Local students learned about drug and alcohol in March.
The Drug-Free Community grant, a partnership of the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center and Allen County Multi-Agency Team (ACMAT), teamed up with the Allen County Sheriff’s Department and area school districts for National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week on March 21-27.
It is an annual, week-long, health observance that inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. Students also took a drug-free pledge to show they plan to say no to drugs.
Kelci Botts, Marmaton Valley schools, said she was pleased to see the participation from students and the Kansas Association for Youth (KAY) Organization.
“It is awesome to have teenagers taking a stand and leading by example for their peers and the youth following in their footsteps. Knowledge is power, and the power to do the right thing isn’t always easy, but it is worth it,” she said.
“We had great participation in National Facts Week with over 100 students participating in the trivia challenge each day. About 145 students also signed a pledge to be drug free,” Stacey Crusinbery, Iola Middle School counselor, said.
