Pubdate: Thu, 24 May 2007 Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) Copyright: 2007 Journal Sentinel Inc. Contact: http://www.jsonline.com/news/editorials/submit.asp Website: http://www.jsonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265 Author: Jamaal Abdul-Alim Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) DRUG FACTS TAUGHT ONLINE Program Designed For Middle-Schoolers Glendale - Thirteen-year-old James Fischer thought he knew everything he needed to know about illicit drugs. But since his school rolled out BlueKids.org, a Web-based program that quizzes students on the consequences of drug use, Fischer says he has learned valuable information. "To tell you the truth, if I wasn't doing this program, I wouldn't take the time to look up this stuff," Fischer says in the computer lab at Glen Hills Middle School, where he and 114 other students were logged on to BlueKids.org. The e-learning program, aimed at middle-schoolers, is being implemented at a growing number of public schools throughout the region, including Milwaukee Public Schools. The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District used a $10,000 state grant for the program. Glendale-River Hills is paying $7 per student for the program, bringing the total cost to $805, according to seventh-grade science teacher Mike Birmingham. "It's a good investment," and the program gets positive reviews from students, says Birmingham. "We didn't want to invest if they say it's stupid or dumb." What seems to work well about the program is that it's computer-based and interactive, he says. Recently, Fischer and other students dealt with questions such as whether a person could die from first-time use of cigarettes, inhalants or marijuana and whether alcohol is a stimulant, a depressant or a hallucinogen. They got tips on how to find credible drug information Web sites, such as distinguishing between official dot-gov sites and dot-com sites set up by commercial enterprises. Links on BlueKids.org provide information about the effects of various drugs. Students are tested before and after they do the exercises on the site to see what they've learned. Birmingham says the tests typically show that students have gained knowledge about the dangers of drug use. Fischer says one of the best features about the program is that large groups of students get the same information the same way. He believes that will discourage students from pressuring each other or being pressured to experiment with drugs. "If you learn with your friends, you can make sure none of you do it, because you're on the same page," Fischer said. - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath