Increased marijuana use: Students' drive fights drug abuse
By PAMELA WILLIS
Although marijuana use appears to be slowly
increasing among Worthington school district
students, there are programs in place at
both high schools to combat student
substance abuse.
Results released recently from the 2006 Primary Prevention Awareness, Attitude and Use Survey, given to more than 4,000 students who attend Worthington schools, revealed marijuana use increased among eighth-, 11th- and 12th-graders and stayed the same among ninth- and 10th-grade students since the 2003 survey.
Use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs has declined since 2003, according to the survey.
Ralph King, coordinator of student services at Worthington Kilbourne High School, is the adviser of the student program Driven!
King said a similar program exists at Thomas Worthington High School.
"The initial phase for Driven! in ninth grade is called Driving in Ninth Grade, which most kids can't do," he said. "We have a night of substance abuse prevention and conversations, from 3 to 9 p.m. in November, where we bring in guest speakers, including a panel of kids who have been involved in substance abuse who talk about what it cost themselves and their families in terms of finances and emotional pain."
King said freshmen are divided into groups of eight to 10 students, and upperclassmen who are leaders of the program prompt conversations about how to stay substance-free.
"Although there are adults present, the older kids are trained in leadership and they lead students through the prompts and try to get them to talk about how they would handle certain situations where they might feel peer pressure to use drugs," he said.
Phase I of the program is for sophomores and usually occurs in February, King said.
"We go to a local church, or wherever we can find some space, and bring in speakers and show films and videos," he said. "The videos show students what drugs can do to their bodies and brains, and what they can cause people to do."
Phase II of the program trains students in leadership and facilitation of Driven!
"We take the kids out of school for half a day on a Thursday, then all day on Friday, for a high-ropes course and team-building exercises and an adventure education center," King said. "We talk about communicating and how body language can sent silent messages, how to be a good listener and how to effectively lead a group."
The conclusion of Phase II includes a pledge students sign to stay substance-free. They also become official leaders of the program.
"There is an attendance component where students have to promise to participate in at least 70 percent of the events," King said. "Some don't make that final commitment if they are in a lot of student activities and don't think they can participate that often. Phase III is actually the destination. Students who reach Phase III are our leadership team, and they plan the events."
King said the number of students who participate in the program drops past the freshman year.
"We get a lot of freshmen, but as they get older, the numbers do get smaller," he said. "In 1997 and '98, we had 180 kids who were regular members and 60 at the Phase III level. Since then, numbers have declined."
"Even though the numbers have gone down, it might not be because more students are using, but that more students are finding it OK to be substance-free," he said. "As they get older, peer pressure is not as big a deal as it can be in the lower grades."
King said the worst time for peer pressure is probably seventh and eighth grades.
"I've always thought we needed more prevention techniques at the middle school level," he said.
The survey consistently shows most of the drug use is happening in the greater community, not inside the schools, said Jim McElligott, director of secondary education.
"It is hard to know who to put the most responsibility on," King said.
"Parents could be doing more, because questions are the best anti-drug. They need to ask their kids where they are going and who they'll be with. I stopped being surprised a long time ago about the personal nature of the kids who get involved in drugs -- it is not just the juvenile delinquent types.
"Parents have to be vigilant in keeping kids supervised," he said.
Results released recently from the 2006 Primary Prevention Awareness, Attitude and Use Survey, given to more than 4,000 students who attend Worthington schools, revealed marijuana use increased among eighth-, 11th- and 12th-graders and stayed the same among ninth- and 10th-grade students since the 2003 survey.
Use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs has declined since 2003, according to the survey.
Ralph King, coordinator of student services at Worthington Kilbourne High School, is the adviser of the student program Driven!
"We changed the name of our program from Students Substance Abuse Prevention Program to Driven!, to play off the concept that kids are driven to be excellent, so why not be driven to be drug-free," he said.
King said a similar program exists at Thomas Worthington High School.
"The initial phase for Driven! in ninth grade is called Driving in Ninth Grade, which most kids can't do," he said. "We have a night of substance abuse prevention and conversations, from 3 to 9 p.m. in November, where we bring in guest speakers, including a panel of kids who have been involved in substance abuse who talk about what it cost themselves and their families in terms of finances and emotional pain."
King said freshmen are divided into groups of eight to 10 students, and upperclassmen who are leaders of the program prompt conversations about how to stay substance-free.
"Although there are adults present, the older kids are trained in leadership and they lead students through the prompts and try to get them to talk about how they would handle certain situations where they might feel peer pressure to use drugs," he said.
Phase I of the program is for sophomores and usually occurs in February, King said.
"We go to a local church, or wherever we can find some space, and bring in speakers and show films and videos," he said. "The videos show students what drugs can do to their bodies and brains, and what they can cause people to do."
Phase II of the program trains students in leadership and facilitation of Driven!
"We take the kids out of school for half a day on a Thursday, then all day on Friday, for a high-ropes course and team-building exercises and an adventure education center," King said. "We talk about communicating and how body language can sent silent messages, how to be a good listener and how to effectively lead a group."
The conclusion of Phase II includes a pledge students sign to stay substance-free. They also become official leaders of the program.
"There is an attendance component where students have to promise to participate in at least 70 percent of the events," King said. "Some don't make that final commitment if they are in a lot of student activities and don't think they can participate that often. Phase III is actually the destination. Students who reach Phase III are our leadership team, and they plan the events."
King said the number of students who participate in the program drops past the freshman year.
"We get a lot of freshmen, but as they get older, the numbers do get smaller," he said. "In 1997 and '98, we had 180 kids who were regular members and 60 at the Phase III level. Since then, numbers have declined."
"Even though the numbers have gone down, it might not be because more students are using, but that more students are finding it OK to be substance-free," he said. "As they get older, peer pressure is not as big a deal as it can be in the lower grades."
King said the worst time for peer pressure is probably seventh and eighth grades.
"I've always thought we needed more prevention techniques at the middle school level," he said.
The survey consistently shows most of the drug use is happening in the greater community, not inside the schools, said Jim McElligott, director of secondary education.
"It is hard to know who to put the most responsibility on," King said.
"Parents could be doing more, because questions are the best anti-drug. They need to ask their kids where they are going and who they'll be with. I stopped being surprised a long time ago about the personal nature of the kids who get involved in drugs -- it is not just the juvenile delinquent types.
"Parents have to be vigilant in keeping kids supervised," he said.