Summer is officially here, and upcoming 6th graders from schools across Anderson County had an exciting and informative kick-off to their summer break at the Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D.) Summer Camp. The camp was in session from May 27th to May 31st, and ASAP had the opportunity to participate in the fun! Throughout the week, students met emergency personnel from around Anderson County such as the Clinton City Fire Department and Anderson County Rescue, and they learned about the dangers of substance misuse and how to say no to pressure to partake in substance misuse. Our prevention coordinators, Savannah Meade and Sara Coley Bean, communications intern, Madison Moore, and Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition prevention coordinator, Ashley Freeburg, gave presentations to the students about medication safety, marijuana, vaping, and underage drinking.
Our prevention coordinator, Sara, shared that it is important to talk with kids at this age about substance misuse saying, “They already understand what these things are or have seen them, and the earlier we start, the better long-term prevention will be.”
The students were very engaged during the presentations and they were excited to participate in interactive activities that our ASAP staff included in the presentations. The medication safety presentation activity used vinegar mixed with baking soda, baking powder, and sugar to represent what can happen when misusing medications. The marijuana presentation activity had students blow up balloons with different-sized straws to demonstrate how vaping can narrow airways and impact breathing. The underage drinking presentation used eggs and isopropyl alcohol to help students visualize the impact of alcohol on brain cells.
It is important to have early and often talks with youth to help prevent substance misuse and make sure they know the dangers of substance misuse on their developing brains. If you want to look into more resources on how to talk to the youth in your life, visit our resource page. Middle and high school students who want to get involved in prevention activities and programs can check out our Youth Ambassador Coalition (YAC) to help put together prevention programs within their own schools and help ASAP with initiatives like our LEAD activities.
A big thank you to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office for having us back at LEAD Camp!