Pubdate: Sat, 07 Oct 2006
Source: Tribune Star (Terre Haute, IN)
Copyright: 2006 Tribune-Star Publishing Co. Inc.
Contact:  http://www.tribstar.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/448
Author: Sue Loughlin

STUDENTS LEARN TO SAY NO TO DRUGS DURING PROGRAM

TERRE HAUTE -- On Friday, some fourth-graders at Deming  Elementary 
glued together a paper "strategy cube" that  gave them six ways to 
say no to tobacco, alcohol and  drugs.

If a so-called friend tried to pressure them, they  could just say no 
or simply walk away.

They could use the broken record approach and say, no,  no, no, again 
and again.

They could ignore the person who wants them to do  something they 
shouldn't; they could come up with a  better idea or they could make an excuse.

The children were participating in a drug prevention  and education 
program called "Too Good for Drugs,"  presented by the Mental Health 
Association.

The five-lesson program will be presented to  fourth-graders in all 
Vigo County School Corp.  elementary schools.

A more in-depth Too Good for Drugs program also will be  presented to 
all school district seventh-graders, said  Michele Stromberger, 
Mental Health Association youth  director, who presented Friday's 
program along with  Heather Meadors, the association's youth coordinator.

"It's all goal-oriented," Stromberger said. She asks  students to 
think about short- and long-term goals and  how using drugs, alcohol 
or tobacco could prevent them  from reaching those goals.

The program focuses on building five life skills: goal  setting; 
decision making; bonding with others;  identifying and managing 
emotions; and communicating  effectively.

On Thursday, the fourth-graders in Elizabeth Thomas'  class talked 
about their different goals. One girl  wants to be a basketball 
player, another a  veterinarian. A third student wants to be a movie star.

On Friday, the class talked about peer pressure and  strategies to 
resist that peer pressure. They made the  strategy cube and did some 
role-playing.

At one point, Stromberger portrayed the "best friend"  pressuring 
students to smoke a cigarette. Fourth-grader  Tyler Cox portrayed one 
of her friends, and he used the  "broken record" strategy:

"Do you want a cigarette?" she asked. "No," Cox said.

"Come on," Stromberger insisted. The answer again, was, "No."

"You won't be cool if you don't," Stromberger said. Cox  responded, "No."

"Just one time?" she asked. "No."

"Everyone's doing it," she said. "No," Cox persisted.

Stromberger told the class to put the cube someplace  where they'll 
see it every day.

Too Good for Drugs has been designated a model program  by the 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services  Administration.

After Friday's program, Cox said he wants to be a chef  someday and 
he knows that using drugs, alcohol or  tobacco "can do really bad 
things" to your health.

If a best friend tried to pressure him to use any of  those 
substances, "I might have to find a new friend,"  he said.

Chelsea Miller wants to be a professional soccer player  and knows 
that using drugs, alcohol and cigarettes  could put an end to that goal.

She recognizes that someone who would pressure her to  use those 
substances is probably not much of a friend.  "I don't want a friend 
if they are a bad influence on  me," she said.

The Vigo County School Corp. has a contract with the  Mental Health 
Association to provide the highly  recommended program, said Ray 
Azar, school district  director of student services.

The district uses funds from its Safe and Drug Free  Schools grant, 
which has been cut about 20 percent this  year and has steadily 
declined in recent years, he  said.

The program is one of several the school district uses  to help 
students learn the dangers of cigarettes,  alcohol and drugs, he said.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine