[media-credit name=”Jordan Robbins” align=”alignleft” width=”308″]

by Nicky Kaufman

To help raise awareness about common teen issues and promote smart decisions, the PTSO held the Just Think: Teens Making Smart Choices exposition yesterday during g-block and after school from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

The expo was the second event of this year’s Just Think! Teens Making Smart Choices series and was a free event open to the public.

Various community groups held booths to distribute information about topics which concern high school students. Most booths passed out candy and other prizes along with their information.

The booths ranged from the Planned Parenthood booth, where volunteers passed out stickers, as well as multi-colored condoms, to the Athletes Serving the Community booth, where students were encouraged to perform community service to help out the city.

At another booth, the West Suburban Y.M.C.A advertised a daily after-school program for teens called the Newton Teen Center, which gives students a place to go after school to eat, exercise and feel safe.

In Control Crash Prevention, an organization that encourages safe teen driving also had a booth. Students were able to put on goggles, which simulate the sensation of being intoxicated, and perform simple activities such as walking in a straight line and catching a ball.

Student musicians from this school’s all-female a capella group, Forte, and a jazz band also performed.