SURVEY: SHELBY HIGH SCHOOLERS REDUCE DRUG USE

Shelby County high school students are using drugs and alcohol less
frequently than they were a year ago, but use in the middle schools has
increased slightly, according to a recent survey.

The Pride Survey, a national standardized survey, showed that Shelby County
high school students' overall drug and alcohol usage is well below the
national average. Illicit drug use is 6.5 percentage points below the
national average, while alcohol use is 4.9 percentage points below.

The survey results show a 6 percent decline in illegal drug use and a 5
percent decline in alcohol use among Shelby County high school students
over the last two years.

The results for middle school students showed a slight increase - less than
1 percent - over last year in the number of students who admitted to using
alcohol, drugs or tobacco within the last year. Those percentages are still
well below national averages, school officials said.

"What that tells us is that kids are starting to experiment with drugs and
alcohol at very early ages," said Donna Dickson, Shelby County student
services supervisor. "The research shows us intervention is most needed at
the middle school level. If we don't reach them there, it is often too
late. ... We want to make sure that we see those numbers go down next year,
and that we continue to keep them well below the national average."

Shelby County Board of Education member Trey Ireland said the school system
hasn't put much emphasis on drug and alcohol prevention in middle school,
where 27.4 percent of surveyed students have consumed alcohol in the last
year and 11.5 percent have used drugs.

"Most of the emphasis has been placed on the older students," he said. "But
the survey shows us we have to start deterring drug and alcohol use in
middle schools."

School officials said they are encouraged by the high school results.
According to the survey, 53.4 percent of students have consumed alcohol in
the last year, while 22.7 percent have used drugs. Those numbers are nearly
double those of middle school students, but still dropped from last year,
when 54.4 percent of students had had alcohol and 25.5 percent had used drugs.

"It shows we are making progress through our Safe and Drug Free Schools
campaign on impacting the attitudes of students regarding drug and alcohol
usage, despite societal problems and pressures," Dickson said.

The survey, which was taken anonymously by students in grades six through
11, records the number of students who admit to drinking alcohol and using
illicit drugs, marijuana, tobacco or cigarettes on a monthly basis or
within the last year.

Dickson said 8,661 students participated in the survey.

"They don't have to put their name on the survey, so students are able to
answer truthfully without fear that anyone will know what their responses
were," Dickson said.

Shelby County schools teach chemical awareness and prevention programs in
all schools and Drug Abuse Resistance Education in elementary schools, and
schedule intensive school counseling programs such as Red Ribbon Week. The
system also conducts mandatory drug testing of students who participate in
extracurricular activities or park on school campuses, and voluntary
student drug testing through Student War Against Temptation.

S.W.A.T. is a program that started at Oak Mountain High School in 2001 when
parents, community leaders and administrators admitted there was a need for
new approaches to fighting the drug problem in schools. The program was
expanded to all Shelby County middle and high schools during the 2002-03
school year.

In S.W.A.T., students are randomly tested for drugs and alcohol, and the
results are sent to their parents. The school system never sees the
results, Dickson said.

Oak Mountain High School results since the program began show that drug use
and alcohol use at the school are well below the national averages.

"Three to four years ago, the perception was that Oak Mountain High had the
bigger problem around the county" with drugs and alcohol, Ireland said.
"The results showed that the S.W.A.T. prevention paid off."

This school year, officials will increase the frequency of using drug dogs
in the schools to search lockers and cars, Ireland said.

"Our philosophy has always been that we want to give good kids a reason to
say no," he said.