JUST SAY NO

Centennial School Holds Yearly Addictions Awareness Week

This week Centennial School in Stonewall held its yearly Addictions
Awareness Week.

This year the theme was 'the courage to be me' which also focused on
mental wellness.

Bonnie Davies, guidance counsellor at Centennial, said this year's
addictions awareness week went well and students were very responsive to it.

"More than anything, this week is to educate, that is the biggest
piece," said Davies. "It's so kids can learn about drugs, dealing
with peer pressure and how to say no".

Davies said the school wanted to promote healthy lifestyles and not
just focus on the drugs and negative things.

"Prevention is the most important thing at this age," said Davies.

All week long students took part in activities that encouraged inner
strength and mental wellness. The whole week was a spirit week and
everyday had a different theme which celebrated a different aspect of wellness.

Monday celebrated fitness, and every student was asked to wear their
favourite sports jersey. Tuesday was for strength and it had the
motto - see red, say no. Students were asked to wear red and everyone
who did received a ribbon with a positive message printed on it from
their student council.Wednesday was to celebrate differences and it
was a fun day for kids to wear their clothes backwards .

Thursday, the final day, was to celebrate caring and students were
encouraged to bring food for the food bank or Christmas Cheer Board.

Students also had special lessons with their teachers or health
teachers this week on some aspect of addiction. Davies said they
mainly dealt with drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.

Parents also received an informative and educational pamphlet about
crystal meth.

Davies feels the addictions awareness week is a yearly success and
very necessary.

"Even if you educate only a handful, it's a handful, and that's
better than before."