Pubdate: Sat, 19 Jan 2013
Source: Guardian, The (CN PI)
Copyright: 2013 The Guardian, Charlottetown Guardian Group Incorporated
Contact:  http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/174
Author: Mitch MacDonald

MAKING THE CONNECTION

Three Colonel Gray students came forward to tell their own stories of 
drug addiction and recovery to a crowd of concerned parents during a 
presentation panel at the high school Thursday night.

The students had experienced addiction issues first-hand, assiting 
with the goal of the "Making the Connection" panel to provide 
information to help facilitate parents' discussions with their own 
children about drug use and the risks associated with it.

Although each of three stories were different, they all shared 
aspects that are common among high school students using drugs. For 
all of them, using drugs had started as a fun hobby with peers before 
turning into an addiction that led to dropping out, or being kicked 
out, of the high school.

"It started to get to the point where I'm not just doing it because 
it's fun. I'm not just doing it to go out with my friends. I'm doing 
it because my body is saying 'give me this,' it's hard to explain. 
It's a rough thing," said one student, who began selling and using a 
multitude of drugs after being kicked out of the school.

The student added that he fought to get clean from hard drugs, 
enrolled back into the school and is scheduled to graduate this year.

"I'll be the first of the boys in my family to get Grade 12, " said 
the student, receiving a thunderous applause from the parents.

The panel also included school resource officer Tim Keizer, youth 
worker Tyler Larter, Dr. Denise Lea of Mount Herbert Addictions 
Facility, parent and teacher Mary Beth Bradley and Rose Barbour, a 
parent who has struggled with student addiction.

Keizer, who has been stationed at the school this year with term 
ending at the end of the month, gave credit to the students for 
developing a "peer-to-peer" drug prevention program.

The program saw students spread awareness by telling their stories to 
all Grade 9 students at feeder schools Queen Charlotte and Birchwood 
Intermediate.

Keizer said feedback from student evaluations of those presentations 
were unbelievable.

"For them, it was very eye opening. It's not a video, it's real 
life," said Keizer. "I have nothing but respect for these students. 
It was really something else for me to be a part of that."

While Keizer has brought an increased awareness of the drug problem 
in Island high schools to public attention, the officer spoke little 
throughout the night. Instead, the panel belonged largely to the students.

However, he did say that the drug problem is not isolated to Colonel Gray.

"Do not think this is something unique to this school and that it's a 
bad place to send your children," Keizer said. "It's the opposite. 
We're sitting here at a school where the administration has jumped 
onboard and recognized there is a problem."

Larter, who has been at the school for 10 years, said the night was 
not to "scare" parents but to create awareness of the reality of 
increased teen drug use. He said the problem is not restricted to 
school but exists generally in today's society.

The night also saw parents field questions to the students of how to 
approach their own kids regarding drug use.

"Try to deal with it in the most calm and easy way possible," offered 
one of the students.

"Try to be involved as much as you can and be interested in what 
they're doing... just show that you're there for them and try to be 
open with them about things. Don't be mad about them for telling you 
something but try to work with it."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom