GREENVILLE — We Are The Majority Teen, and Greenville High School (GHS) senior Will Coomer told Greenville fifth through eighth-grade students that every positive decision they make will positively impact their lives.
Coomer was one of the speakers during a presentation Monday morning, at the K-8 Facility, in Greenville. The school received a $3,000 grant from the Coalition for a Healthy Darke County. The money from the Coalition and from other sponsors facilitated the presentation, and future activities, to help the students learn about drug prevention and making good choices. The same day, a walk, led by Greenville Elementary School Counselor Katy Copas took place with the elementary students. As part of the sponsorship, each student was given a t-shirt with a positive message, which they wore at the activities.
We Are The Majority is a county-wide peer-led group comprised of drug and alcohol-free “majority teens,” who are interested in spreading on-going awareness. The group is under the facilitation of Prevention Specialist Kelly Harrison through Recovery and Wellness Centers of Midwest Ohio. Greenville fifth through eighth-grade Counselor Tiffany Fine said the presentation was a kick-off to additional activities to take place throughout the year, including classroom instruction.
“We have come together to make a stand of how it is important to ourselves, our families, our friends, our school and our community,” Fine said to the students. “Many of you know of someone that has been impacted by the misuse of alcohol, illegal drugs and prescription drugs. You may also know someone who has been or is impacted by mental health concerns. The change starts here. We make the decision that we are worth it for making good choices, the most important being drug, alcohol and tobacco free.”
Other speakers included: GHS Senior Grace Coakley, We Are The Majority Facilitator Kelly Harrison, GHS Graduate and college freshman Cassie Rapier and Greenville Middle School Principal Chris Mortensen.
We Are the Majority Teen and Seventh-grade student Emma Tanner said she was excited that the school had the presentation.
“I know there have been drug issues in our community,” she said. “It’s really good to have this type of assembly, because if we can prevent the people our age from getting into drugs, alcohol and tobacco, then we can prevent a lot more of the stuff that is happening in our communities today.”
Greenville City School District Superintendent Doug Fries described the fifth through eighth grade presentation as tremendous.
“We’re in a time period that this is an important message for us all,” he said. “It is important for young people and adults that we continue to do everything that we can in our community, state and our nation, to promote making proper decisions and turning away from the use of drugs and alcohol. We certainly appreciate the work of We Are the Majority, and the district is in full support of everything they do. I want to thank the members of their committee, including Kelly Harrison with her work. It is very much appreciated, and I like the way that she ties the community into the schools with this program. I am very proud of the number of students that have made an active choice to be a part of this, and I think it is something that we as staff members, parents and community members want to continue, to play our part in influencing these kids to make the right decisions and help support them. I also want to thank Tiffany Fine and Katy Copas, for everything they do with our school to tie us into that important message.”
Darke County Chamber of Commerce and the Coalition for a Healthy Darke County President Sharon Deschambeau said, “The Coalition believes that by providing consistent, age appropriate, evidence-based substance abuse prevention education for all students, beginning in kindergarten, we can change the culture in Darke County.”
The Coalition board of directors offered all of the county schools grants for substance abuse prevention education, awarding a total of $21,000 to multiple schools for the 2017-18 school year, Deschambeau said. The recent Substance Abuse Prevention Education grants to local schools were made possible through support from the following: Matt and Angie Arnold, the Coalition for a Healthy Darke County, Darke County United Way, Wayne and Sharon Deschambeau, Premier Health, Ramco Electric Motors, Rotary Club of Greenville, Second National Bank, Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services, Wayne HealthCare and Wayne HealthCare Foundation.
In addition to the Coalition, and We are the Majority, other sponsors for Greenville K-8 anti-drug events/activities are as follows: Cavalier Clothing; American Title Resources, Inc.; Beauty Systems Group/CosmoProf; Bolyard Heating & Cooling, Inc.; Brethren Retirement Community; Bunch Roofing Company; CARR Supply; Dave Knapp Ford Lincoln, Inc.; F45 Training-Greenville; Drs. Dickman, Kettler & Bruner, Inc.; G & G Floor Fashions, Inc., Greenville Car Wash, LLC; Greenville Middle School Parent Teacher Association; Greenville National Bank; Hittle Buick-GMC, Inc.; JAFE Decorating, Inc.; Jim Gable Insurance Agency, Inc./State Farm; Kevin Flory Landscaping and Lawn Care, Inc.; Keplinger Insurance Agency, Inc.; Lee’s Home Remodeling; Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe; McCabe Painting Service, Inc.; MJS Platics, Inc.; Ruble’s Painting & Rental Services, Inc.; Second National Bank; SVG Chevrolet; Western Ohio Podiatric Medical Center; Young Forest Martial Arts; the principals, teachers, staff and students of Greenville City School District.
