SCHOOLS ADD NEW DRUG PREVENTION SERVICE

Six-Week Sessions to Begin Feb. 13 in Plymouth-Canton

PLYMOUTH -- Plymouth-Canton students soon will have a third option for drug
prevention now that an Ann Arbor-based nonprofit organization plans to
launch services in the area.

Spectrum, a drug prevention program provided through the nonprofit group
HelpSource, will offer a series of seminars to local youth on the dangers
of drugs starting Feb. 13. The six-week sessions will be a forum for
students not only to learn about the dangers of drugs, but also to talk
about peer pressure and other issues.

The Plymouth-Canton school district already offers two popular prevention
programs, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) and Teaching Educating and
Mentoring (TEAM).

However, the Spectrum program is broad based, officials said.

"We want to touch on every aspect (of their lives)," said Dana Fudge, a
substance abuse prevention specialist. "It's not just about the drug, but
about what's going on in your life and how we can help you make better
decisions."

The seminars will begin next week at the HelpSource office, 684 Deer
Street. Typical candidates for the sessions have had run-ins with the legal
system and have been caught possessing alcohol or marijuana.

The program emphasizes education and not recovery.

The courses cost $75 and students receive certificates at the end of six
weeks. The seminars are geared toward adolescents ages 14-17. No more than
15 students will be enrolled in the courses because the teens seem to
respond better in smaller groups, Fudge said.

Like Spectrum, the Michigan State Police's TEAM program also goes beyond
drugs, addressing topics ranging from personal safety and anger management
to problem solving.

Plymouth parent Shelley Olexsey said she is glad that she has a lot to
choose from when it comes to drug education.

The DARE program, founded in 1983 by the Los Angeles Police Department,
focuses exclusively on drug awareness and prevention. It has been
criticized for its ineffectiveness.

"If (Spectrum) could help even a couple of kids, it would be worth it,"
Olexsey said.

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About the Program

Spectrum is a prevention agency that is run through Ann Arbor-based
nonprofit HelpSource. The six-session seminar on the dangers of drugs will
be offered Feb. 13 through March 20 at the HelpSource office at 684 Deer in
Plymouth. Participants must complete all six sessions, and the cost for the
program is $75.

The seminars are geared toward students ages 14 to 17. Typical candidates
have had run-ins with the legal system and are referred by the court
system. Parents and school districts can also refer students for the program.