In a world where children are exposed to many dangers, being informed is the best tool a parent can acquire. Parents play an important role in teaching children resiliency, refusal techniques and how to find the path to a healthy lifestyle. Hear from the experts about tendencies that inhibit a child’s healthy growth, and influence them to deviate from making the right choices at the “Growing Together” parent resource symposium on Wednesday, May 8, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

The “Growing Together” parent resource symposium is a free event that is open to the public and will be held at City Hall (23920 Valencia Boulevard). The event is hosted by the city of Santa Clarita in partnership with the County of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and school districts in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Attendees at the event, which is geared toward families with children in elementary school, will learn important information regarding Internet safety, drug trends and matters affecting their child’s interaction with others.

The evening will consist of a free resource fair for parents and their children in the Century Room (City Hall First Floor) from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., followed by presentations from a panel of experts featuring law enforcement, counseling professionals, educators and health advocates in the Council Chambers. Panelists invited to participate are:
· Detective William Velek – Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
· Renee Marshall– College of the Canyons Chair of Early Childhood Education
· Dr. Darrin Privett – Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Emergency Room Doctor
· Brenda Tumasone – San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Center
The event will focus on providing information about trends in our community, tips for parents concerning Internet safety, advice from experts regarding the importance of communication to ensure a healthy development and behavior management. The panel will also respond to concerns and questions from attendees.

For more information about the “Growing Together” parent resource symposium, and efforts made to educate youth in Santa Clarita about living drug free, please visit DFYinSCV.com.