Staff report
GREENVILLE — On Monday, April 10, approximately 850 Greenville High School (GHS) students in grades 9-12 will attend assemblies to learn about addiction and substance abuse such as alcohol, marijuana, pain medication and heroin. The Coalition for a Healthy Darke County (Coalition) has organized a program in conjunction with GHS Principal Jeff Cassell that will provide scientific data, evidence-based information, and youth-led prevention dialog.
The student assembly speakers include Greenville graduate Anna Hatic, D.O., Board Certified Internal Medicine, Family Health; Timothy Kathman, M.D., Internal Medicine, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Wayne HealthCare and Darke County Coroner; Darke County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Mark Whittaker; and, the youth-led student group Darke County We Are The Majority under the direction of Kelly Harrison Prevention Specialist, Recovery and Wellness of Midwest Ohio.
The same evening in the GHS cafeteria at 6:30 p.m., the Coalition will host a Community Conversation on Youth Substance Abuse Education and Prevention. Parents, teachers, school board members, and concerned citizens are encouraged to attend to hear a similar message that is presented to students. The evening event is open to the public and program information is oriented toward adults.
Additional evening speakers will be Arcanum-Butler graduate Alisha Reiss, M.D., General Surgeon, Wayne HealthCare and Ian Ridgeway, Prevention and Wellness Coordinator, Tri County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services.
Ridgeway will present a unique program called Hidden In Plain Sight, a traveling awareness program designed to help parents of teens recognize unfamiliar hazards. It is an interactive awareness event for parents, caretakers, educators, and community members. Participants will have the opportunity to be guided through a simulated teenager’s bedroom that contains 50+ items that may be indicative of dangerous and risky behaviors.
On Monday, May 15, 1,000 Greenville Elementary students K-4 will also learn age-appropriate substance abuse education and prevention during school assemblies. The speaker and assembly programs are funded through collaborative grant dollars from the Coalition, Darke County United Way and Greenville Rotary.
A student assembly presentation organized by the Coalition is encouraged and available to all Darke County school districts free of charge upon request.
“The Coalition believes in delivering a consistent message to youth that drugs can devastate their lives and destroy their futures. We need to share that message whenever and wherever there is a teachable moment,” said Sharon Deschambeau, president, Darke County Chamber of Commerce and Coalition.
Sponsors for the Coalition events are the Darke County Chamber of Commerce, Darke County Coroner’s Office, Darke County Sheriff’s Office, Darke County United Way, Family Health, Greenville Rotary, Premier Health, Recovery and Wellness of Midwest Ohio, Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services, and Wayne HealthCare.
Visit the Coalition website at CoalitionDarkeCounty.com for local resources, to donate or join the Coalition, call 937-548-2102 or email [email protected] The Coalition is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
