STUDENTS LEARN TO SAY NO TO DRUGS DURING PROGRAM

TERRE HAUTE -- On Friday, some fourth-graders at Deming Elementary
glued together a paper "strategy cube" that gave them six ways to
say no to tobacco, alcohol and drugs.

If a so-called friend tried to pressure them, they could just say no
or simply walk away.

They could use the broken record approach and say, no, no, no, again
and again.

They could ignore the person who wants them to do something they
shouldn't; they could come up with a better idea or they could make an excuse.

The children were participating in a drug prevention and education
program called "Too Good for Drugs," presented by the Mental Health
Association.

The five-lesson program will be presented to fourth-graders in all
Vigo County School Corp. elementary schools.

A more in-depth Too Good for Drugs program also will be presented to
all school district seventh-graders, said Michele Stromberger,
Mental Health Association youth director, who presented Friday's
program along with Heather Meadors, the association's youth coordinator.

"It's all goal-oriented," Stromberger said. She asks students to
think about short- and long-term goals and how using drugs, alcohol
or tobacco could prevent them from reaching those goals.

The program focuses on building five life skills: goal setting;
decision making; bonding with others; identifying and managing
emotions; and communicating effectively.

On Thursday, the fourth-graders in Elizabeth Thomas' class talked
about their different goals. One girl wants to be a basketball
player, another a veterinarian. A third student wants to be a movie star.

On Friday, the class talked about peer pressure and strategies to
resist that peer pressure. They made the strategy cube and did some
role-playing.

At one point, Stromberger portrayed the "best friend" pressuring
students to smoke a cigarette. Fourth-grader Tyler Cox portrayed one
of her friends, and he used the "broken record" strategy:

"Do you want a cigarette?" she asked. "No," Cox said.

"Come on," Stromberger insisted. The answer again, was, "No."

"You won't be cool if you don't," Stromberger said. Cox responded, "No."

"Just one time?" she asked. "No."

"Everyone's doing it," she said. "No," Cox persisted.

Stromberger told the class to put the cube someplace where they'll
see it every day.

Too Good for Drugs has been designated a model program by the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

After Friday's program, Cox said he wants to be a chef someday and
he knows that using drugs, alcohol or tobacco "can do really bad
things" to your health.

If a best friend tried to pressure him to use any of those
substances, "I might have to find a new friend," he said.

Chelsea Miller wants to be a professional soccer player and knows
that using drugs, alcohol and cigarettes could put an end to that goal.

She recognizes that someone who would pressure her to use those
substances is probably not much of a friend. "I don't want a friend
if they are a bad influence on me," she said.

The Vigo County School Corp. has a contract with the Mental Health
Association to provide the highly recommended program, said Ray
Azar, school district director of student services.

The district uses funds from its Safe and Drug Free Schools grant,
which has been cut about 20 percent this year and has steadily
declined in recent years, he said.

The program is one of several the school district uses to help
students learn the dangers of cigarettes, alcohol and drugs, he said.