SPOKANE-AREA STUDENTS HAPPY TO BE TESTED

Some 1,600 Spokane-area students at 20 high schools and middle
schools don't object to drug testing. In fact, they volunteer to be
tested randomly throughout the school year.

In return, they receive an ID card good for discounts at
participating fast food joints and other places.

They're all members of the Washington Drug-Free Youth Program, an
outreach organization of the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council.

Joining the organization "makes life a lot simpler and it gives you a
reason to remain drug free," said 17-year-old Alicia Fox, a junior at
North Central High School. She joined the movement her freshman year.

While governments grapple with ways to curb drug use among young
people and parents are finding ways to take matters in their own
hands, Fox and many of her peers think it is best that they retain
the freedom to choose whether to be tested.

"I don't think it should be mandatory because I think it's all right
to have that privacy and I don't think it's the school's priority," Fox said.

Spokane Public Schools administrators feel the same way. They believe
drug testing should be between teens and their parents, unless
there's reason to believe there's a problem, said Terren Roloff, the
district's director of community relations.

Kyle Riley, a junior at North Central High School, joined the
drug-free youth group in ninth grade.

"Drugs are the main problem that lead to most of the other things.
When you're under the influence, you don't make the right choices
most of the time," he said.

"I wanted to teach younger kids not to get into drugs, alcohol and
stuff like that," he added.

Kendra Juarez, a youth prevention specialist with WDFY, said students
like these are helping transform peers' behaviors.

"They've really gone a long way to change the norm that everyone was
drinking and using drugs," Juarez said.

And keeping clean "looks good on their resumes for jobs and
colleges," said Chuck Filippini, a North Central High School teacher
and advisor to the 100-member Students Against Destructive Decisions
group, which participates in the drug screening program.

But don't assume these kids are holier-than-thou types.

"These are cream of the crop kids. They're moving up the ladder and
they use our program to stay clean and do the right things. That's
what's really cool about this thing," said Filippini

Here's how it works: At the start of the school year, all interested
students agree to undergo drug tests. Their parents must first sign
off on the agreement.

Then, tests are randomly administered four more times during the year
to 10 percent of program participants.

If students test positive for alcohol or drugs, they and their
parents hear the news from a school advisor or counselor. School
administrators and law enforcement officials are kept out of the loop.

A 30-day probation period begins, after which students may be re-tested.

"We've had kids who stumbled and made poor choices and we're there to
pick them up and give them a second chance," said Filippini.

"We don't throw kids away. We fix them," he said.

On the Web:

Learn more about the Washington Drug-Free Youth Program at
www.gssacpreventioncenter.com/wdfy.htm