CHOIR, BAND STUDENTS TO BE TESTED FOR DRUGS

PASCAGOULA - Choir and band students will undergo the same random drug
testing now performed on athletes in the Pascagoula School District, the
School Board decided Tuesday night.

District officials said their policies had not been updated in years, and
that both athletes and choir and band students are classified the same by
the Mississippi High School Activities Association. The district has been
drug testing athletes since the 1990-91 school year.

"If you are a student representing our school in activities like that, then
you should be a leader, be tested and held up to a little bit higher
standard," said Paige Roberts, district spokeswoman. "And it is a safety
issue."

More than 3,000 district athletes are eligible for the testing, Roberts
said, but no more than 10 percent of them actually receive a test. The
district spends about $5,000 a year on the program, which is designed to
prevent drug abuse and educate students about the dangers of illegal drugs.

Roberts said district officials believe the drug tests have been effective
over the years, largely because parents become involved after a student
fails a drug test.

In other business, the board recognized two dozen students for earning
perfect scores on the state Subject Area Tests. A breakdown of the
students, by subject area:

Algebra I: Brittany Johnson, Brandon Simpson, Gautier High School; Sandi
Brushaber, Aaron Chu, John Moore, Pascagoula High School; Evan Tyler, Amy
Johnson, Colmer Middle School; Sara Hanson, Gautier Middle School; Jessica
Bosarge, Marquale Fields, Audrey Hughes, Jamee Jones, Caroline McCormick,
Drew Overby and Francisco Velasquez, Trent Lott Middle School.

Biology I: Hanna Skewes, Gautier High School; Donovan McMurray, Pascagoula
High School.

U.S. History: Jordan Guy, Chris Miller, Adam Pearson, Genna Steadman,
Gautier High School; Jacob Foster, Justin Lovorn and Erin Smith, Pascagoula
High School.