Chris Della Rocco, Greensburg
Daily News
Sometimes the best help or advice comes from someone outside the group.
This weekend, a few local students and adults hope to bring back creative and new ways to motivate Decatur County residents.
The Decatur County Drug Free Coalition is excited about its first-time event. Starting today and running through Monday, a group of high school students, two from Greensburg, two from South and one from North as well as three adults will be going to the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. The group will be a part of the first-ever Social Norm Program.
“This terrific group of kids pledged to remain free of tobacco, alcohol and drugs and they want to help others chose the same thing,” said Tonia Richards, Drug Free Director. “It is rumored a lot of today’s high school students participate in underage drinking, smoking or doing drugs. This group will be participating in creative ways to show kids it’s not the social norm.”
Students making the trip are working together in Decatur County to help teens become aware of the consequences of underage drinking, smoking and using drugs.
The group was selected by the Drug Free Committee, parents and counselors from their respective schools.
“They are such a great group because they have volunteered so much of their time for the community,” Richards explained.
This weekend’s adventure is a leadership retreat for the teens looking for creative ways to reach students back home in Decatur County. While there, students will meet with Cherokee teens who are leaders in their community. They will discuss issues Cherokee teen’s face and what anti drug efforts they make in their schools and community. The Cherokee Nation will also hold culture-learning workshops for everyone.
“There is going to be a lot of stuff jam packed into the couple days we’re there,” said Richards. “This retreat is going to be phase-one of our relationship with the Cherokees.”
Upon returning to Decatur County, the group will remain in contact with the Cherokee teens through letters until April when they will go back to Oklahoma for a culture week.
The students participating are Ben Copple, Mollye Leas, Kirsten Baltus, Trevor Kirtman, and Meredith Tarplee. The adults are Richards, Greensburg School Resource Officer LT. Bruce Copple and Lin Montgomery, Community
Consultant for the Governor’s Commission for a Drug Free Indiana.
“All the kids are really looking forward to going,” Richards said. “We hope to bring a lot of ideas back on top of the ones we already discussed here.”
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