Pubdate: Sat, 26 Apr 2008
Source: Times, The (Gainesville, GA)
Copyright: 2008 Gainesville Times
Contact:  http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2701
Author: Jeff Gill
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

SCHOOLS REACH OUT TO DRUG OFFENDERS

Program Helps Point Kids Down Better Path

The Hall County school system has a program in place,  educators 
hope, that stops student drug use in its  tracks.

Since 1999, the district has required students caught  in offenses 
related to drugs or alcohol to attend its  Substance Use Prevention 
and Education Resource, or  SUPER 1, program.

"We want to be able to try to decrease any type of  incident of 
drug-related referral," said Stacy Benton,  student assistance 
coordinator for the school system.

The program also aims to improve attendance, grades and  "feelings of 
connectedness to peers and adults, and we  want students to be able 
to participate in positive,  constructive activities," she added.

"Knowledge alone is not good enough and we've known  that for a long, 
long time," Benton said. "We also try  to promote parental 
involvement with students (who) are  participating in the program."

Parents must accompany students to the eight-hour  program, which is 
broken down into four two-hour  sessions and held throughout the 
school year at Lanier  Career Academy off Tumbling Creek Road and 
Atlanta  Highway.

Students caught with drugs are suspended from school  and then 
referred to the program, which they must  complete if they want to 
re-enroll in school, according  to school policy.

A student possessing, selling, trying to sell,  distributing 
over-the-counter drugs or substances  represented as drugs or alcohol 
can attend SUPER 1 "in  lieu of up to half the original suspension, 
not to  exceed five days," the policy states.

The program is open to students age 12-18 and a parent  or guardian 
must attend with the student.

A 14-year-old student talked about circumstances around  his 
participation in the program on the condition of  anonymity.

He said his troubles began two years ago when a close  family member 
died of cancer.

"I've been kind of depressed since then," said the  teen. "I had 
other things to keep my mind off my  problems, but I wanted to try 
something different.  That's why I bought drugs from somebody at school."

He paid $10 for less than an ounce of marijuana in the gymnasium.

"Somebody told (administrators) that I had bought drugs  and they 
looked on the security cameras and saw what  looked to be a drug 
deal," said the teen. "They called  me in the office and I gave them 
the drugs."

He has been suspended for the rest of this semester.  School ends in 
the Hall County system on May 23.

The teen wouldn't say he has learned, per se, from the experience.

"It's not so much as I've learned because I've had  health class and 
they teach you all this," he said.  "Every video that we've seen in 
(this program), I've  seen before. But help with communication with 
your  family - usually that has a lot to do with why most  people do drugs.

"There's some kind of family problem, not communicating  (or) 
something like that."

The teen said he feels "much better" after leaving  SUPER 1. "I feel 
like it's not going to happen again,"  he said. "For that little bit 
of drugs, it (has) cost a  lot and it puts you through a lot."

*

Under the Influence

A special report on teens, drugs, and alcohol.

http://gainesvilletimes.com/flat/undertheinfluence/
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom