Compared to some national averages, Old Rochester Regional students engage in risky behavior at higher levels than their peers.

Assistant Superintendent Elise Frangos presented highlights from the Youth Risk Assessment Survey to Marion School Committee members on Nov. 4.

Based on the survey results, administrators reached out to parents, educators and law enforcement to create The Healthy Tri-Town Coalition in June.

“Our mission is to provide tri-town families with health and wellness awareness,” Frangos said. “We don’t think this will go away and we want to change the data.”

Developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the survey polls students anonymously on drug use, suicide ideation, sexual violence and other behaviors.

Frangos said middle and high school students were surveyed, except for ninth grade students. Those students had already taken a similar survey.

Students could opt out of the survey and a total of 1,038 participated.

Areas of concern included drug use. According to the survey, 20 percent of high school students reported having bought or received drugs on school property in the last 12 months.

Grade 10, 11 and 12 students reported being the victims of electronic bullying at rates above the national average.

Twenty percent of Grade 10 students said they were victims compared to the national average, which is 15 percent.

After the presentation, school committee members expressed concern.

“It’s alarming and its staggering and its scary,” said member Kate Houdelette. “I’m shocked by the numbers.”

A slideshow presentation of the data is available online at www.oldrochester.org.