YOUNG STUDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE IN SAMMAMISH

It is not often that the wider community gets to hear the opinions of
children on an issue that affects them - drug and alcohol abuse.

But thanks to a partnership between the Renaissance School of Art and
Reasoning (RSAR) in Sammamish, and AmeriCorps, students in the seventh,
eighth and ninth grades are speaking out on what they know about drugs.

As part of the 2 1/2 month project, AmeriCorps volunteers and RSAR
students looked closely at the Sammamish community, its needs and its
resources, and ways in which they could take action on a specific
community concern.

The students wanted to focus on drug and alcohol abuse in their community,
and specifically educating younger students before they entered junior
high and high school.

When they learned that school policies prohibited them from going into
elementary schools to talk to the younger students directly, the RSAR
students, though discouraged, decided to take their voices to the media.

Below are excerpts from a number of their letters, submitted to the
Sammamish and Issaquah Reporter.

"I feel there is not enough information about this topic in the lives of
elementary school kids.

I also think there are not enough patrols, and awareness in the "adult
world" of where drugs are sold and what goes on in the lives of junior
high and high school students.

I personally have not had any large encounters with drugs or alcohol, but
I know a bunch of people who deal with that every day.

There needs to be more patrols and enforcement on these topics.

There are many places that are unknown to parents and policemen, where
drugs and alcohol are being abused."

Haley

"We feel the control of alcohol and drug abuse is not fairing too well.

We know of the two police patrols roaming the city, but we have
suggestions as to where to check for drug and alcohol activity - behind
the Sammamish Library, Safeway, Saffron, and the Eastlake High School, for
example, are just some of the hot spots that kids feel uncomfortable to
pass.

One idea we had was to inform younger kids of the dangers they may face
when they get to junior high,

They may say 'no' more firmly if they know ahead of time what drugs and
alcohol can do to them.

We also thought of informing the public more openly about what they live
near and what happens every day."

Gabby

"Once in a while when I walk to school I see someone doing drugs.

I go to school behind the Eastlake baseball field which is a short cut.

When I pass by the drug users I feel uncomfortable.

People are using drugs not very far away from schools, and there are
police not far away.

I feel it is the city's duty to get rid of drug users."

Student - unsigned