STUDENTS DISCUSS DRUGS WITH WASHINGTON LEADERS

Local high school students and adults concerned about substance abuse in
Iowa communities packed their bags and took their concerns to Washington to
voice their opinions to Iowa politicians.

A group of five high school students and four adults representing the Youth
and Shelter Services and its Story County Teen Task Force flew to
Washington for the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Conference,
where they joined 2,000 other youth and adults Jan. 20-22.

Students suggested bringing drug dogs into schools and banning smoking at
football games.

The group from Story County met with Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Rep. Tom
Latham, R-Iowa, and the staff of Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, to discuss issues
the students felt were important to young Iowans.

The group focused on substance abuse, particularly of tobacco, and feeling
safe in their schools.

"We'd tell them what we wanted to speak with them about, and then they'd
ask questions and we'd fill them in as best we could," said Evan Rickels,
sophomore at Gilbert High School.

Denise Denton, a Youth and Shelter Services prevention specialist and
lecturer in health and human performance, specializes in drug education,
she said she went on the trip to answer technical questions about drug and
alcohol trends and effects.

Julie Hibben, community youth development specialist for Youth and Shelter
Services, coordinated most of the trip. She said she likes working with the
Teen Task Force because she believes young people can make a difference.

"They're the ones facing peer pressure and living it day to day in the
schools," Hibben said.

The Teen Task Force meets twice monthly and is involved in the Just
Eliminate Lies project to raise awareness of the effects of tobacco use.

Christina Running, a junior at Roland-Story High School, said the
conference was the first opportunity she has had to interact with people
from across the country.

"You see the points of view of the people who live in your state and then
talk to people who live in larger cities and you see a whole different
view," Running said.

Rickels said some photographs of a marijuana user's brain made a large
impact on him. He said a speaker told the Iowa group that doctors said the
damage was equal to that of someone who experienced multiple strokes.

The trip was funded through grants, donations and the youth development
budget of Youth and Shelter Services.

Denton said the students will also report to the Prevention Policy Board on
their experiences.