Valuable Partnership/Grant to Fund Substance Abuse Project
Valuable Partnership/Grant to Fund Substance Abuse Project
Expositor By Vincent Ball Expositor Staff/Brantford
St. Leonard’s has received a $500 boost from the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police to launch a Youth Substance Abuse Prevention and Awareness project.
The grant will be used to make a DVD that will teach kids how to deal with stereotypes concerning drinking. The DVD is being produced by Assumption College School students as part of their communications technology class.
“This is a valuable partnership and a great opportunity for the students,” teacher Michael Olech said. “Students will get credit, will have something put to put on their resume and to add to their portfolio.”
The focus of the DVD is harm reduction versus abstinence “Young people are going to drink. The message is to be responsible,” said Grade 12 student Corri Hammond, who is co-managing the film production. Hammond also wrote the script.
Richard Dignard, another Grade 12 student, is also a project manager for the DVD, which is being directed by Nicholas Guthrie, also a Grade 12 student. The DVD will feature a cast of Assumption College Students.
Plans call for the DVD to be distributed in the fall by addictions and mental health counselors from St. Leonard`s through in-school programs aimed at reducing substance abuse among students from Grade 5 to 12.
Funding for the program was raised through the sale of the magazine “Not for Adults” at A & P, Dominion and Food Basics stores throughout Ontario.
