Sixth grade students at Fisher Elementary school are learning to “Stay on Track” and away from drugs and alcohol.
For the past six weeks, the students have been studying four different pieces of drugs and alcohol and prevention.
The four different areas are health education, decision making and goal setting, improving communication and the influence of the media.
Sgt. Paulette Gardner taught the final three weeks of the class, which is offered through the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, says this is a brand new program.
“This is the first year in schools and it’s a great program,” Gardner said.
The state-funded program has been introduced in seven schools this year and reaches just about 500 students.
“If I can just affect one kid I’ll be happy,” Gardner said.
The program is more then just a sit-down class with notes and lectures, it’s interactive for the students and the teacher, Gardner said.
“It’s great to be able to connect with the kids on that level,” Gardner said. “And to see them asking questions and getting involved is great.”
The program was taught to all sixth grade students at Fisher Elementary. One of the sixth-grade teachers, Michelle Norwich, says the students had to make posters as part of the program with a unique slogan on them about staying away from drugs and alcohol.
“It had to be something that you don’t hear everyday,” Norwich said.
Some students were then chosen as winners of the poster contest and received a camoflauge National Guard shirt.
“Some of the slogans they came up with were really great,” Norwich said. “It was very interactive and the students were very involved in it.”
Norwich said this program was suggested by principal Colleen Vetere and was taking the place of the DARE program, which Fisher no longer has.
Leigh Phillips, one of Norwich’s students said her favorite part of the class was the charades.
“We had to guess the feelings people were acting out,” she said. “It was fun.”
Fellow classmate, Aaron Hicks, agreed that his favorite part was also the charades.
Aaron said he learned a lot from the class that he didn’t already know.
“People can die from the first drink of alcohol,” he said. “And the only thing that can sober people is time.”
Gardner said she hopes to come back to Mohawk and continue this program for many years and the National Guard hopes to expand the program to seventh and eighth grades.