WARREN HILLS EXAMINES EXPANDED DRUG TESTING

Like neighboring high schools, Warren Hills Regional School District
officials are considering a widespread random drug-testing program at
their high school.

Voluntary drug testing for high school athletes has long been in
place at Warren Hills, but an expanded program being considered would
require all athletes and students who participate in clubs or who
park their cars on campus to be tested. Hackettstown, North
Hunterdon, Voorhees and Hunterdon Central high schools have identical
drug-testing programs.

"As a deterrent, it's important," Warren Hills Superintendent Peter
Merluzzi said. "We're not any different from any school drugs and
alcohol are a part of the culture, though not a great percentage, thankfully."

Warren Hills officials have wanted widespread random drug testing for
many years, Merluzzi said, but they waited until the court battle
over Hunterdon Central's drug-testing program was finished. The New
Jersey Supreme Court in 2003 upheld the district's program.

Warren Hills will hold public forums on expanding its drug-testing
program this spring with hopeful implementation in the fall, Merluzzi said.

Drug testing has so far been effective in deterring drug use among
the school's athletes in the voluntary program, Principal Thomas
O'Brien said. About 600 of the school's 900 athletes are in the
program and in the past year, only one athlete has tested positive,
he said. O'Brien said he did not know which drug the student tested
positive for.

"It gives them an opportunity to say, 'No, the activities I'm
involved in are more important,'" O'Brien said.

Some parents attending sporting events at the high school Thursday
night said they support random drug testing.

"I think it's a good idea. If they have nothing to hide, then why not
do it?" said Sandy Havrisko, of Mansfield Township. Her son, Andrew,
a basketball player, is in the school's voluntary drug-testing program.

Other student athletes who are in the testing program had mixed
feelings about it.

"That's all right because athletes shouldn't be doing drugs anyway,
it messes up their play," said sophomore basketball player Lorenz
Gomez, 15, a Washington resident.

Cheerleaders Erica Washkwich and Emily Loth said they saw some merit
in the drug testing, but also had some concerns regarding privacy.

"It could be a good idea because athletes really shouldn't be on
drugs," said Washkwich, 16, a junior from Washington Township. "It's
making people be a lot more cautious."

"It's also a personal decision," chimed in Loth, a 16-year-old
sophomore from Mansfield.