(Chelsea Update would like to thank Lindsay Baker for the information in this story.)
This month, SRSLY attended events in elementary schools throughout the community to promote reading and literacy among children.
By using a comics, a medium that kids already enjoy, adults pass along messages that benefit kids and help establish a positive sense of place in Chelsea.
SRSLY attended the South Meadows Elementary School assembly on March 21 to celebrate and promote reading to more than 500 students. The group brought along special guest, the mascot Dinogator from the CPTN SRSLY comic books, and Jerzy Drozd, creator of the CPTN SRSLY comic books.
SRSLY also gave a new comic book and a CPTN SRSLY temporary tattoo to each student.
On March 14, SRSLY introduced the comics to second grade students at North Creek Elementary School. Drozd and SRSLY volunteer Jennifer Kundak read the book to all the classes. Drozd also talked about what it is like to be a professional cartoonist and how he worked with SRSLY to create the comics.
CPTN SRSLY comic books were created in collaboration with the Chelsea District Library and Chelsea School District to teach students important lessons in a fun way. Each student in grades 2 – 9 receive a new comic book each year, and different Chelsea students are featured in the comics.
Books for 10th and 11th graders are currently being developed.
Copies of the comics can be found in the school media centers and at the Chelsea District Library.
About SRSLY
SRSLY’s mission is to empower youth to live healthy, substance-free lives by bringing the community together. SRSLY was formed in 2008 in response to local data showing that teens in Chelsea were more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than state and national averages.
SRSLY promotes positive family, school, and community involvement. SRSLY also works to limit youth access to alcohol and other drugs and to reduce parental and peer approval of youth drug use. SRSLY receives support from the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug-Free Communities Program, the Coghlan Family Foundation, St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea, and the Five Healthy Towns Foundation.
For more information, visit www.srslychelsea.org or follow SRSLY on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
