Pubdate: Thu, 04 Jan 2007 Source: Asbury Park Press (NJ) Copyright: 2007 Asbury Park Press Contact: http://www.app.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/26 Author: Bonnie Delaney, Toms River Bureau PTA FETED FOR ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN The nearly 400 members of the Parent-Teacher Association of the Clara B. Worth Elementary School in Berkeley are a dedicated bunch. For the past several years they've organized a program at the school to educate students and parents about substance abuse. The PTA's efforts were acknowledged by the New Jersey Parent-Teacher Association at the state organization's 106th annual convention in Atlantic City Nov. 17 when it received the Substance Abuse Prevention Award. The award was one of two the PTA received; it also received the Outstanding Membership Award for two programs that increased membership a year after the pupil population dropped at the school by 30 percent. "The PTA embarked on an ambitious program during Red Ribbon Week held in October 2005 because it felt a need to empower their parents with information that could help them discuss drug prevention with their children," said Beverly McEntee, chairwoman of the state PTA's Substance Abuse Prevention Award panel. The program included daily themes, beginning with students making a pledge to be drug-free, wearing red clothing, taking home a red tulip bulb to plant at home to symbolize their ongoing commitment to remain drug free, and wearing their clothes backward or inside out so they could "turn their back on drugs," said Sandra Frandano, who was president of the PTA during the 2005-06 school year at the time of the program. The program, which received support from the Berkeley Municipal Alliance, included fliers, wristbands and other items sent home daily with pupils, as well as tips for parents about how to engage their children in discussions about the dangers of substance abuse, she said. The PTA also sponsored the 15-Minute Child Break, a program designed by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey to give parents information about talking to their children about drugs, she said. Membership programs consisted of two contests, one aimed at getting men involved in the PTA. The PTA finished the 2005-06 school year with 393 members and of that number, 134 were men. This year PTA membership is 389 total and of that number 129 are men, said Karen Bush, publicity chairwoman for the school PTA. "We don't need awards to justify the countless hours we volunteer for our students and our school, but it's nice to be recognized," Frandano said. "These programs don't happen without everyone doing their part, whether it's contributing half an hour or half of their day." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek