Pubdate: Wed, 03 Dec 2003
Source: Agassiz Harrison Observer (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003 Agassiz Observer
Contact:  http://www.agassizharrisonobserver.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1344
Author: James Baxter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?217 (Drug-Free Zones)

DRUG FREE ZONE PROPOSED FOR AGASSIZ HIGH SCHOOL

It is a concept that has already met with success at schools in Hope, 
Sardis and throughout BC, and now there are plans to designate Agassiz high 
school and its perimeter a Drug Free Zone.

"It tends to push the drugs away from the schools," explains AESS Principal 
Peter Richmond. "The idea is heightened awareness that this is an area we 
do not want drugs."

Richmond was principal at Hope Secondary School four years ago when 
students there pushed to implement a Drug Free Zone around that school.

They formed a youth action committee and presented their proposal to 
muncipal council, which subsequently supported the initiative.

The concept is relatively simple. With the community, school and police 
working together, a roughly two block radius around the school is 
designated a Drug Free Zone. Street signs are posted throughout the zone, 
sending a clear message to would-be drug users and dealers that drugs are 
not tolerated there.

"The idea is - if the courts buy into the idea - that there would be an 
increased penalty for being caught in that area," Richmond notes.

"I believe it does have an impact."

Jan Farrell, principal of Mount Slesse Middle School in Sardis thinks there 
is another reason Drug Free Zones work. She suggests that because the 
initiatives are spearheaded by students, that the program empowers them.

A similar project took flight in her school two years ago when students 
teamed up with faculty and then-RCMP school liaison officer Cst. Len Van 
Nieuwenhuizen.

The impetus was a drug problem in the neighbouring park.

"I think the key piece to this is it has been driven by the youth and not 
sort of top down," Farrell explains. " It was a group of students who got 
this program going and took the initiative for it."

The City of Chilliwack picked up the tab for several street signs, each one 
bearing a Drug Free Zone emblem designed by the students. Crime Stoppers 
donated money toward the printing of campaign awareness flyers that 
werecampaign awareness flyers that were distributed throughout the 
immediate neighbourhood.

The idea to create the Drug Free Zone was fostered during an annual 
training symposium organized by the BC Youth Policing Network. Afterward, 
the students were able to return to the conference and share their 
accomplishment with peers.

Cst. Van Nieuwenhuizen says the program has definitely had a positive 
affect within the school and in the area.

"One thing it does when you have a plan like this is bring the students, 
teachers and police together in preventative action.

"It creates teamwork, it's being proactive and it pays dividends."

Mount Slesse teacher Leslie Waddington says the best things to come out of 
the campaign have been awareness and community support.

"Our feeling as staff is that this Drug Free Zone has been influential 
toward our facing this problem," she said. "It was the first Drug Free Zone 
in Chilliwack and the intention was preventative education, and to make the 
community a safe place.

"I would say it's had some positive effect."

So positive in fact that students Tiffany Peters and Alisha Yau, who were 
part of the Mount Slesse Drug Free Zone team, want to get a similar 
campaign going at Sardis Secondary, where both now attend school.

"In June we met with a school from the Vancouver area and we spent the 
afternoon with them," explained Waddington. "They looked at what we had 
done. "That was really neat to see. The word's getting out and spreading 
throughout the Lower Mainland."

Richmond says the local parent advisory council and the student leadership 
class are both very supportive of creating a Drug Free Zone for Agassiz.

It is essential that students guide the concept, he adds. Without them, 
nothing happens.

"I think it is something that needs to be continuously reinforced and I 
believe it does have an impact."

He hopes to have the campaign initiated during this school year. 
distributed throughout the neighbourhood.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom