Pubdate: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 Source: Daily Tribune, The (Mt. Pleasant, TX) Copyright: 2006 The Daily Tribune Contact: https://secure.townnews.com/shared-content/perform/?domain_nameUilytribune.net&form_template=letter Website: http://www.dailytribune.net Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4346 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Retro+Bill Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education) RETRO BILL TELLS MPISD STUDENTS IMPORTANCE OF STAYING DRUG FREE Hollywood motivational speaker and performer Retro Bill stopped by Mount Pleasant Independent School District campuses this week as part of his 300-days a year nationwide school tour delivering inspirational messages to students of all ages to stay drug free in order achieve their dreams.Retro Bill has appeared on Nickelodeon, CNN, Fox, and NBC, as well as other national media outlets and has his own DVD and radio show. Retro Bill spoke to third and fourth grade MPISD students last year, but MPISD Chief of Police Hayes Lesher said his impact was so great, they wanted him to do more shows this year and reach more students. "He only spent 45 minutes to an hour with those kids last year," Chief Lesher said, "but they still remember him like he's an uncle. The impact he has is just amazing. He captivates them and the message stays with them. That really helps us." Retro Bill performed eight shows this week on all MPISD campuses to over 9,000 students, including a Family Show at the Titus County Civic Center on Tuesday night. "He had an unbelievable show at the Civic Center last night," Chief Lesher said, who estimated the crowd to be between 350 and 400 people. Retro Bill was hosted by the MPISD Police Department who also used grant funds and funds from Region VIII to bring the popular performer back to the students. "The reality is we've got drugs," Chief Lesher said, "and we're fighting it. We're doing everything we possibly can. The students remember him and he says all the right things against drugs. I just think it's reinforcement from what they are getting from police officers and from home. And if they aren't getting it at home, then it's even more important." One of Retro Bill's shows was performed to seventh and eighth graders at Mount Pleasant Junior High on Tuesday afternoon. "The officer said I'm here to talk about drugs," Retro Bill said after he was introduced, "but really I'm going to talk about making your dreams come true." Retro Bill told the students he knew there were many in the room that would never do drugs. "But sadly, there are students who think they know everything and they don't listen to police officers and counselors who try to help them make a good decision," he said. He urged students to choose their friends carefully and not be around other students who may do drugs because those students are not pursuing their dreams. He also said using drugs and alcohol is no way to deal with problems. "The only way you can deal with an issue is not make things worse by using drugs or alcohol," he said. "Deal with it in a healthy way and get it off your back. If you talk to an adult or to a counselor, listen to them and follow their advice to make good choices. If you don't deal with issues now when you're in Junior High, they will probably become a lot worse when you get to high school. Deal with them now." He told students he had dinner with Michael Jordan in Chicago, and Jordan told him kids used to laugh at him because he would tell them he was going to be the most famous basketball player in the world. But, Retro Bill said, Jordan didn't care and stayed away from drugs to fulfill his dreams. "Every single day you're in school you've made a good choice that will help get you to your dreams," he said. "Every good choice, every homework assignment you complete, every day you go to school, you are taking a step towards your dreams and what you want to be. You've just got to make the good choice." He asked students in the audience to say what they wanted to be when they got older, and he heard responses such as a rapper, model, real estate salesman, singer, nurse, chef, and doctor. He encouraged all these students to stay away from drugs and focus on their dreams. "If you believe in your dreams, it gives you every reason in the world to tell someone who wants you to smoke pot, 'No,'" he told the students. "I guarantee if you never give up on your dreams, they will come true. The choice is always yours and the rewards are great." Lesher said he will be working to have Retro Bill return again next year. "We're going to do our best to get him back," Lesher said. "We have had a really large amount of positive feedback from the community. It doesn't get much more positive than this." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake