METH PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS GAINS WIDER AUDIENCE

A program on methamphetamine designed to reach elementary students at the
third- and fourth-grade levels was the focus of a presentation two
Southeast Missouri State University professors made this week at Gov. Bob
Holden's methamphetamine summit in Kansas City.

Dr. John Wade and professor Linda Keena were also appointed to serve on the
Missouri Methamphetamine Task Force.

The program Wade and Keena presented, Meth Education for Elementary
Schools, or MEDFELS, was developed about four years ago. They were invited
to help with the program "Life or Meth," which was originally targeted at
students age 16 and up in Kansas City and Cape Girardeau.

They later decided to start drug education at the third- and fourth-grade
levels and applied for grant money from the multi-agency Midwest
High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, the Missouri Department of Public
Safety and Southeast Missouri State University.

Wade said the demonstration in Kansas City resulted in a large turnout of
people who were unaware of the program despite its earlier success.

"We had people come up afterward from the Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education, Missouri School Board Association, the Safe Schools
Program," Wade said. "They were thrilled and asked 'Where has this been,
why didn't I know it was out there.'"

MEDFELS is designed to complement other drug education programs, such as DARE.

"One of the problems with drug prevention education is that it tends to be
a one-time happening," Wade said. "It has to be constant and continuous and
complementary."

Wade said the program works because it teaches children cause and effect --
the results of making choices.

"You can't hammer a third-grader on the head with meth," he said. "You have
to show them that ingesting something made from anhydrous ammonia, pills
and ether is not good for you."

The MEDFELS program illustrates for the children how use of methamphetamine
is a choice that not only affects them physically, but it has effects on
their families and the community.

Keena will begin teaching a MEDFELS session next week in the Jackson
schools, Wade said, and the Kelly School District in Benton, Mo., has asked
to have another session at the middle school level. Wade said he hopes more
people will take an interest in MEDFELS now that the word is out.

"I told Linda to pack her suitcase; she may be going on the road quite a
bit," he said. "We are excited about it."