Tanner News

The Haralson County Teen Maze is back and Tanner Health System’s Get Healthy, Live Well will join other organizations in helping teenagers make better choices.

The Haralson Family Connection Coalition is partnering with several organizations to host the teen maze, which is an interactive event that gives students an opportunity to safely explore the challenges of teenage years — and face the consequences of their actions — in a realistic simulation. The purpose of the maze is to challenge teens to work towards graduation and be prepared for a great career without getting caught up in the many obstacles that can send them on the wrong path. This hands-on educational experience confronts students with real-life scenarios and shows them how the decisions they make as teenagers can impact the rest of their lives.

The maze will be set up at the West Georgia Technical College Conference Center in Waco on Nov. 8-10. It will be open to the public Nov. 8 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. On Nov. 9, Haralson County High School students will go through the maze. Bremen High School students will tour the maze on Nov. 10.

The maze will explore the consequences of texting while driving, substance abuse and early sexual involvement. Get Healthy, Live Well is organizing the part of the maze that will explore the consequences of using tobacco — from yellow teeth to lung and oral cancers.

“It is important for teens to be aware that the choices they make now can affect them forever,” said Phyllis Head, community liaison at Get Healthy, Live Well. “The exhibits featured in the maze may be gruesome and shocking, but we’re giving kids a powerful dose of reality that will help them make better choices.”

The maze is a major community effort involving several local organizations. For more information, contact Jennifer Dobbs, coordinator of the Haralson Family Connection Coalition, at 770.328.1736 or harfamcon1@gmail.com. For more information about Get Healthy, Live Well, visit www.GetHealthyLiveWell.org.