Coalition Spotlight
Collaboration Works!
The S.M.A.R.T. Program of Guilford County Schools Takes Measures to Reduce Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drug Use Among Youth
Research indicates there has been a 19 percent decline in drug use among youth over the past four years, but Guilford County Schools (GCS) feels there is still much work to be done. Substance abuse among our youth continues to be a major concern for every school district and community throughout this nation. The acceptance of tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use as a rite of passage leads to devastating results for many of our youth. The notion of “they will grow out of it” destroys the lives of many young people and their families every day. As GCS continues to focus on the academic needs of its students, they are also working very hard to develop ways of meeting the physical, social, ethical, and other personal needs of students. One such way of developing and strengthening their young people is through the Student Mentoring Awareness Resource Team program (S.M.A.R.T.). The program, which is funded by the Moses Cone/Wesley Long Community Health Foundation, is a partnership between GCS and Alcohol and Drug Services to better serve students, parents, and school staff by providing them with valuable information on educating and preventing tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use.
The S.M.A.R.T. program provides comprehensive substance abuse services for each public middle and high school in Guilford County through peer-led student teams, and it offers easier access to alternative to suspension programs for students who violate tobacco, alcohol, and other drug policies.
The program has four major components:
- Peer-led school-wide outreach and awareness campaign
- School-based and regional Alternative to Suspension Programs
- Parent outreach
- Cessation program
The peer-led groups are one of the most powerful aspects of the program. Peer influence does not always take on the concept of yielding negative results, but also provides an avenue for students to serve as role models for others in making the choice to remain substance free. As with the S.M.A.R.T. groups, they spend much of their free time distributing materials that promote tobacco and drug-free lifestyles.
Their enthusiasm motivates their peers to lead a drug-free life. On each of the school campuses, there is a designated staff member who is responsible for recruiting, training, and serving as the advisor for each S.M.A.R.T. group. In addition, staff from Alcohol and Drug Services and GCS Safe and Drug Free Schools program are available to assist and train the advisors and provide services to students daily. The students find creative ways to educate their peers.
As GCS strives to be 100 percent free of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, there are students who may violate these policies. In order to provide educational intervention services to these students, classes are held at each school site for those who violate the tobacco policy. There are regional school sites throughout the county where students who have violated the district’s alcohol/drug policy can attend the LifeStyles program. These regional sites help to minimize the travel time for services, with students having to travel no more than ten miles compared to up to 24 miles in the past. These alternatives to suspension programs have provisions for students to have fewer days of suspension while being provided substance abuse educa-tion services. School administrators and parents have welcomed and appre-ciated the new accessibility to services.
Parents are a key component to helping their children remain free of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. Parents can be excellent role models in the lives of their children, especially when making a decision about whether or not to use tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs. The S.M.A.R.T. program provides parents with information on substance abuse. Overall, this encourages parents to support the program and collaborate with the PTA’s Parent Network.
We have instituted a school-based teen tobacco cessation program, “Not On Tobacco” (N-O-T), exclusively for teens who want to stop using tobacco products. These cessation classes are offered to each middle and high school student. The N-O-T program teaches teens life management skills, healthy behaviors, communication skills, and provides information and alternatives to tobacco use.
As part of our ongoing efforts, as well as those of the community, it is impor-tant that we stay united to support the health and well being of our students by providing them with the best possible services. GCS values its vari-ous partnerships and collaborative relationships with community, state, and federal agencies.
The first S.M.A.R.T. Teen Summit will be held on April 22, 2006. If you want more information on this or other Safe and Drug Free Schools programs, please contact Gwen Willis at 370-8399 or Vernice Thomas at 621-4026.
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