HELPING YOUTH IN THE 'RACE AGAINST DRUGS'

WASAUKSING - Two years ago, Dave Munroe asked himself what he could do
to help reduce abuse of drugs and alcohol among youth in Wasauksing
First Nation.

His solution was in action this week as Wasauksing - in partnership
with Shawanaga and Magnetawan First Nations - hosted Racing Against
Drugs, a drug and alcohol awareness program, created by the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police, that travels to schools to educate children
about making healthy and drug-free lifestyle choices.

"Our goal is to empower kids to make the decisions that are best for
them . If they have some awareness about them, they can make proper
decisions," said Mr. Munroe, who along with a team of 20, organized
and raised $5,000 to run the free program that took place this week at
the Wasauksing community complex.

Mr. Munroe and his team invited 477 students in grades four to six
from 11 local schools - both on and off the reserve - to participate
in the half-day workshops.

Designed for preteens, Racing Against Drugs has been available to
schools in Ontario since 1994, said Cpl. Cheryle Hayden, from the
RCMP. "That's the age group studies have shown has a greater chance of
getting the message before they've made some not-so-good choices."

Wearing free T-shirts, kids were assigned groups and zipped through
eight-minute interactive work stations where they learned about topics
such as drunk driving, youth gangs, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
and crystal meth - issues that Mr. Munroe says Wasauksing First Nation
youth encounter at younger ages each year.

The community decides what topics they want to present to the
students, but the pit stop workshops must be interactive, said Cpl.
Hayden, since students tend learn better that way.

"It has a lasting impression on kids," she added.

Cpl. Hayden visits schools afterward to hand out trophies to schools
that win the workshop's culminating competition - an energetic
electronic car race on a giant track. "They're talking about it.
They're talking about it with their families."

This was the second time Wasauksing hosted Racing Against Drugs. The
program will be held in Magnetawan next year.