BREAKFAST CLUB SERVES A BOUNTY OF INFORMATION

Once a month, a hungry group of 7th and 8th graders at Larsen Middle School
in Elgin meet for breakfast to enjoy doughnuts, milk and juice. But they
leave the Breakfast Club with more than just their appetite satisfied.
They're mentally fulfilled as well.

The Breakfast Club started in 1990 as another way to promote a drug- and
alcohol-free lifestyle, but today the 50 to 60 students learn tactics
first-hand to prevent drug, alcohol and gang involvement. Students hear
speakers on those issues and set up mock situations in which they practice
saying no to drugs and alcohol. They also watch videotapes on related
topics during the 50-minute breakfast, said club coordinator Connie
O'Kelley.

"You learn lessons to help you in the future about what not to do," said
Allison Schacht, 13. "Peer pressure is pretty high. I see drugs going on. I
feel I know what I should do to avoid the situation."

Added Lindsey Perry, 13: "I come to the Breakfast Club every month because
I don't want to mess up my life using drugs. This club is a preventative
measure."

O'Kelley said the club is all about good decision-making. "We want them to
fight peer pressure and select good friends," she said.

Students do other activities as well. They participate in national Red
Ribbon Week, which promotes drug-free living, and sponsor dances that
attract 300 students. There are also activities that involve parents in
promoting healthy living, O'Kelley said.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson