POLK ATHLETES TO BEGIN DRUG TESTING

LAKELAND - For the first time, Polk County Schools will begin
drug-testing student athletes on a large scale.

The district is one of only seven nationwide selected to receive a
grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Polk's drugtesting
program will be studied by other school districts and organizations
throughout the country.

But if you're thinking they're testing for performance-enhancing
drugs, think again.

"We won't be testing for steroids," said Ed Boos, supervisor of
prevention, health and wellness at the School District's Mark Wilcox
Center. "If we do test for steroids, it will be on a very limited
basis due to the cost."

Boos said steroid tests cost about $100 a pop. The roughly $250,000
grant will be used instead to test for recreational drugs, such as
marijuana and cocaine.

This is not the first time the county has tried drug-testing. George
Jenkins High, under then-Principal David Lauer, tested athletes from
the 1996-1997 school year though the 1999-2000 school year.

"It was a wonderful program," said Lauer, now the district's assistant
superintendent of human resources. "It was very beneficial to the
school. It clearly reduced, according to our subsequent surveys, drug
usage and drug abuse among the kids."

Boos confirmed that while testing was at George Jenkins, the number of
students using drugs dipped below the district average. But when the
program was cut because of a lack of funds, the numbers crept back
up.

"Based on the evidence, we feel it is a really good prevention
program," he said.

Lauer said testing for drugs also gave students an easy way to deal
with peer pressure. He said it was much easier for students to say no
to drugs when they knew it could keep them from playing sports or
wreck their chances for a scholarship.

Polk's new testing program will begin during the spring sports season
and continue next fall and winter. Six high schools will begin testing
this spring. And another seven will begin next year.

A random sample of 20 percent of student athletes will be tested twice
during each season. The University of South Florida will be
responsible for evaluating the data.

Dave Hallock is executive director for Families of Polk County. His
organization runs substance-abuse support groups for teens in Polk
County's Drug Court intervention program. He got the ball rolling on
drug testing in Polk schools by taking the idea to Superintendent Jim
Thornhill.

"I feel very strongly about doing this," he said. "There is a real
need to introduce accountability into the schools -- understanding
that testing itself isn't going to solve anything, but it does
identify the problem."

Lauer said he's definitely an advocate of drug testing. And he's happy
to see it return.

"It's the right thing to do for adolescents," he said. "It's a good
way for the school to help the families keep kids off drugs."

If a student is busted in Polk, he will go to the Mark Wilcox Center
for drug education and assessment. After 10 days there he may return
to school and sports. But if it is recommended he seek drug counseling
or treatment, he must do so to continue playing sports.

"It's not about punishment," Hallock said. "It's about restoration and
redemption of these kids."