Hi(R)GRND WEB INITIATIVE WINS CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP

The Fraser-Cascade school district recently announced the addition of
a new corporate sponsor, the BC Transmission Corporation (BCTC).

BCTC contributed $10,000 to take the Hi(R)GRND web initiative as a
step toward substance abuse prevention and education and creating
resiliency in our youth.

The funding will provide prevention-based workshops for students from
Grade 7 all the way up to adults. Further, this funding will enable
the district to work with Grade 10 students in learning about
prevention through developing a new skill. Students will create
commercials through collaborative classes which include learning about
substance dangers and realities, script writing, filming, acting,
laying track, editing, adding music and uploading content to the site
through the site administration.

The website features videos starring local teen heroes who choose to
tell their own stories. They reveal how they got started with drugs,
what it's like to become addicted and how they kicked the habit. There
is also a Comeback challenge game and links to community resources
related to substance abuse.

Schools in the district offer opportunities for students to create
their own videos about their stories to upload to the site.

Once online, they compete in video challenges by going viral where
others can vote on their favorites through social networks, like
Facebook and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/hrgrnddotca).

The site serves as a platform of collaboration for teens to create
various forms of online content where they can contribute to bringing
about societal change.

By using their own stories to reach out to their peers, they provide
inspiration and guidance in a friendly learning space as they help
others move towards a drug free future.

This immersive website will equip young people with the information
and encouragement they need in order to remain drug free as they
encounter illicit drug use opportunities in day to day life.