SURVEY PAINTS IMAGE OF WILD KEYS TEENS

More Florida Keys high school students said in a survey that they have had
sex, smoked pot, tried cocaine and did binge drinking than teens nationwide.

"We are in a party environment," Monroe County public schools superintendent
Michael Lannon said. "We are a tourist-related entity that provides people a
model of life which is at times surreal."

The community must counter that image for the sake of its youth, he added.

More than 1,300 students in the three public high schools in the Keys
participated in the anonymous survey last spring. Developed by the National
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the survey was offered to
students in ninth through 12th grades by the school system and The Florida
Keys Healthy Start Coalition last April.

The coalition was seeking current data for its pregnancy prevention
programs. The percentages were compared to a nationwide survey in 1997.

"We felt that if we didn't know what the kids were already doing we couldn't
effectively tell them what not to do," said Kim Romano, the Coalition's
executive director.

Among the most startling findings: 14 percent said they had attempted
suicide during the previous year. Lannon said that clearly indicates that
parents need to talk with their children more.

Coalition members wondered if they would get support for "outside-the-box"
programs if parents didn't know how early and how many kids were having sex.

"Now that we know that almost half of 14-year-olds in this county have
already had sexual intercourse . . . it helps us tailor abstinence program
dollars to younger groups," Romano said.

Of the 1,932 students who attended school the day of the survey, 1,330
responded. Participation was highest among younger students. It wasn't high
enough overall to guarantee the survey is representative, but it does point
at trends among Keys youth that can help guide schools, social agencies and
families, Lannon said.

"If you're going to make improvements you've got to find out what reality
is," he said.

The survey gave this snapshot of teen behavior the previous month:

37 percent had five or more alcoholic drinks in a row.

18 percent drove at least once after drinking.

13 percent smoked tobacco at least 20 days.

15 percent smoked marijuana at least 10 times

7 percent used cocaine.

17 percent carried a weapon.

9 percent took a weapon to school.

Almost 40 percent of the students said they watched at least three hours of
TV on an average school day.

When do students do their homework, spend time with their families or do
community service, Lannon wondered?

Students also spoke of some healthy habits. Most regularly eat several
servings of fruit and vegetables, exercise vigorously three times a week,
and used a condom the last time they had sex.

Romano hopes the results will help agencies modify programs and come up with
solutions.

"This is just the beginning," she said.

e-mail: sbellido@herald.com