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AREA TEENS MEET TO COMBAT DRUG USE IN SCHOOLS

Teen-agers from Jackson County sat at round cafeteria tables and watched a video of a young man tell a tale of his descent into heavy drug use and murder.

The former Fort Osage High School honor student, Kenneth Gilbert, is serving a life sentence for a murder he committed several years ago as a teen-ager.

"This guy is the real deal.  It was a very violent death," Jackson County Prosecutor Bob Beard told the teen-agers.  "Don't forget this kid had two parents.  He was just an average kid."

Middle school and high school students from several schools in the metropolitan area were invited to attend the second meeting of the COMBAT Youth Advisory Board Saturday at Blue Springs South High School.

Snow and inclement weather reduced attendance for the program, but teens there were enthusiastic about making a difference in their schools.  Those on the advisory board are being asked to develop and implement drug prevention programs in their schools.

After watching the video, most of students met in small groups to begin formulating their plans.

"It was very good video," said Elizabeth Meyers.

Meyers, Micah Gray and Kristin Walstrom are representing Blue Springs South on the board.

"I think it's really good for us to see it.  It hits close to home.  It is more on a personal level," Gray said.

"He had everything," Walstrom said.

Eugene Williams and John Bryant represent Nowlin Middle School in Independence.

"It was a pretty good video.  It shows why people shouldn't use drugs," Bryant said.

The South students said they are working on a program for their school.  One of their initial ideas is to revive an old program.  The program put high school students in elementary and middle schools to talk about the dangers of using alcohol/drugs or tobacco products.

Both Gray and Walstrom said they remembered the program from when they were in elementary school and got a lot out it.

Terry Young, 5th District county legislator, met with several students, including Stormie Dorrell of Grain Valley Middle School, to discuss plans.  Dorrell said her goal as an advisory board member is to start a program at the middle school.  She said she is glad for the chance to be involved in the program and that county officials want to hear from those closest to other students.

"I thought it was a neat program and that they want youth to join in," Dorrell said.

Dorrell said one of her ideas is to work with small groups of students at a time.

Young said she welcomed the opportunity to be involved in the program and work with the students.

"As a reporter, when I use to write about crime incidents, like the boy in the video, I knew that it was important to write about it, but I was always frustrated because I couldn't be involved in making things better.  This program has that possibility," Young said.

Young was a reporter at The Examiner when the murder recounted in the video was committed.