodies
the mission of their brand. It is in need of a campaign that
tells students they understand the challenges and then
inspires them to conquer those challenges. It is in need of a
campaign that gives them all the information and empowers
them to make decisions that reflect their faith. It is in need of
a campaign that will guide teens.
Anne Marie Project helps guide teens through the difficulties
of life, while understanding that each journey is unique to
another’s’. The basic message of the campaign:
Find Your Path.
The tactics to follow have been created for two central
purposes: to build awareness for Anne Marie Project and their
website, and to make Anne Marie Project a more cohesive and
approachable brand.
Building brand awareness is essential to a nonprofit
organization. Not only does it attract more of your audience,
but attracts potential contributors and donors as well. Having
a strong brand identity is crucial when applying for grant
funding or sponsorships. When people repeatedly hear about
the brand, attitudes toward the brand will form giving Anne
Marie Project the momentum it needs to continue to carry out
its mission and reach more teens.
Making Anne Marie Project a more cohesive brand will
inherently make it more approachable. This consistent brand
identity will be shown through all platforms of communication
to its audience.
OVERVIEW
76 77
DIGITAL
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Currently, google searches for “Anne Marie Project” do not lead to the learntalklive.com. Search
engine optimization will maximize website users by ensuring your site can be located in a search
engine search.
Tools to boost SEO:
•	 Meta Description- Anne Marie Project is a blog spot to help teens navigate life and issues they
are face every day using faith to guide them down the best path for them;
•	 Register Anne Marie Project as a business on Google;
•	 Internal Link Building- links to community resources;
•	 Identify keywords and use repeatedly in blogs.
TACTICS
SEO
RANKINGS
LINK
OPTIMIZE
KEYWORD
UPDATE
78 79
Domain
Switching to a .org domain will clearly indicate to users that Anne Marie Project is a nonprofit
organization and highlights their credibility. Furthermore, .org domains are less costly to maintain.
Website Organization
Goal: Resolve the challenges of navigation for their audience with the additions of respective areas
for parents separate from the target.
The new website design will make the homepage significantly easier to navigate. This is an
important part of the organization’s brand because the website can make or break whether or not
an audience finds your information important or credible. Drew Hendricks of Forbes.com said, “You
website’s design is not your brand, but it’s one of the brand elements that helps you build trust with
your audience.” Anne Marie Project aims to do just that- create a trusting, comfortable and safe
atmosphere for its audience to seek information pertinent to their lives.
Instead of advertising their respective content on the homepage, it will consist of general
information about Anne Marie Project- what it is, who it is for, and the inspirational story that
motivated it all. From there, the audience will be able to explore through the new tab feature that
brings organization to it all. The tabs will serve to separate religious information from scientific
information about drugs, alcohol and sex. This will aid the notion students had that the information
in the articles was not entirely accurate or scientifically true. To further resolve that issue, each
article will feature a bio about the author and full citations of all claimed information.
TACTICS
80 81
TACTICS
Cleaner, more user-friendly navigation that
differentiates blog and parent sections
Home Page
A dedicated section contains info and web
portal for partners/affiliates
Weelky featured blogs will be previewable
on the landing page All social media icons are placed in footer area
More noticable than placing the donation
section on “About Us” page
82 83
Blog Page
TACTICS
Clean and straightforward blog preview
More options for visitors to search
blogs or articles
A commention is placed right below blog section
84 85
social media
Snapchat
Free geotag to uphold top of mind awareness. There is opportunity for Anne Marie Project to interact
with events and campaigns through the “story” feature.
Instagram
Anne Marie Project will utilize Instagram to share pictures of presentations, events and inspirational
quotes. The platform will use the branded hashtags #FindYourPath and #AnneMarieProject.
Twitter
This platform will be used as a tool to post positive affirmations and event updates accompanied
with the branded hashtags #FindYourPath and #AnneMarieProject. Each morning will begin with
#DayCourage that will lift teens up through motivational speech linked to a bible verse.
Why this works
Picture based media is especially appealing to the audience of Anne Marie Project. When polled,
middle and high school students said their most used social media applications were Snapchat
and Instagram. This age group is heavily influenced by images and are more likely to use these
platforms. Twitter, although has the ability to share pictures, serves as more of a place to express
thoughts and opinions. Teens like this platform as well, as it is an outlet for them to have a
conversation with others while building a brand identity of their own.
TACTICS
INSTAGRAM
TACTICS
86 87
TWITTER
TACTICS
Instagram Back to School Contest
The first week of school we recommend an Instagram contest. The contest will be
announced to attendants of the Sundown Event. How the contest will work is that Anne
Marie Project will post a graphic to Instagram with the contest rules:
1. Follow Anne Marie Project on Instagram,
2. Like the photo,
3. Tag 2 friends in the comments section,
4. Unlimited contest entries, must tag 2 additional
friends for each entry.
The contest will end after one week and the
winner will win a $50 dollar Visa gift certificate.
88 89
Social Media Calendar
In efforts to continue to enforce brand consistency, Populus has created a sample social media calendar for Anne Marie Project. The
calendar consists of content that can easily be replaced or repeated at any time. Each week will look similar to the next with topic of
posts, yet have their own unique post.
TACTICS
90 91
In-School Tactics
Origami Handouts: A Keepsake
After noticing the majority of fliers left behind by students after a presentation, Populus knew that
there needed to be an element of engagement with that important information.
Cue the art of origami.
Fliers brought to in-school presentations will be given to students. On one side, Anne Marie Project
will have information about their website, upcoming events and a boilerplate about the organization.
On the reverse side, dotted lines will guide the student to constructing a compass out of their flier.
The compass, a symbol of direction and possibility, will be a keepsake for the student, remembering
the message of Anne Marie Project.
TACTICS
ANNE MARIE
PROJECT
HOW TO MAKE COMPASS ORIGAMI
FRONT BACK
Anne Marie Project exists to provide resources to help young
people seeking information and guidance on the many challenges
they face today. LearnTalkLive.com is a safe haven for all young
people who want to remain anonymous and a resource for those
seeking answers when dealing with issues such as drugs, sex,
alcohol, abuse, peer-pressure, faith and relationships. This project
is a collaboration of young adults and high school youth who have
the desire to help each other with everyday life issues.The site is
enlightened by the Holy Spirit for the guidance of all youth who are
developing their faith in God.
Anne Marie is a young lady who has struggled with life issues
named above. She is striving to become a healthy young woman
by surrounding herself with positive role models such as those
who provide guidance and love through LearnTalkLive. Although
she wishes to remain anonymous she does want others to know
anything is possible with God and learning about the issues that
come into your life can be a healing process that you do not have
to go through alone!
92 93
Mirror Decals: A positive affirmation
Positive affirmation is the practice of positive thinking and self-empowerment. Science shows that
reoccurring thoughts can change brain chemistry; for example, thinking positive thoughts can
increase dopamine in the brain.
Anne Marie Project will strategically place affirmational mirror decals one week prior to any speaking
event at nearby schools and popular hangouts for teens. The decals will be impossible to ignore and
the matching brand image will spark curiosity when teens encounter Anne Marie Project in another
setting, increasing chance of brand recall. In addition to strengthening the brand, it is promoting a
healthy self image for their audience.
TACTICS
ANNE MARPROJECT
#RightPath
Have you told yourself how AWESOME you are today?!
94 95
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Press Database
We recommend that Anne Marie Project utilize a database for all of their contacts. This should consist
of contact information for media, churches and schools affiliated with Anne Marie Project, religious
newsletters and publications, and anyone else that is regularly in contact with the organization. This
will help you when publishing your newsletters and press. You can create and maintain a contact
database through Microsoft Excel, but if you follow our upcoming recommendation and utilize an
e-mail newsletter with an e-mail marketing company like Constant Contact, you can easily import and
organize your contacts through their contact management feature.
Event
TACTICS
Press Releases
We recommend that Anne Marie Project host
a back-to-school event at a local community
center, public park, church, or school. This will
bring members of the community together for
a fun gathering where you can promote the
mission of your organization. A press release
can be written and sent out to newspapers,
news stations, churches, and schools to raise
awareness about your event and your
organization.
The following is mockup press release of an
event that we believe the Anne Marie Project
should host in August as a way to promote the
organization.
National Recovery Month
September is National Recovery Month
Engage in recovery month forums on social media using relative hash tags
-Schedule more programs for September.
-Return to previous schools with additional programming centered around RecoveryMonth.
-Boost engagement with local recovery centers
-Place literature in recovery centers.
-Invite counselors from recovery centers to speak at events
ANNE MARIE
PROJECT
EVENT:
WHEN:
WHERE:
SCHEDULE:
Find Your Path Back to School
Aug. 3rd, 4pm - 8pm
Cathedral of St.Joseph, Jefferson City, MO
- Barbecue starting at 4pm
- Anne Marie Project speaker
presentation at 4:3
- “Find Your Path” scavenger hunt at 5pm
- Film screening,
Monster University 6pm - 8pm
96 97
Parental Involvement
Newsletter
We recommend that Anne Marie Project utilize a monthly e-mail
newsletter to stay in contact with schools, churches, media, and
parents. E-newsletters would help Anne Marie Project maintain
a relationship with anyone who supports your organization by
keeping them updated on important happenings. An e-mail
newsletter is inexpensive and easy to produce and allows Anne
Marie Project to discuss related news, events, and website
updates.
We recommend you use the online marketing company
Constant Contact as it is regularly rated as one of the best and
provides non-profit organization discounts. We suggest having
a section where you can share content from parents who can
be anonymous. This will help to create a support network for
parents. A donor section should also be included in the
newsletter.
In addition to the monthly E-newsletter, we feel parents and
donors should receive a bi-annual take home edition that
is printed and sent to their homes. This newsletter should
include a six month schedule of events, a look back on the
previous months and new goals and updates for the future.
Facebook
Through the surveys and conversations with teens during
our research, Populus found that Facebook was not a media
platform that was utilized by that audience. What we did find,
however, is that their parents are incredibly active on this
platform.
Anne Marie Project will utilize Facebook to connect with parents
and raise brand awareness amongst them. By connecting with
the guardians of its target audience, the organization can further
enhance the aspect of their website, content, and mission as
being safe for teens.
Facebook will follow suit with the branded hashtag
#AnneMarieProject when they share articles from their own
site or other reliable, relevant sites. Parents can share,
explore and conversate on this social platform the same way
their children will on other social platforms such, as Twitter
and Instagram.
TACTICS
98 99
INTERN
Populus recommends that Anne Marie Project hire an intern to assist with all of
their media efforts. This intern should be a college student in search of a volunteer
internship for class credit at their university. The intern would preferably be studying
one of the following majors: Journalism,
Communication, Business, Marketing, or
Nonprofit Management
.
The intern must have strong written and
verbal skills that will assist the organization
in the areas of public relations, social
media postings, event support, etc.
The intern would need a motivated
attitude and a passion for public service
for the community. Finally, the intern will
be responsible for maintaining a safe
environment throughout the discussion
forums on the website and ensuring the
brand remains consistent across the
multiple media platforms.
TACTICS
BUDGET
Overview
We have compiled several different options we feel will generate the greatest audience
for Anne Marie Project. We have compiled these topics into two budgets based on the
amount Anne Marie Project would like to spend each year. However, these plans are not
final. The tactics can be combined and customized to your satisfaction to create a variety
of unique plans.
Budget A
Budget A represents the minimal cost we believe Anne Marie Project should spend on
marketing over the next year. Budget A includes earn, owned and paid media in order to
reach potential audience members at several touch points. The differing point of Budget
from Budget B is that Budget A lacks paid SEO.
Budget B
Budget B includes all the tactics outlined in Budget A, plus the benefit of paid SEO. We
recommend that paid SEO is utilized for the first 6 months. Paid SEO is preferential
because it will get Anne Marie Project more traffic in a short amount of time.
100 101
BUDGET A
$730
TACTICS
BUDGET B
$2,480
Parent
$400
In-School
$130
Digital
$0
PR
$150
Social
$50
Digital
$1,750
Parent
$400
PR
$150
In-School
$130
Social
$50
102 103
Success Measurement
After one year of implementing Budget B, Anne Marie Project will be able expect a steady increase in monthly
users, from average of 100 users per month upto and exceeding 600 users per month. Furthermore, Anne Marie
Project will see other benefits that will ultimately increase brand equity. For example, there will be increased
participation from the community, including more teen engagement with AMP social media channels.
We also expect to see increased interest in blog contributions. Parent involvement will also exceed current levels,
both on Facebook and engagement with the newsletter. Additionally, elevated awareness will lead to expansion
of the AMP brand into new communities, such as Columbia. Finally, the following media strategy will raise
awareness for AMP in the community leading to increased donations.
TACTICS
00 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 # of Average User Per Month
Plans
before
1 year after Budget B
1
MEET THE TEAM
106 107
Savannah Reed - Account Executive
Leadership and organization come naturally to the 21-year-old senior, Savannah.
Growing up a military kid she has lived in numerous states across the country and has
managed to find the best Thai food at each destination. When not eating, Savannah
serves as the Director of Strategic Communication for MPA computers. She is thrilled
to be continuing her studies in strategic communication at the Missouri Graduate
School of Journalism in Spring 2016.
Kylee Groon - Copywriter
Senior at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Kylee is focused on
nonprofit communications and campaign efforts. When she is not spending her days
on campus, she enjoys running, eating and coordinating service endeavors with
her friends. Having served on the Marketing and Communications team at Make-A-
Wish® Orange County and the Inland Empire, Kylee values work that allows her direct
interaction with the demographic she serves. Her experience with youth perspectives
and attitudes is of value to our efforts this year.
John (Xu) Ye - Graphic Designer
John is in his senior year at the University of Missouri School of Journalism finishing
his studies to become a graphic designer for an advertising agency. John is originally
from Chengdu, China, but his family currently lives in Wisconsin. A creative at heart, he
enjoys beautifully designed cars and compelling video games. Hobbies aside, John has
great experience in the creative industry including working as a graphic designer for
PBJS, NXTFactor and the Mizzou Trulaske School of Business. John brings an extensive
knowledge of aesthetics and strategy to improve visual communication of any kind.
108 109
Lauren Merideth - Media Planner
Lauren, a 22-year-old senior at the University of Missouri School of Journalism is
originally from Tucson, Arizona. Since moving to Missouri, she has taken a liking
to MO Beef and planning media content for local campaigns. She has served as a
Field Organizer for the Arizona Democratic Party and worked extensively in the digital
marketing branch for RENEW Missouri. Lauren’s experience in media content provides
a unique perspective blossoming into innovative approaches to client goals. Her plans
for after graduation are to move to Colorado and continue her passions for hiking,
boating and of course a career in media management.
Anoria El Safadi - Lead Social Media Strategist and Researcher
At the age of 22, Anoria is finishing her final year at the Missouri School of Journalism.
With extensive experience in the classroom, she has studied some of the most
important aspects of strategic communication. Anoria brings drive and commitment
to the table, in which she hopes to carry over to a career in digital advertising post
graduation. Originally from Tripoli, Lebanon, Anoria loves to travel, try new foods and
explore all the inspiration this world has to offer.
Eric Knapp - Public Relations Account Executive
Eric is a driven senior at the University of Missouri School of Journalism studying to be
a public relations or marketing professional for a nonprofit drug and alcohol recovery
organization. Born and raised in Sterling Heights, Michigan, he enjoys running, music
and hockey. Passionate about public relations, he has experience with The Oakland
Press, Macomb Daily, Bluebird Network and Mizzou Athletics. Eric brings knowledge
and understanding of affective communication to this team and adds thoughtful,
honest perspective of clients’ missions.	
Leah Forester - Lead Researcher and Digital Media Strategist
Leah is a 22-year-old from Dallas, Texas, who loves to read, write and watch NHL
hockey. Sadly, her dream to be a racecar driver took the back seat when she started
to pursue a career path in digital media. Throughout her years with the University
of Missouri School of Journalism, she has worked with organizations such as D
Magazine, The Blue Note, Division D and the New Jersey Devils. With great experience
in social media, media sales and video production, Leah aspires to create digital
media content for a sports organization after graduation.
110
APPENDIX
112 113
Survey Questions: Middle School, Teen, Parents
Parents:
Do you have children or dependents under the age of 18?
Yes
No
How often do you talk to your child about the following (Never - Always):
Alcohol
Marijuana
Sex
Prescription pills outside of their original intended use
Other drugs
When it comes to dealing with the topics of drugs, alcohol and/or sex, what sorts of messages do you tell your
children?
Do you drink, use tobacco or take prescription drugs in front of your child (Never - All of the Time)?
Drink
Tobacco
Prescription Drugs
Is there a history of drug and/or alcohol abuse in your family?
Yes
No
Do you or your child have family members that have a problem with the following (Never - Always) ?
Alcohol abuse
Marijuana
Illegal prescription drug use
How much time does you child spend online per week?
0-2 hours
3-5 hours
6-8 hours
8-10 hours
11+ hours
Do you monitor your child’s online activity?
Yes
No
How do you monitor them?
Does your child have accounts on any of the following sites/apps?
Facebook
Twitter
Vine
Snapchat
Tumblr
Instagram
Other
Do you have accounts on the following sites/apps?
Facebook
Twitter
Vine
Snapchat
Tumblr
Instagram
Other
114 115
How likely are you to recommend a faith-based website for education on alcohol, drug and sex education site to
your child?
Very Unlikely
Unlikely
Somewhat Unlikely
Undecided
Somewhat Likely
Likely
Very Likely
Would you prefer your child receive secular or faith-based education on the following?
Alcohol education
Drug education
Sex education
Does your child have a prescription for any psychiatric medication?
Yes
No
Can you provide examples?
Is your child prescribed a medication for attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactive disorder
(ADHD)?
Yes
No
What type?
Do you administer your child’s prescriptions?
Yes. But they have access to them at home.
Yes. They do not have access to their prescription on their own.
No. My child is responsible for taking their prescription.
Do you monitor them taking their own prescription? By monitor we mean do you sit with your child and make
sure they take the correct dosage?
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
All of the Time
Does your child have access to the following in your home? (No Chance - Very Good Chance)
Alcohol
Tobacco
Prescription Drugs
Have you ever encountered your child under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
Yes
No
Are you concerned your child is using the following? (Not at all - A Lot)
Drugs
Alcohol
Tobacco
Where would you seek information about drug and alcohol abuse? (Very Unlikely - Very Likely)
Family
Friends
Other Parents
Religious Leaders
Teachers/Faculty Members
116 117
Online Web Search
Facebook
Other
Who would you talk to if you thought your child was using alcohol or drugs?
Family
Friends
Other Parents
Religious Leaders
Teachers/Faculty Members
Online Web Search
Facebook
Other
How frequently do you think your child struggles with the following? (Never - All the Time)
Drug use
Alcohol use
Being bullied
Please state how you feel about your child doing the following actions. (Not Concerned At All - Very Concerned)
Underage drinking
Marijuana use
Illegal prescription drug use
Sex
How familiar are you with the following (Not familiar - Very familiar):
Anne Marie Project
LearnTalkLive.com
Cody’s Gift
If you are familiar with the Anne Marie Project, how effective do you think the program is for youth drug and
alcohol prevention?
Very Ineffective
Ineffective
Somewhat Effective
Effective
Very Effective
Not familiar with Anne Marie Project
If you are familiar with LearnTalkLive, how effective do you think LearnTalkLive.com is for youth alcohol and drug
prevention?
Very Ineffective
Ineffective
Neither Effective nor Ineffective
Effective
Very Effective
Not familiar with this website
Why do you think the website is either effective or ineffective?
Please choose whether you identify as male, female, or neither:
Male
Female
Prefer not to say
How many children under the age of 18 do you have?
1
2
3
4
5+
118 119
How old are your children?
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Which best describes your race or ethnic background?
White/Caucasian
Black/African American
Hispanic/Latino
Asian
Multiethnic/Multiracial
Other ____________________
Prefer not to say
Please indicate which age range you fall between:
20-30
31-40
41-50
51+
Please indicate if you identify as one of the following:
Lutheran
Catholic
Baptist
Methodist
Jewish
Muslim
Other ____________________
Middle School:
Please choose whether you identify as male, female, or neither:
Male
Female
Prefer not to say
How effective do you think the presentation you just saw was?
Very Ineffective
Ineffective
Somewhat Effective
Effective
Very Effective
Why do you think the presentation was either effective or ineffective?
How much do you think you learned from the presentation you just saw?
Nothing
Little
Some
A Lot
Would you visit a site like learntalklive?
Yes
No
If you would not visit a site like learntalklive, why wouldn’t you?
I’m afraid my parents/family would see it/judge me
I’m afraid my friends/peers would see it/judge me
It doesn’t seem very cool
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It doesn’t seem very helpful
Other ____________________
Does the program (Anne Marie Project) make you feel judged?
No
A Little
Some
A Lot
How often, if ever, do you seek out information about drugs, alcohol, etc. online?
Not At All
Occasionally
Frequently
How likely are you to use a faith related website to learn more about drugs and alcohol?
Very Unlikely
Unlikely
Somewhat Unlikely
Undecided
Somewhat Likely
Likely
Very Likely
How often do you spend time online reading about faith related information
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
All of the Time
How likely are you to go to the following places for information on drugs? (Very Unlikely - Very Likely)
Parents
Siblings
Peers
Religious Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Online Web Search
Other
How likely are you to go to the following places for information on alcohol? (Very Unlikely - Very Likely)
Parents
Siblings
Peers
Religious Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Online Web Search
Other
How likely are you to go to the following places for information on sex? (Very Unlikely - Very Likely)
Parents
Siblings
Peers
Religious Leaders
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Online Web Search
Other
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Who do you feel most comfortable speaking about personal problems to? (You may select more than one).
Peers
Parents
Teachers
Religious Leaders
Other ____________________
Do your religious beliefs affect whether or not you would consider trying drugs, alcohol, sex, etc?
Not at all
A little
A lot
Have you ever tried any of the following? (Never - Always)
Alcohol
Marijuana
Sex
Prescription pills outside of their original intended use
Other Drugs
Do you have friends that have tried any of the following? (Never - Always)
Alcohol
Marijuana
Sex
Prescription pills outside of their original intended use
Other Drugs
Do you have family members that use the following? (Never - Always)
Alcohol
Marijuana
Sex
Prescription pills outside of their original intended use
Other Drugs
Please state how you feel about the following actions. (Very Bad to Very Good)
Underage Drinking
Marijuana
Illegal prescription drug use
Sex
How often do you use the following social media sites or apps (Never - Very Often):
Facebook
Twitter
Vine
Snapchat
Tumblr
Instagram
Other
Have you ever been bullied online or on any of the following social platforms? (Never - All of the Time)
Facebook
Twitter
Vine
Snapchat
Tumblr
Instagram
Other
Do you know someone who has been bullied online or on any of the following social platforms? (Never - All of
the Time)
Facebook
Twitter
Vine
Snapchat
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Tumblr
Instagram
Other
Have you or someone you know hurt themselves or used drugs in response to bullying? (Not At All - Frequently)
You
Someone you know
Do you have a safe place to talk to about personal problems?
Yes
No
If you answered yes, who or where do you talk about them? ____________________
Do you prefer to talk in-person or online about your problems? (Very Strongly Avoid - Very Strongly Prefer)
In-person
Online
Neither
Other
Have you ever felt like you had a problem with the following? (Never - All the time)
Drug use
Alcohol use
Being bullied
Focus Group Discussion Guide
Show LearnTalkLive recording then ask these questions:
In one word, can you describe your initial reaction to this presentation?
Can you elaborate on that?
Why do you think so?
With a raise of hands, how many of you know someone who has struggled with these issues?
What would you say to a friend or peer if they were struggling with these issues?
Would you recommend this website?
Why or why not?
If not, what do you think is wrong with the website? You can be as honest as possible…
If yes, why would you recommend this website?
If not, what would you like to see included in the website that would make it more appealing?
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Interview Transcript: Teens in Recovery
INTERVIEW 1
What is your gender?
Female
What is your age?
16
What is your race/ethnicity?
White
Please indicate which religion you identify with?
Roman Catholic
Have you been to treatment for drugs and alcohol? If so, when?
March 2014
How long has it been since you have used either drugs or alcohol?
March 2014 (18 months)
What were your substances of choice?
Only alcohol
Do you plan on staying clean and sober? If so, what are the tools you use to help your do this?
Yes, I do and I have a lot of things that help me every day. I stay in touch with my faith and I am active in my church. I am much closer
and honest with my family. I only hang out with friends who don’t drink or do drugs. I am also involved in Alcoholics Anonymous and I
have a sponsor that helps me work the steps.
Was it hard to stop hanging out with your old friends?
I only had a few friends who would drink and I usually drank alone so it wasn’t too hard to let go of my old friends. I have good friends
in church, school, and AA who support my sobriety.
When you realized that you had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, who did you first reach out to for help?
I spent a lot of time looking online for things that could help me and to figure out if I really was an alcoholic. I was afraid to go to my
parents because they punished me before for drinking and using drugs. I was doing really bad in a lot of my classes and eventually
one of my teachers told me to go see a guidance counselor. I realized I needed to tell my parents and was sent to rehab.
Were you willing to go to treatment on your own, or were you doing it to please your parents?
I was ready to get help but I also wanted to make my parents happy. When I got to treatment I became more willing to make a
change.
How often do you spend time online reading about faith-related information?
Every now and then I will look at things online for that, but it usually has nothing to do with drugs or alcohol.
How often would you say you do that?
A few times a week. Maybe twice.
How likely are you to use a faith-related website to learn more about drug and alcohol prevention?
It depends on what the site is.
How many times in the last month have you sought out information about drugs, alcohol, etc. online?
Zero. I don’t want to read about drugs or alcohol online anymore now that I’m in recovery. I only think I would look up something
about drugs and alcohol if it had something to do with recovery.
Who are you most likely to go to for information on drugs, alcohol, sex, and bullying?
For drugs and alcohol I would go to my AA sponsor, someone in AA or if I really needed to someone at the treatment center I went to.
Most of the time people in AA are able to really help me and get me in the right direction.
For sex and bullying I would go to my mom first. If I really had any issue with bullying at school I would try to deal with it myself first
then maybe go to a teacher or counselor but I don’t have that problem right now.
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Have you ever been the victim of bullying?
Yeah but it was a really long time ago. When I was in elementary school.
Have you ever been the victim of online bullying? If so, on what social media platform?
No I stay off of social media but I know kids who have dealt with bullying on Twitter
Do you prefer to talk in-person or online about your problems?
In person
Who would you speak to if you had a friend with a drug/alcohol related problem?
I speak to my AA sponsor, members of my church, my mom and any other members of AA. They are all my best support group
Do you have any friends or family members that use drugs or alcohol?
My dad is a very bad alcoholic but I don’t live with him or see him anymore. He used to allow me to drink but my mom doesn’t do
anything like that. I have other family members that drink and use drugs but I don’t see them and my little brother and little sister are
only 6 and 9 years old
Have you or someone you know hurt themselves or used drugs in response to bullying?
Yeah I have a friend that used to cut herself, I know that she was bullied before but I don’t know if that was why she cut
How long did you spend looking at the Anne Marie Project website?
I spent almost 40 minutes
How many blog posts did you have the opportunity to read? Which ones?
I read 6.
[The ones she told me she read were “It’s Not Your Fault-Living with Alcoholism and Drug Abuse,” “God’s View on Drugs,” “Suicide,”
“Letter to my 14 year old self,” “Summer and the Under-age Drinker,” and “To Eat or Not To Eat”]
Why did you choose these blog posts?
I clicked on the Alcohol and Drugs section because I thought I could relate most to that. And the Eating Disorders one too.
What was your initial reaction the Anne Marie Project website?
There were a lot of categories to choose from and I wasn’t really sure where to begin. I was pretty confused
How credible do you think you information on the website is?
It looks like a lot of kids who are my age are the ones who are writing the posts so I don’t really think it was all very credible. I saw
that there was some posts done by priests but I can’t really tell how old each writer is. I think that I would like to know more about
each writer before I read so I know whether I’m reading from their experience or whether the person who wrote it is someone who is
a professional that knows what they are talking about.
Would you visit this site on your own time? Why or why not?
I don’t know if I would visit it on my own time but I think that it’d be good for a lot of kids if it was easier to look through, especially
Catholic kids
How does the Anne Marie Project’s content make you feel?
It made me feel very judged, especially that one article. (She was referencing “God’s View on Drugs”). When I was trying to find help
for being an alcoholic almost 2 years ago I didn’t want to hear people tell me that I was sinning and going against God because I
already knew that.
From your experiences in recovery, what things do you find to be effective and beneficial on the Anne Marie Project website?
There is a lot of correct information on the site that is right and helpful. I liked the one that was about alcoholism not being your fault
(she was talking about “It’s Not Your Fault-Living with Alcoholism and Drug Abuse”). I think the articles like that will really help kids
my age at least understand more about what they are going through.
I like that they have a lot of stories from teens that show the same problems that I went through.
What do you think were the least beneficial and effective things on the site?
In the Drug and Alcohol section there was articles that were written for teens and then there was articles that were for parents. That
was really confusing and it was hard to know what was legit and what was fake if I don’t know any of the writers backgrounds. If the
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writer is a teenager I think I would want to know.
There also isn’t really any suggestions on places to go if you need help. They had a few on the bottom of the page but there wasn’t
really that many and they were links that I wouldn’t really want to go to, I think they could find ones that are way better and helpful
(she was talking about the resources tab).
If you knew others dealing with the same issues that you are currently dealing with, would you recommend a site like
LearnTalkLive.com?
I would recommend it if it was a little bit different and easier to go through.
INTERVIEW 2
What is your gender?
Male
What is your age?
15
What is your race/ethnicity?
White
Please indicate which religion you identify with?
I was raised Baptist but I don’t have a religion now
Have you been to treatment for drugs and alcohol? If so, when?
February 2015
How long has it been since you have used either drugs or alcohol?
February 2015
What were your substances of choice?
Methamphetamine, alcohol, marijuana, Xanax
How old were you when you first started using drugs and alcohol?
10 years old
Do you have any other issues you would like to identify?
I had an abusive father who I haven’t seen in 3 years
Do you plan on staying clean and sober? If so, what are the tools you use to help your do this?
Yeah if I go back to using I don’t think I’d live for longer
My foster parents are really helpful and I go to AA/NA meetings
Was it hard to stop hanging out with your old friends?
It was really hard because I didn’t know who else to hangout with but now that I live with different foster parents I go to a new school
and I’m around better people
When you realized that you had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, who did you first reach out to for help?
I didn’t want no help from anyone and I ran away from home all the time. I was arrested a couple times and I went to juvie and went
through DYS before anyone made me go somewhere (treatment).
How often do you spend time online reading about faith-related information?
Never
How likely are you to use a faith-related website to learn more about drug and alcohol prevention?
Never
How many times in the last month have you sought out information about drugs, alcohol, etc. online?
I don’t have access to a computer unless my foster mom let me and she looks at what I go to online so I don’t do that
Who are you most likely to go to for information on drugs, alcohol, sex, and bullying?
My foster parents, people I went to rehab with and if I ever go to a meeting I can ask people for help there about a lot of stuff
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Have you ever been the victim of bullying?
No
Have you ever been the victim of online bullying? If so, on what social media platform?
No I only have a Facebook but I barely ever get on it
Do you prefer to talk in-person or online about your problems?
In person so I can see the person I’m talking to and get help easier
Who would you speak to if you had a friend with a drug/alcohol related problem?
I would talk to them first and try to help them but I know that I didn’t want anyone doing that to me and that they only ask for help if
they actually wanted it
Do you have any friends or family members that use drugs or alcohol?
Everyone in my family. My mom died from an OD when I was 12 and my Dad started to smoke meth with me when I was 13. He
started to drink and smoke weed with me when I was 10
Have you or someone you know hurt themselves or used drugs in response to bullying?
No
How long did you spend looking at the Anne Marie Project website?
20 minutes
How many blog posts did you have the opportunity to read? Which ones?
2 articles [He read “God’s View on Drugs” and “The New School Year”]
Why did you choose these blog posts?
They were some of the first ones that I saw on there and it was hard to choose because I wasn’t sure where else to click
What was your initial reaction the Anne Marie Project website?
I didn’t really know where to start out when I opened it up
How credible do you think you information on the website is?
It seems like a lot of it might be made up
Would you visit this site on your own time? Why or why not?
No because I don’t believe in what they say
Does Anne Marie Project make you feel judged, also?
Yeah because I’m not religious
From your experiences in recovery, what things do you find to be effective and beneficial on the Anne Marie Project website?
I think it could help other kids who are religious
What do you think were the least beneficial and effective things on the site? How do you think they could improve?
It was confusing. I’m trying to become religious and find one I can be a part of so I don’t think it was very helpful for that. I think that
it could help more with kids who don’t have a religion
If you knew others dealing with the same issues that you are currently dealing with, would you recommend a site like
LearnTalkLive.com?
No
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Interview Transcripts: Adults in Recovery
Interview #1: Taylor
How old are you?
20
What is your gender?
Female
How long has it been since you have used either drugs or alcohol?
July 15, 2014 (10 months)
Have you ever been in a youth/adolescent treatment center?
No
If yes, how old were you when you went?
N/A
What were your substances of choice?
Ecstasy, molly, weed
How long have you been in recovery?
15 months
Please indicate what religion (if any) that you identify with
None
Do you plan on staying clean and sober? If so, what are the tools you use to help your do this?
Yes, 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous
When you realized that you had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, who did you first reach out to for help?
Boyfriend
If you did go to treatment, were you willing to go on your own, or were you doing it to please your parents?
N/A
How often do you spend time online reading about faith-related information?
None, I do not associate with any religion or religious programs.
How often do you spend time online reading about recovery?
Very rarely, I get most of my resources from AA meetings.
How likely are you to use a faith-related website to learn more about drug and alcohol prevention?
Not likely at all, I practice spirituality but am not interested in religion.
When you were an adolescent (12-17 years old), who were you most likely to go to for information on drugs, alcohol, sex, and
bullying?
No one, I was too afraid and embarrassed to reach out for help
When you were going through problems with drugs and alcohol as an adolescent would you have preferred to talk in-person or online
about your problems?
Neither because I never wanted to talk about my problems. If I had to pick one I would have picked online however, because I could
hide behind my screen.
Who would you speak to if you had a friend with a drug/alcohol related problem?
I would talk to them myself. I would share with them my experience and invite them to go to a meeting with me. If they wanted to talk
to someone else, I would try to find someone I know that has gone through a similar situation.
Were you ever bullied as an adolescent? If yes, how did you handle these situations?
I was. I started out as the bully and then as I got older, people started standing up to me and bullying back. When I got bullied, I
would not stand up for myself. I would internalize what they said and see myself that way.
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What was your initial reaction Anne Marie Project website?
I was kind of overwhelmed by how harsh they were about using drugs/alcohol. It felt like they were accusing people that did drugs,
as opposed to being a resource for them. I didn’t feel like there were very many other options for resources, aside from religious
ones.
Would you visit this site on your own time? Why or why not?
If you were to have visited this site when you were an adolescent, how would you feel about it?
No because there was only one perspective that seemed pretty subjective. It didn’t seem very reliable because there was a very
short list of sources on the side. When I was an adolescent, I would probably feel like I was a bad person for doing drugs and didn’t
deserve to get help.
As someone in recovery, does Anne Marie Project website’s views and blog posts make you feel judged?
Yes
From your experiences in recovery, what things do you find to be effective and beneficial on the Anne Marie Project website?
I really enjoyed the fact that there was a whole section for college life. Many websites that provide resources like this tell you how to
get help, but do not talk about how to deal with key points in your life with a problem.
What do you think were the least beneficial and effective things on the site?
I think the least beneficial and effective things on the site were the posts accusing people of being sinners or bad people. When I
saw those, I didn’t feel like the website would be a reliable place for me to find help/resources.
If you knew others dealing with the same issues that you are currently dealing with, would you recommend a site like LearnTalkLive.
com?
No
What else do you think Anne Marie Project could do to it’s website to improve?
Provide a broader range of resources, so different types of people could receive help.
Interview #2: Mike
How old are you?
20
What is your gender?
male
How long has it been since you have used either drugs or alcohol?
December 16, 2014 (almost 10 months)
Have you ever been in a youth/adolescent treatment center?
no
If yes, how old were you when you went?
n/a
What were your substances of choice?
I predominantly used alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and tobacco. I have used marijuana the longest and most frequently of the above
stated, my alcohol usage picked up exponentially when I started college, and soon after I used cocaine the majority of the times that
I used alcohol. I have used many other substances in addition to these, but not in the same capacity as these four. Of these four, my
favorite would be cocaine.
How long have you been in recovery?
Almost ten months
Please indicate what religion (if any) that you identify with
Greek Orthodox Christianity
Do you plan on staying clean and sober? If so, what are the tools you use to help your do this?
Yes – I regularly attend 12 step meetings, I work with a sponsor, and soon hope to sponsor others in recovery once I have completed
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the 12 steps for the first time and feel comfortable in my own sobriety.
When you realized that you had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, who did you first reach out to for help?
After getting arrested on felony drug charges, my parents essentially forced me to go to an AA meeting. I stayed sober for about a
week, then when I returned to college after the break I continued drinking, although I stopped using illicit drugs out of fear of testing
positive on a urinalysis. After I left that school for winter break, I began my current period of sobriety.
If you did go to treatment, were you willing to go on your own, or were you doing it to please your parents?
Although I didn’t go to an inpatient treatment facility, my initial motivation for attending 12 step meetings to appease my parents and
to hopefully gain favor with the courts once my legal proceedings began
How often do you spend time online reading about faith-related information?
Very infrequently/ almost never
How often do you spend time online reading about recovery?
A few times a week
How likely are you to use a faith-related website to learn more about drug and alcohol prevention?
Highly unlikely
When you were an adolescent (12-17 years old), who were you most likely to go to for information on drugs, alcohol, sex, and
bullying?
My mother from ages 12-14/15, but once I started doing drugs/ having sex/ etc I distanced myself from my parents and flocked
more towards my peers
When you were going through problems with drugs and alcohol as an adolescent would you have preferred to talk in-person or online
about your problems?
I would have preferred not to talk about them at all. I had great grades, a wonderful girlfriend, and a few very close friends so I didn’t
see my using as a “problem.”
Who would you speak to if you had a friend with a drug/alcohol related problem?
My sponsor first and then my friend directly
Were you ever bullied as an adolescent? If yes, how did you handle these situations?
Yes, initially I would ignore it, and if it persisted I stood up for myself, either verbally or physically. People tend to stop fucking with you
if they know you’d punch them out
What was your initial reaction Anne Marie Project website?
Great idea on the whole, but some of the articles are jaded and misleading. For example one article addressing underage drinking
and the use of energy drinks claimed that caffeine is as dangerous and addictive as cocaine. I’ve done more than my fair share of
blow in my life and I can say that’s not even remotely true. While I like that the website is religiously grounded, I feel it would be more
believable and relatable if the information was more objective and scientific, coupled with additional religious reasons why using
drugs and alcohol aren’t a great idea, instead of having religious beliefs be the primary focus.
Would you visit this site on your own time? Why or why not?
At this stage of my life, probably not. I have been fairly distanced from my own religious faith for a period of time, and while I haven’t
thrown it out entirely, it’s not essential to keeping me sober which at the moment is my primary concern
If you were to have visited this site when you were an adolescent, how would you feel about it?
I probably would have dismissed it. I did fairly extensive research when I was a teenager before trying a new drug, and while I
recognized there are solid reasons for not doing certain things, I always found a way to justify them in the end. I doubt the site would
have deterred me from my actions.
As someone in recovery, does Anne Marie Project website’s views and blog posts make you feel judged?
Not particularly. I believe in the disease theory of alcoholism and addiction, but I recognize there is a component of personal
responsibility in the way my life has played out. Had I never done coke, I wouldn’t be addicted to coke. Had I never binge drank, I
would likely not have been an active alcoholic. However, once those initial choices were made, my fate was pretty much sealed that
when I wasn’t doing the substances I would be obsessing over them, and when I was actively using I wouldn’t be able to control the
amount.
From your experiences in recovery, what things do you find to be effective and beneficial on Anne Marie Project website?
For a religious (particularly Roman Catholic) audience, it’s theologically and doctrinally consistent. I like that there is a mix of
140 141
anecdotes and more general, information-based articles.
What do you think were the least beneficial and effective things on the site?
Some of the claims in the articles aren’t scientifically accurate. Caffeine is not as addictive as cocaine. I would know, I’ve done both.
Furthermore, I feel that there needs to be a better ratio of secular reasoning with religious and moral arguments – the two certainly
don’t have to oppose each other, and I think it would make for a more sound argument against substance abuse if readers were
presented with a two-pronged approach to the issue
If you knew others dealing with the same issues that you are currently dealing with, would you recommend a site like LearnTalkLive.
com?
Possibly, although it wouldn’t be my primary referral. My first instinct would be to have them read the first few chapters of the Big
Book of Alcoholics Anonymous or the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous, in addition to having them attend a 12 step meeting. It’s
what has worked in my life and in the lives of many of my friends, so I’m pretty confident in that particular process
What else do you think Anne Marie Project could do to it’s website to improve?
Be brutally objective. Eliminate as much outside bias from the articles as possible. I’ve found it pretty easy to justify dismissing a
good argument if I feel I’m being
preached to. As I’ve said before, I like the concept but I feel there needs to be a stronger presence of sound, objective facts in
addition to religious argumentation.
Interview #3: Shane
How old are you?
25
What is your gender?
Male
How long has it been since you have used either drugs or alcohol?
April 29, 2013 (2 years 5 months)
Have you ever been in a youth/adolescent treatment center?
No
If yes, how old were you when you went?
n/a
What were your substances of choice?
All of them. Mainly marijuana, cocaine, alcohol…etc.
How long have you been in recovery?
Since May 2013
Please indicate what religion (if any) that you identify with
n/a
Do you plan on staying clean and sober? If so, what are the tools you use to help your do this?
Yes. 12 steps to a spiritual condition.
When you realized that you had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, who did you first reach out to for help?
They reached out to me.
If you did go to treatment, were you willing to go on your own, or were you doing it to please your parents?
I was willing but the court’s inducement helped.
How often do you spend time online reading about faith-related information?
A few times a week.
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How often do you spend time online reading about recovery?
Maybe once a week.
How likely are you to use a faith-related website to learn more about drug and alcohol prevention?
Unlikely
When you were an adolescent (12-17 years old), who were you most likely to go to for information on drugs, alcohol, sex, and
bullying?
Peers, personal experiences, erowid, overgrow forums, other internet resources.
When you were going through problems with drugs and alcohol as an adolescent would you have preferred to talk in-person or online
about your problems?
I would have been/was more forthcoming online. The anonymous aspect helped.
Who would you speak to if you had a friend with a drug/alcohol related problem?
My recovery people, the friend if I thought they had felt enough pain
Were you ever bullied as an adolescent? If yes, how did you handle these situations?
Yes. I got angry.
What was your initial reaction Anne Marie Project website?
It seemed a bit stylistically generic.
Would you visit this site on your own time? Why or why not?
Probably rarely if at all. I like some of the ideas, but the layout is not easily navigable and the prose is sometimes unwieldy.
If you were to have visited this site when you were an adolescent, how would you feel about it?
I probably wouldn’t have liked a lot of it. I was not very receptive to criticism of my use of alcohol and other drugs.
As someone in recovery, does Anne Marie Project website’s views and blog posts make you feel judged?
No.
From your experiences in recovery, what things do you find to be effective and beneficial on the Anne Marie Project website?
I really liked “What Should I do With my Life?” by Nick Werner. That piece mirrors a lot of my own spiritual views.
What do you think were the least beneficial and effective things on the site?
“The New School Year” by Marissa Rehagen was almost unreadable. It needs a lot of editing. “Summer and the Under-Age Drinker”
seemed very superficial. More details would make it more beneficial.
If you knew others dealing with the same issues that you are currently dealing with, would you recommend a site like LearnTalkLive.
com?
Probably only specific articles like Nick Werner’s.
What else do you think Anne Marie Project could do to it’s website to improve?
An editor would be good. Curation and copy editing would help cull the wheat from the chaff (see what I did there?!)
Interview #4: Chris
How old are you?
29
What is your gender?
Male
Anne Marie Project Plan Book
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Anne Marie Project Plan Book
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Anne Marie Project Plan Book
Anne Marie Project Plan Book

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Anne Marie Project Plan Book

  • 2. 3 ANNE MARIE PROJECT PLAN BOOK This document was produced by AdZou at the Missouri School of Journalism. The contents are the property of Anne Marie Project. All information is confidential and proprietary and shall not be modified, reproduced, distributed or used for any purpose without prior written consent of Anne Marie Project © TEAM POPULUS; November 30th, 2015.
  • 3. 4 54 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SITUATION ANALYSIS Client & Audience Competitors/Affiliates SWOT SECONDARY RESEARCH Why Early Intervention D.A.R.E Program PRIMARY RESEARCH Methodology Findings STRATEGY Target Profile Big Idea Identity tABLE OF CONTENTS 5 TACTICS Intern Budget Evaluation Metrics MEET THE TEAM APPENDIX 6 10 16 20 26 64 75 106 112
  • 4. 6 7 When first introduced to Anne Marie Project, our team, Populus, was challenged to discover how its audience interacts with its website, and in what ways it could be improved to better complement its drug prevention and education presentations in schools. We identified our target to be high school freshmen and sophomores in mid-Missouri who are slowly adapting to the new struggles of being a teenager. After executing both secondary research and quantitative and qualitative research of our own, the Populus team is eager to navigate Anne Marie Project through our findings, recommendations and strategies for success. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  • 6. 10 11 Our client is Anne Marie Project, a faith-based non-profit organization in the drug prevention and education category. It runs learntalklive.com, and says the site exists to provide resources to help young people seeking information and guidance on topics ranging from substance abuse and bullying to stress and sex. The site publishes articles written by teens, young adults, youth leaders, and priests. The organization was started eight years ago after its founder was inspired by the story of a young girl in her church who was affected by the pressures of teen life. It is primarily funded from small private donations and grants, but fundraising is not its main focus. Rather, AMP has tasked us with learning how young teens respond to their current methods and providing recommendations to improve. SITUATION ANALYSIS OVERVIEW - CLIENT OVERVIEW - ADUIENCE Anne Marie Project speaks to middle and high school students, ages ten to eighteen. The targets they requested for the website are high school freshmen and sophomores, age 15, with hopes to create content for parents of middle and high school students. The website currently publishes articles for parents as well as teens, though the majority of the articles are meant for teens. OVERVIEW - COMPETITORS/AFFILIATES The competition of the organization is primarily competition for receiving funding or grants; however AMP has not asked us to focus on grants. Rather, we’re turning our attention to the program’s affiliates. The program works together with Jim Marshall, a drug awareness and prevention education speaker whose program is called Cody’s Gift. AMP is partnered with Compass Prevention, Grace Counseling and Crossroads, although it is important to note that these organizations are not actively involved with Anne Marie Project.
  • 7. 12 13 SITUATION ANALYSIS The Crossroads Program is a rehab center for teens in Missouri with facilities in St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia. It is known for both their young adult and parent support groups, individual staff and IOP program. The program emphasizes the importance of parental involvement and considers it vital to the recovery process. Grace Counseling, located in Jefferson City Mo. is a counseling center for individuals, couples and families. It provides individualized mental health care and works with Anne Marie Project to encourage seeking help when dealing with issues surrounding drugs and alcohol. Founded by Jim Marshall, the program aims to educate teens about the dangers of drug use and provide them with testimonies. Marshall shares the story of his son, Cody, who passed due to drug overdose in 2011 in hopes that teens will recognize the negative effects of substance abuse. Compass Health Network provides many services to families in the area of healthcare, one of them being drug and alcohol treatment. This organization is crucial to Anne Marie Project- giving them tools to educate their audience and informing them of where they can receive aid in reference to issues surrounding the abuse of drugs and alcohol.
  • 9. 16 17 |minimal competition| |religious| |easier access to their audience| |strong paternership and resource| |public health model| Anne Marie Project’s strongest quality is that it is a resource that has little competition. Very few websites/organizations in Missouri offer the same resources and services to teens. Because of its Catholic religious affiliation it has access to private schools in Jefferson City. It is currently in the process of branching its efforts to Columbia. Anne Marie Project also partners with Compass Prevention, Grace Counseling and Crossroads, organizations that deal with prevention and the counseling of drug and alcohol addiction. It is committed to building an accessible digital safe space for troubled kids and pre-teens. Additionally, Anne Marie Project uses a known, effective prevention model, the Public Health Model, which takes into consideration the environmental factors including social attitudes and behaviors that contribute to drug abuse in youth. SWOT STRENGTHS |potential rebellion to the program| |limited funding available due to religious affliation| |social medial presence| |lack of cohesive branding and design| One weakness of Anne Marie Project is the possibility of teen rebellion to their curriculum, as the DARE program experienced with teen backlash.¹ Anne Marie Project’s emphasis on religion limits their potential audience population, as well as potential funding. Furthermore, the emphasis on religion could potentially alienate kids. Currently, the Anne Marie Project’s social presence is weak; as is their PR, digital marketing, advertising, SEO, and organization contacts. Finally, Anne Marie Project lacks cohesive branding and design across all platforms. WEAKNESSES opportunitieS THREATS Some of the opportunities available to Anne Marie Project include enhancing its website to appeal to younger people. Expanding the young adult presence on the website may also add an appealing facet to the resource. Creating a focus on cyber or social media bullying will also be a great opportunity, as bullying has been linked to selfharm and risky behavior that may lead to drug and alcohol abuse.² In addition to the site, the organization has an opportunity to use other social media platforms to advance its mission and gain more exposure. It should also take advantage of Compass Health Network, Grace Counseling, LLC, and The Crossroads Program. By registering the domain type to a Missouri organization, Anne Marie Project has an opportunity to be focused on the state of Missouri. |enhance website| |more research on causes of drug use| |strengthen partnerships| |domain ownership| |dual appeal to both kids and parents| |information too repetitive| |busy teen lives| |limited potential to grow audience reach| One threat is children not responding to its messages. There are many reasons children may not respond to the organization’s message; either the message is not suitable to their interests or they may be blocking out information they may have heard elsewhere. Another threat is the fact that it is competing for teens’ attention. Teens today have a lot going on, from homework to school to after-school programs and family life. Grasping their attention and for long enough may be a threat that needs to be addressed prior to doling out the targeted messages. Since the organization is faith-based, it may come into threat from non-religious programs that typically have a larger reach. Finally, parents and guardians of children may have different views on drugs and alcohol and how their children are educated on the topic.
  • 11. 20 21 Anne Marie Project operates in Jefferson City and Columbia, with no current plans to expand their presentations beyond Missouri. There is a need for early intervention in the state, as Missouri is the leading state for Methamphetamine manufacturing, with 1,825 laboratory incidents identified by authorities³. The high prevalence of Meth in this environment puts Missouri teens at greater risk for coming in contact with the drug. Thus, there needs to be programming to combat the probability of exposure. In the United States, there are now more reported drug- related deaths than alcohol-related deaths. This is a switch from 1999, when across the country there were more alcohol-related deaths. This information indicates that there is a greater need for programming to combat drug abuse. Additionally, Missouri has one of the highest percentages of tobacco product use in September compared to other states. 33.75% of Missourians over the age of 12 have used tobacco products in the last month. Additionally, 15.12% of adolescents age 12 to 17 have used tobacco products in the last month.4 Reports from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reports conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reveal that some children are already abusing drugs at age 12 or 13, which was further supported in our own research. Drug prevention programming must begin in early adolescence. OVERVIEW - WHY EARLY INTERVENTION MISSOURI Leading state of Methamphetamine(Meth) manufacturing High percentage of tobacco use Drug prevention programming MUST begin in early adolescence TEENS Greater risk for coming in contact with the drug Some children are already abusing drugs at age 12/13 SECONDARY RESEARCH
  • 12. 22 23 Spent roughly $700 million a year; One of the most expensive drug prevention programs in the country, and the least effective Founded in 1983, D.A.R.E is a program that exists to educate students on substance abuse prevention. Students who participate in the program take a pledge to not use drugs after the program’s completion. It was a prominent educational tool for quite some time but lost government funding in 2010 due to the inconclusive research on its effectiveness. Findings displayed overall expense and increasing numbness of students to the program’s curriculum.5 The problem with many of the programs is that they present drug use as being “inevitable.” Reached over 60% of elementary schools in America As of 2010 DARE was federally defunded D.A.R.E PROGRAM “Information or education programs using scare tactics are used less often because research and experience have demonstrated that they are either counterproductive or ineffective, and that students learn better with a low fear appeal message and with a credible communicator.” —— David J. Hanson, Ph.D. 6 “Fear appeals may cause an audience to tune out a message or not believe it, or worse, be encouraged to do the opposite of the intended behavior because they like taking risks.” —— Jodi Upton 6 “While current research regarding the effectiveness of fear appeals/scare tactics is rather limited, there is enough evidence from research conducted during the past 60 years to indicate that the strategy does not produce long-term, sustained reductions in drug use.” —— PREVENTION FIRST 7 SECONDARY RESEARCH
  • 14. 26 27 Our primary research took to new depths as we felt the multiple causes or triggers of drug abuse are so widely spread. Our group targeted multiple demographics, based on AMP’s ambitions to improve their program as well as branching out to appeal to parents. Focusing on both children and adults, we were able to gather information that served to aid our understanding of the concept of substance abuse from the angles of prevention and recovery while gaining insight on how to improve the website. To start, we administered surveys for students to complete after listening to a presentation by Ann Marie Project with Cody’s Gift. These students all attended a private Catholic middle school in Jefferson City called St. Francis Xavier. The survey led to new insights about the concept of “safe spaces” for children and the importance of early prevention education, while also leading us to question how receptive children as young as ten are to fear-based or religion-based programs. In addition to surveying students, our team also created a survey for parents of teenagers in middle school and high school. Some students identified as having a faith background while others did not. The goal of these surveys was to find out whether or not parents are educating their children about issues regarding drugs, alcohol and sex (all three subjects focused on by Anne Marie Project) in addition to their involvement in monitoring their child’s activity on the Internet. Finally, our team looked to go more personal with our qualitative research. We were able to gain some of this insight from the parent surveys but mostly from conducting one focus group and nine individual interviews. These interviews varied from youth in recovery, adults in recovery and an addiction counselor. Our focus group proved beneficial to our qualitative primary research. Our team was able to conduct a session with high school aged teens in a faith-based setting. This allowed us an opportunity to get feedback on the content of Anne Marie Project’s online platform, Learn Talk Live, as well as their social media content. Each of these methods has been helpful in guiding our campaign and grasping an understanding of the multiple people and viewpoints that revolve around drug and alcohol abuse prevention. methodology PRIMARY RESEARCH quANtitAtivE RESEARCH quALITATIVE RESEARCH PARENTS Find out how parents are educating their children about issues regarding drugs, alcohol and sex FOCUS GROUPS To gain feedback on the content of the Anne Marie Project’s online platform as well as their social media content STUDENTS This method led to new insights about safe space for children and the importance of early prevention education INTERVIEWS Participants were asked individually about their experience with drugs and alcohol, their recovery, with who and where they feel safe and the website content of Learn Talk Live
  • 15. 28 29 PRIMARY RESEARCH We were able to attend one of the presentations of Anne Marie Project and Cody’s Gift sponsored at a Taos, MO middle school. During our time there we handed out paper versions of our Middle School Qualtrics survey to be completed by students at the end of the presentation. We also observed the students (grades 5-8) during the presentation and as they were completing the surveys. During the presentation we found that many of the students did not know of or fully understand the information they were being given regarding prescription pills. None of them (or very few of them) have ever heard of the names of any pills that were being described. For this age range, we found that the tactics being implemented throughout the Cody’s Gift presentation were very successful, but interpreted as “scare tactics.” Observers of the presentation noted this may be due to the fact that students of this age group have not yet fully developed opinions on any of the drug, alcohol or generic problems the presenter mentioned and/or don’t fully understand what he was talking about. Many students seemed to not understand how their religious beliefs could/should affect decisions they make regarding these topics. middle school DEMOGRAPHIC AT PRESENTATION 100% CAUCASIAN AGE: 12-14 Catholic Private School BOYS 48% GIRLS 52%
  • 16. 30 31 PRIMARY RESEARCH 88% 61% stated they never seek out information about drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. online. stated they were somewhat to very unlikely to look toward a faith-based website for information on topics related to drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. Student Survey Results 80% 79% 100% felt most comfortable speaking to their parents about personal problems. stated the presentation was either effective or very effective. stated they had never tried marijuana, sex or prescription pills (outside of their intended use).
  • 17. 32 33 FINDINGS-QUANTITATIVE Students prefer talking about their problems in person rather than online. Snapchat and Instagram are most used social platforms. Each parent who took the survey had a student who was under the age of 18. Through this research, we found that parents were less concerned about their child using drugs, regardless of whether they were using any at-home education tactics. We also found that alcohol was easily accessible to children in about half of the homes surveyed and over half of parents mentioned they do not monitor prescription usage. What differed most from the student surveys is that parents prefer a website or educational program that is faith-based. 100% 93% were little to not at all concerned about their children using drugs, alcohol or tobacco. stated they had never encountered a child under the influence. Parent Survey Results
  • 18. 34 35 FINDINGS-QUANTITATIVE 50% 60% stated that their children had some chance to very good chance of having access to alcohol at home. stated that they do not monitor their children taking prescription pills in their home. 60% stated that they monitor their children’s online activity. stated that their children spent more than 6 hours per week online. 93%
  • 19. 36 37 The focus group we held was at Forum Christian Church in Columbia and it was in a youth group of teens ages 14-16. We handed out printed homepage articles from Learn Talk Live and asked them to read over the material before giving us their thoughts. In addition to this, we asked the same group of youth how they felt about Anne Marie Project’s social media presence. This was presented to them in document form, as a printed screen grab of the organization’s Twitter account. We prompted them to respond to each tweet from that month. Our focus was to find out how this age group interacts with the website’s content as well as the organization’s social media strategy. AGE: 14-16 HANDOUTS: printed homepage articles from Learn Talk Live pinrted screenshots of the organization’s Twitter account focus group Being a religious affiliated organization, many of the kids at the youth group analyzed and focused on this aspect. The teens who expressed greater religious interest were more likely to believe Anne Marie Project’s content was credible compared to teens who showed less interest towards religious content. In addition, our group found that while students care about their faith, they did not believe that faith should discriminate against abusers of alcohol or drugs. Many students felt judged by the content, stating it was “aggressive” and potentially “biased.” When provided with the an example of tweets, students felt as though they did not include any relevant information from the Bible itself (i.e. no mention of specific verses.) Of the whole teen focus group, only about half completely participated in the discussion. We believe this could be explained in two ways: some participants appeared to remain quiet because of shy personalities or lack of interest in the example content provided. Further, our research has shown us that teens are often bombarded with anti-drug and alcohol messages that come from many sources in their life. There was an obvious need to differentiate Anne Marie Project and its message when students noted that the message was redundant and therefore would not refer a friend to the website. In summary, the teens interviewed did not think AMP offered a unique or valuable service for themselves or their peers.
  • 21. 40 41 articleS from website FOCUS GROUP
  • 22. 42 43 YOUTH IN RECOVERY We interviewed 2 subjects who have very different experiences with drug and/or alcohol abuse. With one male and one female, one religious and one not and both in recovery, we were able to touch on many different points of view based on their identities and beliefs. They were asked the same set of questions about their experience with drugs and alcohol, their recovery, with who and where they feel safe and the website content of Learn Talk Live. interviews YOUTH IN RECOVERY 01 16 YEAR OLD FEMALE caucasian ROMAN CATHOLIC FORMER ALCOHOLIC SOBER 18 MONTHs INTERVIEWS In March 2014, this 16 year old realized she needed serious help with her addiction to alcohol. Turning to the internet for definitions and information and then to her parents for help, she was sent to rehab and has since been in recovery. She finds support in her family, church leaders, Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor and friends who do not drink. Her active roles in the church and the people surrounding her there have been crucial to her journey to sobriety. Being religious, she indicated that she spends a few days a week online looking up faith-related information, although, this information has nothing to do with drugs or alcohol. She stated, “I don’t want to read about drugs or alcohol online any more, now that I’m in recovery. I only think I would look up something about drugs and alcohol if it had something to do with recovery.” We also asked her who she would turn to for information about drugs or alcohol now and she said her Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor, her family and a teacher or counselor. She explained that each of these resources has something valuable for her and are all equally valued, it just depends on the topic. After spending about 40 minutes reading through the Learn Talk Live website, she came up with a few conclusions of her own: • She noted how confused she was at first visiting the site. Once she found her way she said, “It looks like a lot of kids who are my age are the ones who are writing the posts so I don’t really think it was all very credible.” • She saw that there was some posts done by priests but could not “really tell how old each writer is.” • She also suggested knowing more about each writer would aid her issue with believability and accuracy of the information provided. As a Catholic, she felt that even with her understanding of the faith-based platform, she felt “judged” by the content. She mentioned that when she was seeking help she never wanted to be told she was a “sinner” and so she fears others will feel the same and overlook the other valuable information the website has to offer. In contrast, positive things she noted, “I think the articles like that will really help kids my age at least understand more about what they are going through. I like that they have a lot of stories from teens that show the same problems that I went through.” “It looks like a lot of kids who are my age are the ones who are writing the posts so I don’t really think it was all very credible.”
  • 23. 44 45 15 YEAR OLd MALE caucasian secular multiple substance abuse SOBER 9 MONTHs YOUTH IN RECOVERY 02 INTERVIEWS At the age of 10 years old, he started smoking marijuana with his father. This addiction quickly escalated into something much larger with the addition of Methamphetamine, Xanax and alcohol. Just a few shorts months ago, after an arrest, he decided he needed a solution- he knew his life was in serious jeopardy. The addiction started as a way to connect with an abusive dad. His mother had passed away from a drug overdose. He had no guardian to turn to that was not abusing narcotics; his journey with drugs seemed inevitable. Albeit this was his struggle, he has found his way to recovery. Living with foster parents has deterred this 15 year old from drug abuse. He now regularly attends AA and NA meetings, in addition to attending a new school with new friends. He explains this situation as being incredibly useful to his journey through recovery because his old influencers have now vanished. He does not have access to a computer, so most of his questions about drugs and alcohol while in recovery are answered by people at AA or his foster parents. When asked about his visit to the Learn Talk Live website, he simply stated he was not religious but read a few articles anyway. He questioned the credibility of the articles and also noted navigating the site was confusing from the home page. Overall, he noted that the site could be extremely useful for religious and secular teens.
  • 24. 46 47 TAYLOR 20 YEAR OLd feMALE secular SOBER 15 MONTHs in recovery from abuse of several substances including Ecstasy, Molly, and Marijuana adults IN RECOVERY 01 INTERVIEWS Taylor first reached out to her boyfriend when she realized she had a problem with substance abuse. She is now a member Alcoholics Anonymous, using the 12 step program to maintain her sobriety. Taylor has never attended a treatment center. Taylor is not affiliated with any religion and she told us that she doesn’t spend time online reading faith-related content. While Taylor says she is “not interested in religion,” she considers herself to be a spiritual person. We wanted to find out what resources Taylor had to information about drugs,alcohol, sex and bullying when she was younger, specifically ages 12 to 17. As an adolescent, Taylor told us she did not seek out information on these topics because she felt embarrassed to reach out for help. Although she did not actively seek out help, when asked to choose, Taylor said that she would have preferred to find information online, compared to talking in person. Looking online would have allowed taylor anonymity; “I could hide behind my screen,” she told us. We also asked Taylor about her experience with bullying as an adolescent. Taylor described herself as a bully when she was younger. However, the situation reversed as peers began to stand up to her. She became the victim of bullying which led to self-esteem issues. “When I got bullied, I would not stand up for myself. I would internalize what they said and see myself that way.” Taylor also spent an unspecified amount of time browsing Learn Talk Live. Her initial reaction was that the website seemed “harsh” towards the subjects and victims of drug and alcohol abuse, whereas it should have been a resource for people trying to overcome these adversities. “I would probably feel like I was a bad person for doing drugs and didn’t deserve to get help. Because of these insights about the website, Taylor says she would not have used Learn Talk Live as a resource for drug and alcohol information. On the other hand, Taylor appreciated the “college life” section of the website, specifically how this section talked about how to deal with this time, compared to other websites which just give resources. Taylor would like to see a broader range of resources on Learn Talk Live, so that different types of people could receive help. “I would probably feel like I was a bad person for doing drugs and didn’t deserve to get help.”
  • 25. 48 49 adults IN RECOVERY 02 mike 20 YEAR OLd MALE Greek Orthodox Christian SOBER 10 MONTHs in recovery from abuse of several substances including Alcohol, Marijuana, and Tobacco and Cocaine INTERVIEWS Mike had just started college, and had noticed that the amount of alcohol he drank increased “exponentially” during this transition period. Mike first sought treatment for his drug and alcohol abuse after he was arrested on felony charges and his parents mandated that he attend AA meetings. His initial motive was not to get clean, but rather to appease his parents and “gain favor with the courts.” Mike is unlikely to read about his faith online. Furthermore, Mike self reported that he is more likely to seek information on drugs and alcohol on faith-related online websites, although he does consume recovery oriented content a few times a week. As an adolescent, Mike would have gone to his mother for information on alcohol, drugs, and sex. However, as Mike got older and began to abuse drugs and alcohol and engage in sex, he became more inclined to speak to his peers on these issues. Now that he is sober, Mike prefers to talk to his AA sponsor for support and information. Mike appreciated the intent of Learn Talk Live, but disagreed with some of the content, specifically one article that compared the dangers of caffeine to the dangers to cocaine. He also thought that the faith supported articles hurt the credibility of the website. Finally, Mike disagreed with the tone of some articles, which he described as “jaded.” Mike said that he would not have likely used a website like Learn Talk Live when he was younger. Mike did not believe the information provided on the website would have deterred him from experimenting. To make Learn Talk Live more useful for struggling teens, Mike recommended adding more secular reasoning with the religious and moral arguments.
  • 26. 50 51 adults IN RECOVERY 03 CHRIS 29 YEAR OLd MALE secular SOBER 7 YEARS AND 10 MONTHs in recovery from abuse of several substances including Alcohol, Marijuana, and Cocaine INTERVIEWS When he first knew he was struggling with alcohol and drugs, Chris reached out to a close family member who was in Alcoholics Anonymous. Chris joined AA and continues to attend 12 step meetings and work with a sponsor. Furthermore, Chris now helps run an AA program for others in recovery. Today, Chris does not spend time reading faith-related content online. However, he does spend about 30 to 45 minutes online weekly browsing content related to his recovery. If Chris had a friend struggling with drug and alcohol abuse, he would try to relate to them by his own experiences, he told us. When we asked Chris about his experience with bullying, he said that he was a victim of bullying. His reaction to bullying was to fight back, as opposed to “crying about it and running to my parents to protect me.” Chris believed LearnTalkLive was “ineffective” because of the “narrow-focus on faith driven recovery methods.” Furthermore, he wouldn’t use Learn Talk Live because he questioned the accuracy of the content. Specifically, Chris cited a problem with opinions being presented as facts. For example this blurb taken from an article called Live Talk Learn, “and as far as the brain is concerned large amounts of caffeine are no different, and just as addictive as cocaine.” He doesn’t think he would have used Learn Talk Live as an adolescent. “I would have laughed at it,” Chris told us, implying he would not have taken the website seriously.
  • 27. 52 53 adults IN RECOVERY 04 ADAM 21 YEAR OLd MALE secular SOBER 3 YEARS AND 5 MONTHs in recovery from abuse of several substances including K2, Marijuana, Alcohol and “Pills” INTERVIEWS Adam uses 12 step programs, 12 step meetings, and similar programs to maintain his sobriety. Within AA he has a sponsor to help work him through the 12 steps, does service work for the AA program, and practices spirituality to stay in recovery. When Adam first realized he had a problem, he reached out to his parents who put him into a treatment center. Adam sought treatment for drugs and alcohol three times. The first two treatments were to please his parents, Adam told us, and the last was for him. Now in recovery, Adam tells us he reads recovery focused content about 10 to 20 minutes every day. However, he is unlikely to use faith-related resources to find information about drugs or alcohol. When he was younger, he was likely to talk with his parents, his therapist, or counselors for information about drugs, alcohol, and sex. Furthermore, he preferred talking in-person about issues, compared to online. As an adolescent, Adam said that he was a victim of bullying, and felt he couldn’t do anything so he just “took it.” Adam’s initial thought considering Learn Talk Live was that is was entirely faith based. This would have discouraged Adam from using Learn Talk Live as a struggling teen because he “hated the idea of God” when he was struggling with drugs and alcohol. Furthermore, he “didn’t find it (Anne Marie Project) to be credible.” “All of the people involved are religious and seemingly unqualified to discuss these issues.” Statements in Learn Talk Live article, such as “it’s a sin to take drugs. . . “ made Adam feel judged. Adam believes that personal stories are the most effective way to reach out to struggling peers, however the stories on Learn Talk Live seemed more aimed at criticizing rather than relating. “All of the people involved are religious and seemingly unqualified to discuss these issues.”
  • 28. 54 55 Addiction counselor Youth Alcohol and Drug Counselor 45 YEAR OLd feMALE white in recovery 26 YEARS helps youth, ages 12 to 17 recover from drug and alcohol addictions INTERVIEWS She spent 15 minutes browsing Learn Talk Live before answering our questions. Her initial reaction was that the website was “cluttered.” She said that the facts and statistics cited in blogs did not seem factual. Furthemore, the facts cited were not referenced, but instead were juxtaposed to Bible passages. We also asked her what the biggest problem with adolescents in recovery. She said that families were the biggest obstacle to recovery. Many youth who enter treatment have family members who also abuse substances. Many youth re-enter these toxic environments after treatment. That is why the rate of relapse for youth in recovery “far exceeds that of adults.” Another obstacle to recover is that youth with substance abuse do not want to give up their lifestyle. More commonly, they are forced into treatment by parents. As the site is, she would not recommend it to clients. The content would need to be “less harsh and judgmental” to be a viable resource for touchy subjects like addiction, bullying and suicide. Finally, the site would need to be more organized and easier to navigate.
  • 30. 58 59 During the presentation, we found that many of the students did not know of or fully understand the information they were being given regarding prescription pills. Many students seemed to not understand how their religious beliefs could/should affect decisions they make regarding these topics. MIDDLESCHOOL - QUALITATIVE FINDINGS-QUALITATIVE PARENTS - QUALITATIVE In surveying the parents, we had opportunities to have them note what specific tactics they use in their homes to educate their students. Many parents took to education in various ways; some more strictly than others. Overall, most of the respondent had a decent amount to say about what they hope their children have learned through conversations with them outside of school. The following quotes from parents who took the survey represent the wide range of ideas and tactics used in the home: “We’ve known families who have lost children in alcohol related auto accidents and to drug overdose. I don’t hesitate to use those sad things to highlight for them that bad thing can happen as a result of using them.” “They are not God’s plan for us and lead us down a wrong path.” “Drugs: best not to do them; if you do choose to do them, do them with safe people. Alcohol: you should not have any because of the medicine you are taking; if you choose to drink, do not drive...I will pick you up. Sex: here is all the info on fertility and STDs; it’s your body; you are responsible for the choices you make; condoms are in my bathroom. All: I hope you make good choices; bad choices can affect you forever.”
  • 31. 60 61 The following quotes from parents who took the survey are about their methods of monitoring online activity: “Ask to see what she is looking at. Ask questions about their online experiences. Look at things online with her (videos, pictures...).” “Most internet time is in the open in our house and we watch over what they are doing. Phones have to be able to be checked by either parent or they lose them.” “I check their history and if at any point i ask them for their phone or tablet they must hand it over without pause for me to check.” We also asked parents if they monitored their child’s online activity. Some parents noted that they do not make any efforts to monitor their children while others were very specific about their rules regarding online freedoms. Much of our research has shown that bullying is one of the largest facets that can lead to drug and/or alcohol abuse in teenagers. It is important to note that in this generation, online or cyber bullying is largely identified as harmful and at times more severe. Monitoring their child’s online presence could be beneficial in knowing more about their lives and what could potentially affect their future decisions. FINDINGS-QUALITATIVE
  • 33. 64 65 Young men and women between the ages 14-16. They are in their first two years of private high school in mid-Missouri. For the first time in their lives, they are finding themselves in environments where drinking, smoking, and having sex are not only prevalent, but encouraged by their peers. They don’t feel comfortable talking to their parents about their problems anymore, and the only time their friends talk about real stuff is when they’ve already been drinking. Each time one of their friends offers them a drink, the option seems more appealing. Although while in middle school they never thought they would drink or consider using drugs, these activities seem like an acceptable way to deal with the newfound anxieties of high school. The next time they’re offered a drink, they’ll likely take it. They have never interacted with the brand, because they do not know Anne Marie Project exists. They know they would prefer to talk about their problems online, but at the moment they feel limited to social media. However, their preferred social platforms are Instagram and Snapchat, neither of which allow for #realtalk in the same way an article-based platform like Anne Marie Project does. Basic Demographics Lifestyle STRATEGY “I feel stressed all the time, but no one seems to take me seriously. Every time I mention being stressed about school to my parents, they just tell me to “hang in there” and remind me how easy my life is compared to theirs. I would feel stupid asking my friends if they feel this way too, because none of them act like it. I feel like everyone else is handling high school better than me. I know I’m not supposed to drink or smoke, but at the same time I know that I’m not a kid any more. If this is what everyone else is doing, maybe it’s just the way people deal with their problems.” Part of growing up is navigating how to express yourself. Teens have an inherent desire to talk about the problems in their lives, but are too scared to be vulnerable in person or on social media. Anne Marie Project gives them the platform to present their worries and ideas anonymously. Anne Marie Project is a natural fit for students seeking deeper interaction than can be done on social media alone. The campaign will help expand Anne Marie Project’s audience. The website will become an essential part of these students’ lifestyles through high school and into college, creating consistent readers and future writers. Key Insight Rationale
  • 34. 66 67 Teens today search for a safe space where they can voice questions, find answers and be themselves but where is a good place to do that? This time of their lives can be confusing. New social situations, emotions, schools, or friends can all lead to difficulties making choices, or doing what they know is right. Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol present themselves as solutions to the confusions of teen minds. But we know this is not the solution. Anne Marie Project will act as a guide to answering all of those tough questions and, so much more. With the incorporation of facts, personal testimonies and the word of God, these teens will be able to rely on this organization to keep them on the straight and narrow. Discussion forums will urge teens to share their struggles anonymously, yet find that they are not alone. Anne Marie Project will foster a community where teens can share their stories, develop through scripture, and together stand up to the challenges of adolescence. BIG IDEA STRATEGY Giving teens a personal map to navigate the challenges of adolescence
  • 35. 68 69 Identity- Brand We suggest changing LearnTalkLive.com to AnneMarieProject.org. This move to strictly Anne Marie Project will adhere to the expectations of a new reader when first visiting the website. Without brand confusion, readers can engage with the content more quickly, therefore generating potential for more website exploration. In addition to improving the overall brand, moving the domain to .org will establish credibility as a nonprofit organization. This credibility will increase positive attitudes toward the brand from the audience, whether they use the website or not. Consistency is key. Anne Marie Project will uphold a brand voice that is of a concerned, trusted adult. These adults care about these teens and want to see them succeed. They are people teens can talk to without feeling judged. The voice will offer inspiration, education and a sense of community throughout all media platforms. Introducing: AnneMarieProject.org Brand Voice - Concerned trusted adults .org STRATEGY Key Value Logo Design The logo was created from the abstraction and synthesis of two people embracing one another with the intention to incorporate Anne Marie Project’s core value and create a reliable brand image. Embracing Design Goal Identity- visual Abbreviation: AM Simple, Recognizable Two-tone Color DESTINATION GUIDANCE FOSTER SAFESPACE RELIABLE
  • 36. 70 71 Final (Full Color) ANNE MARIE PROJECT STRATEGY Secondary Versions ANNE MARIE PROJECT ANNE MARIE PROJECT
  • 38. 74 75 Anne Marie Project is in need of a campaign that embodies the mission of their brand. It is in need of a campaign that tells students they understand the challenges and then inspires them to conquer those challenges. It is in need of a campaign that gives them all the information and empowers them to make decisions that reflect their faith. It is in need of a campaign that will guide teens. Anne Marie Project helps guide teens through the difficulties of life, while understanding that each journey is unique to another’s’. The basic message of the campaign: Find Your Path. The tactics to follow have been created for two central purposes: to build awareness for Anne Marie Project and their website, and to make Anne Marie Project a more cohesive and approachable brand. Building brand awareness is essential to a nonprofit organization. Not only does it attract more of your audience, but attracts potential contributors and donors as well. Having a strong brand identity is crucial when applying for grant funding or sponsorships. When people repeatedly hear about the brand, attitudes toward the brand will form giving Anne Marie Project the momentum it needs to continue to carry out its mission and reach more teens. Making Anne Marie Project a more cohesive brand will inherently make it more approachable. This consistent brand identity will be shown through all platforms of communication to its audience. OVERVIEW
  • 39. 76 77 DIGITAL Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Currently, google searches for “Anne Marie Project” do not lead to the learntalklive.com. Search engine optimization will maximize website users by ensuring your site can be located in a search engine search. Tools to boost SEO: • Meta Description- Anne Marie Project is a blog spot to help teens navigate life and issues they are face every day using faith to guide them down the best path for them; • Register Anne Marie Project as a business on Google; • Internal Link Building- links to community resources; • Identify keywords and use repeatedly in blogs. TACTICS SEO RANKINGS LINK OPTIMIZE KEYWORD UPDATE
  • 40. 78 79 Domain Switching to a .org domain will clearly indicate to users that Anne Marie Project is a nonprofit organization and highlights their credibility. Furthermore, .org domains are less costly to maintain. Website Organization Goal: Resolve the challenges of navigation for their audience with the additions of respective areas for parents separate from the target. The new website design will make the homepage significantly easier to navigate. This is an important part of the organization’s brand because the website can make or break whether or not an audience finds your information important or credible. Drew Hendricks of Forbes.com said, “You website’s design is not your brand, but it’s one of the brand elements that helps you build trust with your audience.” Anne Marie Project aims to do just that- create a trusting, comfortable and safe atmosphere for its audience to seek information pertinent to their lives. Instead of advertising their respective content on the homepage, it will consist of general information about Anne Marie Project- what it is, who it is for, and the inspirational story that motivated it all. From there, the audience will be able to explore through the new tab feature that brings organization to it all. The tabs will serve to separate religious information from scientific information about drugs, alcohol and sex. This will aid the notion students had that the information in the articles was not entirely accurate or scientifically true. To further resolve that issue, each article will feature a bio about the author and full citations of all claimed information. TACTICS
  • 41. 80 81 TACTICS Cleaner, more user-friendly navigation that differentiates blog and parent sections Home Page A dedicated section contains info and web portal for partners/affiliates Weelky featured blogs will be previewable on the landing page All social media icons are placed in footer area More noticable than placing the donation section on “About Us” page
  • 42. 82 83 Blog Page TACTICS Clean and straightforward blog preview More options for visitors to search blogs or articles A commention is placed right below blog section
  • 43. 84 85 social media Snapchat Free geotag to uphold top of mind awareness. There is opportunity for Anne Marie Project to interact with events and campaigns through the “story” feature. Instagram Anne Marie Project will utilize Instagram to share pictures of presentations, events and inspirational quotes. The platform will use the branded hashtags #FindYourPath and #AnneMarieProject. Twitter This platform will be used as a tool to post positive affirmations and event updates accompanied with the branded hashtags #FindYourPath and #AnneMarieProject. Each morning will begin with #DayCourage that will lift teens up through motivational speech linked to a bible verse. Why this works Picture based media is especially appealing to the audience of Anne Marie Project. When polled, middle and high school students said their most used social media applications were Snapchat and Instagram. This age group is heavily influenced by images and are more likely to use these platforms. Twitter, although has the ability to share pictures, serves as more of a place to express thoughts and opinions. Teens like this platform as well, as it is an outlet for them to have a conversation with others while building a brand identity of their own. TACTICS INSTAGRAM TACTICS
  • 44. 86 87 TWITTER TACTICS Instagram Back to School Contest The first week of school we recommend an Instagram contest. The contest will be announced to attendants of the Sundown Event. How the contest will work is that Anne Marie Project will post a graphic to Instagram with the contest rules: 1. Follow Anne Marie Project on Instagram, 2. Like the photo, 3. Tag 2 friends in the comments section, 4. Unlimited contest entries, must tag 2 additional friends for each entry. The contest will end after one week and the winner will win a $50 dollar Visa gift certificate.
  • 45. 88 89 Social Media Calendar In efforts to continue to enforce brand consistency, Populus has created a sample social media calendar for Anne Marie Project. The calendar consists of content that can easily be replaced or repeated at any time. Each week will look similar to the next with topic of posts, yet have their own unique post. TACTICS
  • 46. 90 91 In-School Tactics Origami Handouts: A Keepsake After noticing the majority of fliers left behind by students after a presentation, Populus knew that there needed to be an element of engagement with that important information. Cue the art of origami. Fliers brought to in-school presentations will be given to students. On one side, Anne Marie Project will have information about their website, upcoming events and a boilerplate about the organization. On the reverse side, dotted lines will guide the student to constructing a compass out of their flier. The compass, a symbol of direction and possibility, will be a keepsake for the student, remembering the message of Anne Marie Project. TACTICS ANNE MARIE PROJECT HOW TO MAKE COMPASS ORIGAMI FRONT BACK Anne Marie Project exists to provide resources to help young people seeking information and guidance on the many challenges they face today. LearnTalkLive.com is a safe haven for all young people who want to remain anonymous and a resource for those seeking answers when dealing with issues such as drugs, sex, alcohol, abuse, peer-pressure, faith and relationships. This project is a collaboration of young adults and high school youth who have the desire to help each other with everyday life issues.The site is enlightened by the Holy Spirit for the guidance of all youth who are developing their faith in God. Anne Marie is a young lady who has struggled with life issues named above. She is striving to become a healthy young woman by surrounding herself with positive role models such as those who provide guidance and love through LearnTalkLive. Although she wishes to remain anonymous she does want others to know anything is possible with God and learning about the issues that come into your life can be a healing process that you do not have to go through alone!
  • 47. 92 93 Mirror Decals: A positive affirmation Positive affirmation is the practice of positive thinking and self-empowerment. Science shows that reoccurring thoughts can change brain chemistry; for example, thinking positive thoughts can increase dopamine in the brain. Anne Marie Project will strategically place affirmational mirror decals one week prior to any speaking event at nearby schools and popular hangouts for teens. The decals will be impossible to ignore and the matching brand image will spark curiosity when teens encounter Anne Marie Project in another setting, increasing chance of brand recall. In addition to strengthening the brand, it is promoting a healthy self image for their audience. TACTICS ANNE MARPROJECT #RightPath Have you told yourself how AWESOME you are today?!
  • 48. 94 95 PUBLIC RELATIONS Press Database We recommend that Anne Marie Project utilize a database for all of their contacts. This should consist of contact information for media, churches and schools affiliated with Anne Marie Project, religious newsletters and publications, and anyone else that is regularly in contact with the organization. This will help you when publishing your newsletters and press. You can create and maintain a contact database through Microsoft Excel, but if you follow our upcoming recommendation and utilize an e-mail newsletter with an e-mail marketing company like Constant Contact, you can easily import and organize your contacts through their contact management feature. Event TACTICS Press Releases We recommend that Anne Marie Project host a back-to-school event at a local community center, public park, church, or school. This will bring members of the community together for a fun gathering where you can promote the mission of your organization. A press release can be written and sent out to newspapers, news stations, churches, and schools to raise awareness about your event and your organization. The following is mockup press release of an event that we believe the Anne Marie Project should host in August as a way to promote the organization. National Recovery Month September is National Recovery Month Engage in recovery month forums on social media using relative hash tags -Schedule more programs for September. -Return to previous schools with additional programming centered around RecoveryMonth. -Boost engagement with local recovery centers -Place literature in recovery centers. -Invite counselors from recovery centers to speak at events ANNE MARIE PROJECT EVENT: WHEN: WHERE: SCHEDULE: Find Your Path Back to School Aug. 3rd, 4pm - 8pm Cathedral of St.Joseph, Jefferson City, MO - Barbecue starting at 4pm - Anne Marie Project speaker presentation at 4:3 - “Find Your Path” scavenger hunt at 5pm - Film screening, Monster University 6pm - 8pm
  • 49. 96 97 Parental Involvement Newsletter We recommend that Anne Marie Project utilize a monthly e-mail newsletter to stay in contact with schools, churches, media, and parents. E-newsletters would help Anne Marie Project maintain a relationship with anyone who supports your organization by keeping them updated on important happenings. An e-mail newsletter is inexpensive and easy to produce and allows Anne Marie Project to discuss related news, events, and website updates. We recommend you use the online marketing company Constant Contact as it is regularly rated as one of the best and provides non-profit organization discounts. We suggest having a section where you can share content from parents who can be anonymous. This will help to create a support network for parents. A donor section should also be included in the newsletter. In addition to the monthly E-newsletter, we feel parents and donors should receive a bi-annual take home edition that is printed and sent to their homes. This newsletter should include a six month schedule of events, a look back on the previous months and new goals and updates for the future. Facebook Through the surveys and conversations with teens during our research, Populus found that Facebook was not a media platform that was utilized by that audience. What we did find, however, is that their parents are incredibly active on this platform. Anne Marie Project will utilize Facebook to connect with parents and raise brand awareness amongst them. By connecting with the guardians of its target audience, the organization can further enhance the aspect of their website, content, and mission as being safe for teens. Facebook will follow suit with the branded hashtag #AnneMarieProject when they share articles from their own site or other reliable, relevant sites. Parents can share, explore and conversate on this social platform the same way their children will on other social platforms such, as Twitter and Instagram. TACTICS
  • 50. 98 99 INTERN Populus recommends that Anne Marie Project hire an intern to assist with all of their media efforts. This intern should be a college student in search of a volunteer internship for class credit at their university. The intern would preferably be studying one of the following majors: Journalism, Communication, Business, Marketing, or Nonprofit Management . The intern must have strong written and verbal skills that will assist the organization in the areas of public relations, social media postings, event support, etc. The intern would need a motivated attitude and a passion for public service for the community. Finally, the intern will be responsible for maintaining a safe environment throughout the discussion forums on the website and ensuring the brand remains consistent across the multiple media platforms. TACTICS BUDGET Overview We have compiled several different options we feel will generate the greatest audience for Anne Marie Project. We have compiled these topics into two budgets based on the amount Anne Marie Project would like to spend each year. However, these plans are not final. The tactics can be combined and customized to your satisfaction to create a variety of unique plans. Budget A Budget A represents the minimal cost we believe Anne Marie Project should spend on marketing over the next year. Budget A includes earn, owned and paid media in order to reach potential audience members at several touch points. The differing point of Budget from Budget B is that Budget A lacks paid SEO. Budget B Budget B includes all the tactics outlined in Budget A, plus the benefit of paid SEO. We recommend that paid SEO is utilized for the first 6 months. Paid SEO is preferential because it will get Anne Marie Project more traffic in a short amount of time.
  • 51. 100 101 BUDGET A $730 TACTICS BUDGET B $2,480 Parent $400 In-School $130 Digital $0 PR $150 Social $50 Digital $1,750 Parent $400 PR $150 In-School $130 Social $50
  • 52. 102 103 Success Measurement After one year of implementing Budget B, Anne Marie Project will be able expect a steady increase in monthly users, from average of 100 users per month upto and exceeding 600 users per month. Furthermore, Anne Marie Project will see other benefits that will ultimately increase brand equity. For example, there will be increased participation from the community, including more teen engagement with AMP social media channels. We also expect to see increased interest in blog contributions. Parent involvement will also exceed current levels, both on Facebook and engagement with the newsletter. Additionally, elevated awareness will lead to expansion of the AMP brand into new communities, such as Columbia. Finally, the following media strategy will raise awareness for AMP in the community leading to increased donations. TACTICS 00 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 # of Average User Per Month Plans before 1 year after Budget B 1
  • 54. 106 107 Savannah Reed - Account Executive Leadership and organization come naturally to the 21-year-old senior, Savannah. Growing up a military kid she has lived in numerous states across the country and has managed to find the best Thai food at each destination. When not eating, Savannah serves as the Director of Strategic Communication for MPA computers. She is thrilled to be continuing her studies in strategic communication at the Missouri Graduate School of Journalism in Spring 2016. Kylee Groon - Copywriter Senior at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Kylee is focused on nonprofit communications and campaign efforts. When she is not spending her days on campus, she enjoys running, eating and coordinating service endeavors with her friends. Having served on the Marketing and Communications team at Make-A- Wish® Orange County and the Inland Empire, Kylee values work that allows her direct interaction with the demographic she serves. Her experience with youth perspectives and attitudes is of value to our efforts this year. John (Xu) Ye - Graphic Designer John is in his senior year at the University of Missouri School of Journalism finishing his studies to become a graphic designer for an advertising agency. John is originally from Chengdu, China, but his family currently lives in Wisconsin. A creative at heart, he enjoys beautifully designed cars and compelling video games. Hobbies aside, John has great experience in the creative industry including working as a graphic designer for PBJS, NXTFactor and the Mizzou Trulaske School of Business. John brings an extensive knowledge of aesthetics and strategy to improve visual communication of any kind.
  • 55. 108 109 Lauren Merideth - Media Planner Lauren, a 22-year-old senior at the University of Missouri School of Journalism is originally from Tucson, Arizona. Since moving to Missouri, she has taken a liking to MO Beef and planning media content for local campaigns. She has served as a Field Organizer for the Arizona Democratic Party and worked extensively in the digital marketing branch for RENEW Missouri. Lauren’s experience in media content provides a unique perspective blossoming into innovative approaches to client goals. Her plans for after graduation are to move to Colorado and continue her passions for hiking, boating and of course a career in media management. Anoria El Safadi - Lead Social Media Strategist and Researcher At the age of 22, Anoria is finishing her final year at the Missouri School of Journalism. With extensive experience in the classroom, she has studied some of the most important aspects of strategic communication. Anoria brings drive and commitment to the table, in which she hopes to carry over to a career in digital advertising post graduation. Originally from Tripoli, Lebanon, Anoria loves to travel, try new foods and explore all the inspiration this world has to offer. Eric Knapp - Public Relations Account Executive Eric is a driven senior at the University of Missouri School of Journalism studying to be a public relations or marketing professional for a nonprofit drug and alcohol recovery organization. Born and raised in Sterling Heights, Michigan, he enjoys running, music and hockey. Passionate about public relations, he has experience with The Oakland Press, Macomb Daily, Bluebird Network and Mizzou Athletics. Eric brings knowledge and understanding of affective communication to this team and adds thoughtful, honest perspective of clients’ missions. Leah Forester - Lead Researcher and Digital Media Strategist Leah is a 22-year-old from Dallas, Texas, who loves to read, write and watch NHL hockey. Sadly, her dream to be a racecar driver took the back seat when she started to pursue a career path in digital media. Throughout her years with the University of Missouri School of Journalism, she has worked with organizations such as D Magazine, The Blue Note, Division D and the New Jersey Devils. With great experience in social media, media sales and video production, Leah aspires to create digital media content for a sports organization after graduation.
  • 57. 112 113 Survey Questions: Middle School, Teen, Parents Parents: Do you have children or dependents under the age of 18? Yes No How often do you talk to your child about the following (Never - Always): Alcohol Marijuana Sex Prescription pills outside of their original intended use Other drugs When it comes to dealing with the topics of drugs, alcohol and/or sex, what sorts of messages do you tell your children? Do you drink, use tobacco or take prescription drugs in front of your child (Never - All of the Time)? Drink Tobacco Prescription Drugs Is there a history of drug and/or alcohol abuse in your family? Yes No Do you or your child have family members that have a problem with the following (Never - Always) ? Alcohol abuse Marijuana Illegal prescription drug use How much time does you child spend online per week? 0-2 hours 3-5 hours 6-8 hours 8-10 hours 11+ hours Do you monitor your child’s online activity? Yes No How do you monitor them? Does your child have accounts on any of the following sites/apps? Facebook Twitter Vine Snapchat Tumblr Instagram Other Do you have accounts on the following sites/apps? Facebook Twitter Vine Snapchat Tumblr Instagram Other
  • 58. 114 115 How likely are you to recommend a faith-based website for education on alcohol, drug and sex education site to your child? Very Unlikely Unlikely Somewhat Unlikely Undecided Somewhat Likely Likely Very Likely Would you prefer your child receive secular or faith-based education on the following? Alcohol education Drug education Sex education Does your child have a prescription for any psychiatric medication? Yes No Can you provide examples? Is your child prescribed a medication for attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)? Yes No What type? Do you administer your child’s prescriptions? Yes. But they have access to them at home. Yes. They do not have access to their prescription on their own. No. My child is responsible for taking their prescription. Do you monitor them taking their own prescription? By monitor we mean do you sit with your child and make sure they take the correct dosage? Never Rarely Sometimes Often All of the Time Does your child have access to the following in your home? (No Chance - Very Good Chance) Alcohol Tobacco Prescription Drugs Have you ever encountered your child under the influence of drugs or alcohol? Yes No Are you concerned your child is using the following? (Not at all - A Lot) Drugs Alcohol Tobacco Where would you seek information about drug and alcohol abuse? (Very Unlikely - Very Likely) Family Friends Other Parents Religious Leaders Teachers/Faculty Members
  • 59. 116 117 Online Web Search Facebook Other Who would you talk to if you thought your child was using alcohol or drugs? Family Friends Other Parents Religious Leaders Teachers/Faculty Members Online Web Search Facebook Other How frequently do you think your child struggles with the following? (Never - All the Time) Drug use Alcohol use Being bullied Please state how you feel about your child doing the following actions. (Not Concerned At All - Very Concerned) Underage drinking Marijuana use Illegal prescription drug use Sex How familiar are you with the following (Not familiar - Very familiar): Anne Marie Project LearnTalkLive.com Cody’s Gift If you are familiar with the Anne Marie Project, how effective do you think the program is for youth drug and alcohol prevention? Very Ineffective Ineffective Somewhat Effective Effective Very Effective Not familiar with Anne Marie Project If you are familiar with LearnTalkLive, how effective do you think LearnTalkLive.com is for youth alcohol and drug prevention? Very Ineffective Ineffective Neither Effective nor Ineffective Effective Very Effective Not familiar with this website Why do you think the website is either effective or ineffective? Please choose whether you identify as male, female, or neither: Male Female Prefer not to say How many children under the age of 18 do you have? 1 2 3 4 5+
  • 60. 118 119 How old are your children? 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Which best describes your race or ethnic background? White/Caucasian Black/African American Hispanic/Latino Asian Multiethnic/Multiracial Other ____________________ Prefer not to say Please indicate which age range you fall between: 20-30 31-40 41-50 51+ Please indicate if you identify as one of the following: Lutheran Catholic Baptist Methodist Jewish Muslim Other ____________________ Middle School: Please choose whether you identify as male, female, or neither: Male Female Prefer not to say How effective do you think the presentation you just saw was? Very Ineffective Ineffective Somewhat Effective Effective Very Effective Why do you think the presentation was either effective or ineffective? How much do you think you learned from the presentation you just saw? Nothing Little Some A Lot Would you visit a site like learntalklive? Yes No If you would not visit a site like learntalklive, why wouldn’t you? I’m afraid my parents/family would see it/judge me I’m afraid my friends/peers would see it/judge me It doesn’t seem very cool
  • 61. 120 121 It doesn’t seem very helpful Other ____________________ Does the program (Anne Marie Project) make you feel judged? No A Little Some A Lot How often, if ever, do you seek out information about drugs, alcohol, etc. online? Not At All Occasionally Frequently How likely are you to use a faith related website to learn more about drugs and alcohol? Very Unlikely Unlikely Somewhat Unlikely Undecided Somewhat Likely Likely Very Likely How often do you spend time online reading about faith related information Never Rarely Sometimes Often All of the Time How likely are you to go to the following places for information on drugs? (Very Unlikely - Very Likely) Parents Siblings Peers Religious Leaders Facebook Twitter Blog Online Web Search Other How likely are you to go to the following places for information on alcohol? (Very Unlikely - Very Likely) Parents Siblings Peers Religious Leaders Facebook Twitter Blog Online Web Search Other How likely are you to go to the following places for information on sex? (Very Unlikely - Very Likely) Parents Siblings Peers Religious Leaders Facebook Twitter Blog Online Web Search Other
  • 62. 122 123 Who do you feel most comfortable speaking about personal problems to? (You may select more than one). Peers Parents Teachers Religious Leaders Other ____________________ Do your religious beliefs affect whether or not you would consider trying drugs, alcohol, sex, etc? Not at all A little A lot Have you ever tried any of the following? (Never - Always) Alcohol Marijuana Sex Prescription pills outside of their original intended use Other Drugs Do you have friends that have tried any of the following? (Never - Always) Alcohol Marijuana Sex Prescription pills outside of their original intended use Other Drugs Do you have family members that use the following? (Never - Always) Alcohol Marijuana Sex Prescription pills outside of their original intended use Other Drugs Please state how you feel about the following actions. (Very Bad to Very Good) Underage Drinking Marijuana Illegal prescription drug use Sex How often do you use the following social media sites or apps (Never - Very Often): Facebook Twitter Vine Snapchat Tumblr Instagram Other Have you ever been bullied online or on any of the following social platforms? (Never - All of the Time) Facebook Twitter Vine Snapchat Tumblr Instagram Other Do you know someone who has been bullied online or on any of the following social platforms? (Never - All of the Time) Facebook Twitter Vine Snapchat
  • 63. 124 125 Tumblr Instagram Other Have you or someone you know hurt themselves or used drugs in response to bullying? (Not At All - Frequently) You Someone you know Do you have a safe place to talk to about personal problems? Yes No If you answered yes, who or where do you talk about them? ____________________ Do you prefer to talk in-person or online about your problems? (Very Strongly Avoid - Very Strongly Prefer) In-person Online Neither Other Have you ever felt like you had a problem with the following? (Never - All the time) Drug use Alcohol use Being bullied Focus Group Discussion Guide Show LearnTalkLive recording then ask these questions: In one word, can you describe your initial reaction to this presentation? Can you elaborate on that? Why do you think so? With a raise of hands, how many of you know someone who has struggled with these issues? What would you say to a friend or peer if they were struggling with these issues? Would you recommend this website? Why or why not? If not, what do you think is wrong with the website? You can be as honest as possible… If yes, why would you recommend this website? If not, what would you like to see included in the website that would make it more appealing?
  • 64. 126 127 Interview Transcript: Teens in Recovery INTERVIEW 1 What is your gender? Female What is your age? 16 What is your race/ethnicity? White Please indicate which religion you identify with? Roman Catholic Have you been to treatment for drugs and alcohol? If so, when? March 2014 How long has it been since you have used either drugs or alcohol? March 2014 (18 months) What were your substances of choice? Only alcohol Do you plan on staying clean and sober? If so, what are the tools you use to help your do this? Yes, I do and I have a lot of things that help me every day. I stay in touch with my faith and I am active in my church. I am much closer and honest with my family. I only hang out with friends who don’t drink or do drugs. I am also involved in Alcoholics Anonymous and I have a sponsor that helps me work the steps. Was it hard to stop hanging out with your old friends? I only had a few friends who would drink and I usually drank alone so it wasn’t too hard to let go of my old friends. I have good friends in church, school, and AA who support my sobriety. When you realized that you had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, who did you first reach out to for help? I spent a lot of time looking online for things that could help me and to figure out if I really was an alcoholic. I was afraid to go to my parents because they punished me before for drinking and using drugs. I was doing really bad in a lot of my classes and eventually one of my teachers told me to go see a guidance counselor. I realized I needed to tell my parents and was sent to rehab. Were you willing to go to treatment on your own, or were you doing it to please your parents? I was ready to get help but I also wanted to make my parents happy. When I got to treatment I became more willing to make a change. How often do you spend time online reading about faith-related information? Every now and then I will look at things online for that, but it usually has nothing to do with drugs or alcohol. How often would you say you do that? A few times a week. Maybe twice. How likely are you to use a faith-related website to learn more about drug and alcohol prevention? It depends on what the site is. How many times in the last month have you sought out information about drugs, alcohol, etc. online? Zero. I don’t want to read about drugs or alcohol online anymore now that I’m in recovery. I only think I would look up something about drugs and alcohol if it had something to do with recovery. Who are you most likely to go to for information on drugs, alcohol, sex, and bullying? For drugs and alcohol I would go to my AA sponsor, someone in AA or if I really needed to someone at the treatment center I went to. Most of the time people in AA are able to really help me and get me in the right direction. For sex and bullying I would go to my mom first. If I really had any issue with bullying at school I would try to deal with it myself first then maybe go to a teacher or counselor but I don’t have that problem right now.
  • 65. 128 129 Have you ever been the victim of bullying? Yeah but it was a really long time ago. When I was in elementary school. Have you ever been the victim of online bullying? If so, on what social media platform? No I stay off of social media but I know kids who have dealt with bullying on Twitter Do you prefer to talk in-person or online about your problems? In person Who would you speak to if you had a friend with a drug/alcohol related problem? I speak to my AA sponsor, members of my church, my mom and any other members of AA. They are all my best support group Do you have any friends or family members that use drugs or alcohol? My dad is a very bad alcoholic but I don’t live with him or see him anymore. He used to allow me to drink but my mom doesn’t do anything like that. I have other family members that drink and use drugs but I don’t see them and my little brother and little sister are only 6 and 9 years old Have you or someone you know hurt themselves or used drugs in response to bullying? Yeah I have a friend that used to cut herself, I know that she was bullied before but I don’t know if that was why she cut How long did you spend looking at the Anne Marie Project website? I spent almost 40 minutes How many blog posts did you have the opportunity to read? Which ones? I read 6. [The ones she told me she read were “It’s Not Your Fault-Living with Alcoholism and Drug Abuse,” “God’s View on Drugs,” “Suicide,” “Letter to my 14 year old self,” “Summer and the Under-age Drinker,” and “To Eat or Not To Eat”] Why did you choose these blog posts? I clicked on the Alcohol and Drugs section because I thought I could relate most to that. And the Eating Disorders one too. What was your initial reaction the Anne Marie Project website? There were a lot of categories to choose from and I wasn’t really sure where to begin. I was pretty confused How credible do you think you information on the website is? It looks like a lot of kids who are my age are the ones who are writing the posts so I don’t really think it was all very credible. I saw that there was some posts done by priests but I can’t really tell how old each writer is. I think that I would like to know more about each writer before I read so I know whether I’m reading from their experience or whether the person who wrote it is someone who is a professional that knows what they are talking about. Would you visit this site on your own time? Why or why not? I don’t know if I would visit it on my own time but I think that it’d be good for a lot of kids if it was easier to look through, especially Catholic kids How does the Anne Marie Project’s content make you feel? It made me feel very judged, especially that one article. (She was referencing “God’s View on Drugs”). When I was trying to find help for being an alcoholic almost 2 years ago I didn’t want to hear people tell me that I was sinning and going against God because I already knew that. From your experiences in recovery, what things do you find to be effective and beneficial on the Anne Marie Project website? There is a lot of correct information on the site that is right and helpful. I liked the one that was about alcoholism not being your fault (she was talking about “It’s Not Your Fault-Living with Alcoholism and Drug Abuse”). I think the articles like that will really help kids my age at least understand more about what they are going through. I like that they have a lot of stories from teens that show the same problems that I went through. What do you think were the least beneficial and effective things on the site? In the Drug and Alcohol section there was articles that were written for teens and then there was articles that were for parents. That was really confusing and it was hard to know what was legit and what was fake if I don’t know any of the writers backgrounds. If the
  • 66. 130 131 writer is a teenager I think I would want to know. There also isn’t really any suggestions on places to go if you need help. They had a few on the bottom of the page but there wasn’t really that many and they were links that I wouldn’t really want to go to, I think they could find ones that are way better and helpful (she was talking about the resources tab). If you knew others dealing with the same issues that you are currently dealing with, would you recommend a site like LearnTalkLive.com? I would recommend it if it was a little bit different and easier to go through. INTERVIEW 2 What is your gender? Male What is your age? 15 What is your race/ethnicity? White Please indicate which religion you identify with? I was raised Baptist but I don’t have a religion now Have you been to treatment for drugs and alcohol? If so, when? February 2015 How long has it been since you have used either drugs or alcohol? February 2015 What were your substances of choice? Methamphetamine, alcohol, marijuana, Xanax How old were you when you first started using drugs and alcohol? 10 years old Do you have any other issues you would like to identify? I had an abusive father who I haven’t seen in 3 years Do you plan on staying clean and sober? If so, what are the tools you use to help your do this? Yeah if I go back to using I don’t think I’d live for longer My foster parents are really helpful and I go to AA/NA meetings Was it hard to stop hanging out with your old friends? It was really hard because I didn’t know who else to hangout with but now that I live with different foster parents I go to a new school and I’m around better people When you realized that you had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, who did you first reach out to for help? I didn’t want no help from anyone and I ran away from home all the time. I was arrested a couple times and I went to juvie and went through DYS before anyone made me go somewhere (treatment). How often do you spend time online reading about faith-related information? Never How likely are you to use a faith-related website to learn more about drug and alcohol prevention? Never How many times in the last month have you sought out information about drugs, alcohol, etc. online? I don’t have access to a computer unless my foster mom let me and she looks at what I go to online so I don’t do that Who are you most likely to go to for information on drugs, alcohol, sex, and bullying? My foster parents, people I went to rehab with and if I ever go to a meeting I can ask people for help there about a lot of stuff
  • 67. 132 133 Have you ever been the victim of bullying? No Have you ever been the victim of online bullying? If so, on what social media platform? No I only have a Facebook but I barely ever get on it Do you prefer to talk in-person or online about your problems? In person so I can see the person I’m talking to and get help easier Who would you speak to if you had a friend with a drug/alcohol related problem? I would talk to them first and try to help them but I know that I didn’t want anyone doing that to me and that they only ask for help if they actually wanted it Do you have any friends or family members that use drugs or alcohol? Everyone in my family. My mom died from an OD when I was 12 and my Dad started to smoke meth with me when I was 13. He started to drink and smoke weed with me when I was 10 Have you or someone you know hurt themselves or used drugs in response to bullying? No How long did you spend looking at the Anne Marie Project website? 20 minutes How many blog posts did you have the opportunity to read? Which ones? 2 articles [He read “God’s View on Drugs” and “The New School Year”] Why did you choose these blog posts? They were some of the first ones that I saw on there and it was hard to choose because I wasn’t sure where else to click What was your initial reaction the Anne Marie Project website? I didn’t really know where to start out when I opened it up How credible do you think you information on the website is? It seems like a lot of it might be made up Would you visit this site on your own time? Why or why not? No because I don’t believe in what they say Does Anne Marie Project make you feel judged, also? Yeah because I’m not religious From your experiences in recovery, what things do you find to be effective and beneficial on the Anne Marie Project website? I think it could help other kids who are religious What do you think were the least beneficial and effective things on the site? How do you think they could improve? It was confusing. I’m trying to become religious and find one I can be a part of so I don’t think it was very helpful for that. I think that it could help more with kids who don’t have a religion If you knew others dealing with the same issues that you are currently dealing with, would you recommend a site like LearnTalkLive.com? No
  • 68. 134 135 Interview Transcripts: Adults in Recovery Interview #1: Taylor How old are you? 20 What is your gender? Female How long has it been since you have used either drugs or alcohol? July 15, 2014 (10 months) Have you ever been in a youth/adolescent treatment center? No If yes, how old were you when you went? N/A What were your substances of choice? Ecstasy, molly, weed How long have you been in recovery? 15 months Please indicate what religion (if any) that you identify with None Do you plan on staying clean and sober? If so, what are the tools you use to help your do this? Yes, 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous When you realized that you had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, who did you first reach out to for help? Boyfriend If you did go to treatment, were you willing to go on your own, or were you doing it to please your parents? N/A How often do you spend time online reading about faith-related information? None, I do not associate with any religion or religious programs. How often do you spend time online reading about recovery? Very rarely, I get most of my resources from AA meetings. How likely are you to use a faith-related website to learn more about drug and alcohol prevention? Not likely at all, I practice spirituality but am not interested in religion. When you were an adolescent (12-17 years old), who were you most likely to go to for information on drugs, alcohol, sex, and bullying? No one, I was too afraid and embarrassed to reach out for help When you were going through problems with drugs and alcohol as an adolescent would you have preferred to talk in-person or online about your problems? Neither because I never wanted to talk about my problems. If I had to pick one I would have picked online however, because I could hide behind my screen. Who would you speak to if you had a friend with a drug/alcohol related problem? I would talk to them myself. I would share with them my experience and invite them to go to a meeting with me. If they wanted to talk to someone else, I would try to find someone I know that has gone through a similar situation. Were you ever bullied as an adolescent? If yes, how did you handle these situations? I was. I started out as the bully and then as I got older, people started standing up to me and bullying back. When I got bullied, I would not stand up for myself. I would internalize what they said and see myself that way.
  • 69. 136 137 What was your initial reaction Anne Marie Project website? I was kind of overwhelmed by how harsh they were about using drugs/alcohol. It felt like they were accusing people that did drugs, as opposed to being a resource for them. I didn’t feel like there were very many other options for resources, aside from religious ones. Would you visit this site on your own time? Why or why not? If you were to have visited this site when you were an adolescent, how would you feel about it? No because there was only one perspective that seemed pretty subjective. It didn’t seem very reliable because there was a very short list of sources on the side. When I was an adolescent, I would probably feel like I was a bad person for doing drugs and didn’t deserve to get help. As someone in recovery, does Anne Marie Project website’s views and blog posts make you feel judged? Yes From your experiences in recovery, what things do you find to be effective and beneficial on the Anne Marie Project website? I really enjoyed the fact that there was a whole section for college life. Many websites that provide resources like this tell you how to get help, but do not talk about how to deal with key points in your life with a problem. What do you think were the least beneficial and effective things on the site? I think the least beneficial and effective things on the site were the posts accusing people of being sinners or bad people. When I saw those, I didn’t feel like the website would be a reliable place for me to find help/resources. If you knew others dealing with the same issues that you are currently dealing with, would you recommend a site like LearnTalkLive. com? No What else do you think Anne Marie Project could do to it’s website to improve? Provide a broader range of resources, so different types of people could receive help. Interview #2: Mike How old are you? 20 What is your gender? male How long has it been since you have used either drugs or alcohol? December 16, 2014 (almost 10 months) Have you ever been in a youth/adolescent treatment center? no If yes, how old were you when you went? n/a What were your substances of choice? I predominantly used alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and tobacco. I have used marijuana the longest and most frequently of the above stated, my alcohol usage picked up exponentially when I started college, and soon after I used cocaine the majority of the times that I used alcohol. I have used many other substances in addition to these, but not in the same capacity as these four. Of these four, my favorite would be cocaine. How long have you been in recovery? Almost ten months Please indicate what religion (if any) that you identify with Greek Orthodox Christianity Do you plan on staying clean and sober? If so, what are the tools you use to help your do this? Yes – I regularly attend 12 step meetings, I work with a sponsor, and soon hope to sponsor others in recovery once I have completed
  • 70. 138 139 the 12 steps for the first time and feel comfortable in my own sobriety. When you realized that you had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, who did you first reach out to for help? After getting arrested on felony drug charges, my parents essentially forced me to go to an AA meeting. I stayed sober for about a week, then when I returned to college after the break I continued drinking, although I stopped using illicit drugs out of fear of testing positive on a urinalysis. After I left that school for winter break, I began my current period of sobriety. If you did go to treatment, were you willing to go on your own, or were you doing it to please your parents? Although I didn’t go to an inpatient treatment facility, my initial motivation for attending 12 step meetings to appease my parents and to hopefully gain favor with the courts once my legal proceedings began How often do you spend time online reading about faith-related information? Very infrequently/ almost never How often do you spend time online reading about recovery? A few times a week How likely are you to use a faith-related website to learn more about drug and alcohol prevention? Highly unlikely When you were an adolescent (12-17 years old), who were you most likely to go to for information on drugs, alcohol, sex, and bullying? My mother from ages 12-14/15, but once I started doing drugs/ having sex/ etc I distanced myself from my parents and flocked more towards my peers When you were going through problems with drugs and alcohol as an adolescent would you have preferred to talk in-person or online about your problems? I would have preferred not to talk about them at all. I had great grades, a wonderful girlfriend, and a few very close friends so I didn’t see my using as a “problem.” Who would you speak to if you had a friend with a drug/alcohol related problem? My sponsor first and then my friend directly Were you ever bullied as an adolescent? If yes, how did you handle these situations? Yes, initially I would ignore it, and if it persisted I stood up for myself, either verbally or physically. People tend to stop fucking with you if they know you’d punch them out What was your initial reaction Anne Marie Project website? Great idea on the whole, but some of the articles are jaded and misleading. For example one article addressing underage drinking and the use of energy drinks claimed that caffeine is as dangerous and addictive as cocaine. I’ve done more than my fair share of blow in my life and I can say that’s not even remotely true. While I like that the website is religiously grounded, I feel it would be more believable and relatable if the information was more objective and scientific, coupled with additional religious reasons why using drugs and alcohol aren’t a great idea, instead of having religious beliefs be the primary focus. Would you visit this site on your own time? Why or why not? At this stage of my life, probably not. I have been fairly distanced from my own religious faith for a period of time, and while I haven’t thrown it out entirely, it’s not essential to keeping me sober which at the moment is my primary concern If you were to have visited this site when you were an adolescent, how would you feel about it? I probably would have dismissed it. I did fairly extensive research when I was a teenager before trying a new drug, and while I recognized there are solid reasons for not doing certain things, I always found a way to justify them in the end. I doubt the site would have deterred me from my actions. As someone in recovery, does Anne Marie Project website’s views and blog posts make you feel judged? Not particularly. I believe in the disease theory of alcoholism and addiction, but I recognize there is a component of personal responsibility in the way my life has played out. Had I never done coke, I wouldn’t be addicted to coke. Had I never binge drank, I would likely not have been an active alcoholic. However, once those initial choices were made, my fate was pretty much sealed that when I wasn’t doing the substances I would be obsessing over them, and when I was actively using I wouldn’t be able to control the amount. From your experiences in recovery, what things do you find to be effective and beneficial on Anne Marie Project website? For a religious (particularly Roman Catholic) audience, it’s theologically and doctrinally consistent. I like that there is a mix of
  • 71. 140 141 anecdotes and more general, information-based articles. What do you think were the least beneficial and effective things on the site? Some of the claims in the articles aren’t scientifically accurate. Caffeine is not as addictive as cocaine. I would know, I’ve done both. Furthermore, I feel that there needs to be a better ratio of secular reasoning with religious and moral arguments – the two certainly don’t have to oppose each other, and I think it would make for a more sound argument against substance abuse if readers were presented with a two-pronged approach to the issue If you knew others dealing with the same issues that you are currently dealing with, would you recommend a site like LearnTalkLive. com? Possibly, although it wouldn’t be my primary referral. My first instinct would be to have them read the first few chapters of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous or the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous, in addition to having them attend a 12 step meeting. It’s what has worked in my life and in the lives of many of my friends, so I’m pretty confident in that particular process What else do you think Anne Marie Project could do to it’s website to improve? Be brutally objective. Eliminate as much outside bias from the articles as possible. I’ve found it pretty easy to justify dismissing a good argument if I feel I’m being preached to. As I’ve said before, I like the concept but I feel there needs to be a stronger presence of sound, objective facts in addition to religious argumentation. Interview #3: Shane How old are you? 25 What is your gender? Male How long has it been since you have used either drugs or alcohol? April 29, 2013 (2 years 5 months) Have you ever been in a youth/adolescent treatment center? No If yes, how old were you when you went? n/a What were your substances of choice? All of them. Mainly marijuana, cocaine, alcohol…etc. How long have you been in recovery? Since May 2013 Please indicate what religion (if any) that you identify with n/a Do you plan on staying clean and sober? If so, what are the tools you use to help your do this? Yes. 12 steps to a spiritual condition. When you realized that you had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, who did you first reach out to for help? They reached out to me. If you did go to treatment, were you willing to go on your own, or were you doing it to please your parents? I was willing but the court’s inducement helped. How often do you spend time online reading about faith-related information? A few times a week.
  • 72. 142 143 How often do you spend time online reading about recovery? Maybe once a week. How likely are you to use a faith-related website to learn more about drug and alcohol prevention? Unlikely When you were an adolescent (12-17 years old), who were you most likely to go to for information on drugs, alcohol, sex, and bullying? Peers, personal experiences, erowid, overgrow forums, other internet resources. When you were going through problems with drugs and alcohol as an adolescent would you have preferred to talk in-person or online about your problems? I would have been/was more forthcoming online. The anonymous aspect helped. Who would you speak to if you had a friend with a drug/alcohol related problem? My recovery people, the friend if I thought they had felt enough pain Were you ever bullied as an adolescent? If yes, how did you handle these situations? Yes. I got angry. What was your initial reaction Anne Marie Project website? It seemed a bit stylistically generic. Would you visit this site on your own time? Why or why not? Probably rarely if at all. I like some of the ideas, but the layout is not easily navigable and the prose is sometimes unwieldy. If you were to have visited this site when you were an adolescent, how would you feel about it? I probably wouldn’t have liked a lot of it. I was not very receptive to criticism of my use of alcohol and other drugs. As someone in recovery, does Anne Marie Project website’s views and blog posts make you feel judged? No. From your experiences in recovery, what things do you find to be effective and beneficial on the Anne Marie Project website? I really liked “What Should I do With my Life?” by Nick Werner. That piece mirrors a lot of my own spiritual views. What do you think were the least beneficial and effective things on the site? “The New School Year” by Marissa Rehagen was almost unreadable. It needs a lot of editing. “Summer and the Under-Age Drinker” seemed very superficial. More details would make it more beneficial. If you knew others dealing with the same issues that you are currently dealing with, would you recommend a site like LearnTalkLive. com? Probably only specific articles like Nick Werner’s. What else do you think Anne Marie Project could do to it’s website to improve? An editor would be good. Curation and copy editing would help cull the wheat from the chaff (see what I did there?!) Interview #4: Chris How old are you? 29 What is your gender? Male