Pubdate: Sun, 07 Oct 2007
Source: Press-Register (Mobile, AL)
Copyright: 2007 Mobile Register
Contact:  http://www.al.com/mobileregister/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/269
Author: Nadia M. Taylor, Staff Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

SCARE THEM STRAIGHT: PROGRAM SHOWS KIDS THE DANGERS OF
DRUGS

Eleven-year-old Cliffton Finch wrinkled his nose at the  slice of
tumor-ridden, diseased lung in a plastic sandwich bag.

"It was a little nasty," he said later.

He and five of his classmates at Forest Hill Elementary  in west
Mobile were learning firsthand about the  dangers of drugs aboard
Mobile Infirmary's Drug  Education Vehicle.

"I really liked when we got to look at the parts of the  body," said
Roderick Ferrell, 10. "It was really  interesting about the type of
damage you can do if you  take alcohol or do drugs."

The air-conditioned trailer outfitted with posters,  exhibits,
computers and media stations travels to  schools and events throughout
southwest Alabama.

The most popular displays, at least according to the  Forest Hill
children this past week, were the organ  samples that showed healthy
and unhealthy slices of  hearts, brains, lungs and livers.

Since 1994, more than 88,000 students have toured the  vehicle; almost
6,000 visited it at 167 sites during  the past school year alone,
according to hospital  statistics.

John Aikens, a former Baker High School teacher who  received a
nursing degree at Bishop State Community  College, has been running
the show on the Drug  Education Vehicle for the past 10= years.

"I really do in my heart think we're helping these kids  make good
choices," Aikens said. "I've gotten  remarkable comments from kids who
come back and say  they remember us from years ago."

Fifth-graders are the target audience of the 45-minute  tours, though
other grades are considered on a  case-by-case basis, Aikens said.

Aikens explains to the students the consequences of  tobacco and
alcohol abuse, then they get to peer into  display cases showing
pickled body parts.

Short videos about drugs, including marijuana, cocaine  and
hallucinogens, are available on individual media  centers. Students
can decide which videos they want to  watch.

"I didn't know you can die from all these things," said  10-year-old
Diara Jackson. "I learned we shouldn't do  drugs because it's wrong."

Of course, some of the kids had heard the message at
home.

"My mom already told me all this stuff before," Finch  said.
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MAP posted-by: Steve Heath