New Call-In Service to Assist Teens

This fall, Orange County youths will be introduced to Info Partner, a call-in service that offers taped messages from community leaders.

Among the 80 messages are “Tips on Making Homework Get Results” by Robert Peterson, county superintendent of schools; “Being a Role Model” by former Lakers star Michael Cooper; “Suicide: A National Epidemic” by actor Mike Farrell, and “Coke and Crack: What It All Means” by actor Esai Morales.

Additionally, students can get information on how to start a “Just Say No” club, pregnancy, smoking, AIDS and how to avoid gang involvement. There is also a “Teen Talk” line where students can listen to messages recorded by other students.

Info Partner is funded by the Pacific Mutual Foundation of Newport Beach and administered by United Way as a community service to Orange County residents.

“The great thing for kids is the anonymity. They can get information they wanted to ask about but somehow felt was either incriminating or, in some cases, intimidating,” said Patricia A. Kosky, community relations coordinator of corporate and public affairs for Pacific Mutual.

“This is ideally suited for teen-agers. You think of telephones and teen-agers, and there is a natural link,” she said.

Info Partner also has lines for parents on such subjects as “Latchkey Kids: Doing the Best You Can,” “Children and the Television Wars,” “Call the Teacher; Questions to Ask” and “Helping Your Child to Love Math.”

Info Partner is accessible 24 hours a day by calling (714) 253-7766 for English-language tapes or (714) 253-7799 for Spanish-language tapes. Callers select a topic by entering a three-digit extension.

A list of the topics and extensions will be distributed to county schools.

“Do that which is assigned to you, and you cannot hope too much or dare too much.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82)