Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • October 30, 2013 Area Conference focused on making positive choices More than 100 middle school students from Glen Rock, Ridgewood, and Midland Park recently attended an Eighth Grade Leadership Conference at Ramapo Col- lege. The conference, hosted by The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources, a program of Children’s Aid and Family Services, and sponsored by the Yaw Paw Camp Association of Ridgewood, focused on drug and alcohol prevention, coping with peer pressure, and anti-bullying. High school students from Midland Park and Ridgewood helped plan the conference and served as mentors to the middle school students. They made a video about bullying that featured a high school girl being “slushied” by other teens; this is when bullies throw slushies or iced drinks at their victims. They made two versions of the video, with one featuring a bystander who didn’t get involved and the second version showing a bystander helping the victim. “There’s a lot of talk about bullying in elementary school, but it still happens in middle and high school,” said Caitlin Shannon, a student at Midland Park High School. “We wanted to show that if you see bullying happen, you should get involved; talk to the bully and report what hap- pened to an adult.” Shannon is also part of Midland Park High School’s Drug and Alcohol Prevention, which holds events for stu- dents in grades 7-12, such as movie, ice cream and trivia nights, as an alternative to parties. “We want teenagers to know you can be popular, drug- free, successful, and happy,” Shannon said. Cameron Hoo of Ridgewood High School helped lead Cameron Hoo Caitlin Shannon a presentation on drug and alcohol prevention. “We want to empower middle school-aged kids to make the right decisions,” Hoo said. “Taking drugs is a time waster. There are so many natural highs, such as making someone’s day better, reading a good book, play- ing a sport, going to the theater, and listening to music. We want to create lasting change in the community and (continued on page 15) Rudy Boonstra to run unopposed Mayor Rudy Boonstra, a Republican, will be the only candidate on the ballot for Wyckoff Township Committee this November. Appointed to fill an unexpired term, then elected to a full term, Boonstra has served on most local boards and served for many years as a volunteer firefighter. He some- times serves as chaplain, leading prayers at the beginning of each meeting. Wyckoff Township Committee members serve for three- year terms and confer every Jan. 1 to select one committee member to serve as mayor. J. KOSTER