Pubdate: Mon, 07 Mar 2005
Source: Salem News (MA)
Copyright: 2005 Essex County Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.salemnews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3466
Author: Melissa  Beecher
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

Students fight back against drugs,  alcohol in school DANVERS - Students 
like Audrey Ruskowski don't need the media to tell them that there's a 
problem with drugs and alcohol at local schools. The Danvers High senior 
has been working to curb it for years. Ruskowski is one of 15 students 
participating in PROTECT - Peers Reaching Out to Educate the Children of 
Today. The senior spoke to parents at the districts' PACE - Parents and 
Administrators Communicate for Education - meeting on Friday.  Over the 
past several months, PACE has attempted to start tackling the drug 
and  alcohol problem at local schools.

"We're not preachers, we just offer an example," said Ruskowski. "We don't 
preach about the dangers of drugs and alcohol every second of every day. 
We're a  group of students that show students that it's possible to live 
chemical free." PROTECT participants sign a pledge to not drink, smoke or 
use drugs and go through an interview process before being allowed to join. 
The members speak to elementary and middle school aged children to talk 
about bullying, racism and substance abuse.

On Friday, Ruskowski offered parents the student perspective of the drug 
and alcohol subculture that has been growing in Danvers and other schools 
on the North Shore. Representatives from each of the seven schools in 
Danvers, the police department and school administrators listened as 
Ruskowski listed what her group has been doing to bring home the message of 
positive decision making  to her peers.

"It's an individual choice each of us makes to participate or not 
participate in certain behaviors," said Ruskowski. "For the most part, 
students respect the  decisions that we have made, especially as we have 
gotten older." PROTECT will be organizing a mock accident scene before 
prom, where police, paramedics and students will stage a fake accident with 
a real crashed vehicle at the high school stadium.

Students will also have a "walking dead day" where  dozens of students will 
dress in black and paint their faces white to demonstrate how many people 
are killed each day because of drunk driving. "It might be gruesome, but 
especially because of recent events, we think it will be particularly 
effective," said Ruskowski.

Eileen Erwin, principal of Danvers High, said the school is working hard to 
make sure PROTECT's message is not lost as students find drinking and drug 
use more socially acceptable.

"It's just become so ingrained in our culture.

There are a lot of kids out there who could join, who should join, because 
that would offer them a reason not to give in to peer pressure," said 
Erwin. "What's not helping us is how easy  it is for kids to get drugs and 
alcohol.

This is something that starts at home." "We'll stand at the hockey game 
tonight and watch for children who show up impaired, but as their parents 
walk by you can smell the alcohol from a mile away," said Erwin. "It's hard 
for students to not give in to peer pressure and it's even harder when 
they're getting mixed messages." As tradition in Danvers, on graduation 
night, the school will offer "Project Graduation" an all-night, chemical 
free event where students are taken to Cedardale Athletic Club in 
Haverhill. Graduates participate in a variety of activities after the 
student and parent signs a pledge to not show up intoxicated or under the 
influence of alcohol.

The event is supervised and have  a participation rate of more than 80 
percent of the senior class. According to Ruskowski that's just one way 
that the message is getting  out. "There are students who say no. As more 
say no, it makes it easier for others," said Ruskowski.
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MAP posted-by: Beth