Pubdate: Mon, 02 Apr 2007
Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen (IA)
Copyright: 2007 Iowa City Press-Citizen
Contact:  http://www.press-citizen.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1330
Author: Rob Daniel

STUDENTS GO ON AIR AGAINST DRUGS

Losing family members, friends and opportunities are  all reasons for 
teens not to drink or do drugs, the  members of Teens Against Alcohol 
and Drugs say.

In April, they hope to put their message on the air  with a 30-second 
commercial.

"We tried to reach everybody," said Jeannea Williams,  17, a City 
High senior. "Everybody can be affected by  drinking and smoking."

The group, also known as T.A.A.D., has been working to  communicate 
its anti-drug message since spring 2006.  Sponsored by MECCA Services 
in Iowa City and funded  with a grant from the Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health  Services Administration, T.A.A.D. is a community-wide 
effort to stop teen drug and alcohol use, said Marilyn  Wright, 
MECCA's community relations manager. Currently,  the group consists 
of about 10 students, all from City  High.

"We really want to replicate this around the county  since this group 
has been so successful," she said.

In the past year, the group has distributed about 300  T-shirts at 
school and at the Johnson County Fair last  summer. They've also 
spoken with students at Wood  Elementary and met with Iowa City 
councilors about the  alcohol issue.

The students hope to continue their work with a  commercial as part 
of national Students Against Drunk  Driving month, said senior Rodney 
Anderson, 17.

After conducting a survey of students last year about  what approach 
would affect them the most, the students  decided to feature 
fictional stories about teens who  used alcohol and drugs and were 
losing friends and  opportunities.

"We tried to cover every part that would be affected,"  said junior 
Jammie Hillard, 17.

Anderson said he hopes to air the commercial on local  television 
before City High's prom April 21.

"We want to do it before prom because that's when  people get wasted," he said.

Henri Harper, City High's juvenile court liaison and  at-risk 
facilitator, said the students in T.A.A.D. have  had a positive 
effect at City High.

"They live what they preach," he said.

"They have lived as an example of what they're talking  about."
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MAP posted-by: Elaine