MAY GREENE PUPILS ENJOY LOCK-IN

Terry Kitchen shouts to anyone who will listen, "I come from May Greene School." He proclaimed his claim to fame to May Greene students Friday evening.

Thirty-six students in grades four through six attended a four-hour lock-in Friday sponsored by the school's Just Say No club.

Kitchen, the school district's athletic director, and three Central High School football players were among guest speakers.

Kitchen said: "I love to boast about this. I come from May Greene School."

Like the children attending May Greene, Kitchen grew up in South Cape Girardeau.

"You are somebody," he told the students. "Don't let anybody tell you you can't make it. Don't let them tell you because you come from May Greene or the south side of Cape that you can't make it in this city."

Kitchen also told the students that no rules exist requiring them to do what others do.

"I hate to hear `Everybody does it -- Everybody goes out and drinks.' That's just not true. But, coach, haven't you ever been drunk? The answer is no."

Football player Jeremy Freeman, a senior at Cape Central, has the best grade average in his class.

"You are going to be tempted by a lot of different things," Freeman said. "People will tell you drugs and alcohol make you feel good or think good things. The problem is it will get you in a whole lot of trouble."

Freeman said he and his teammates have chosen not to drink or use drugs. "And good things are happening," he said. "And we are getting ready to go on to do more good things."

Derrick Nunley, a May Greene alum, said if friends start using drugs youngsters should find new friends. "Or just hang by yourself," he said. "If you see me sometime, I hang by myself." He would rather be alone than around people drinking or using drugs.

Gabe Jenkins said as a seventh-grader his goal was to play football. At the time, he was heavy, didn't drink and didn't do drugs. Some classmates made fun of him. By his sophomore year, he had slimmed down and made the football team. Those who poked fun at him were no longer even in school.

May Greene teacher Frank Ellis, one sponsor of May Greene's Just Say No Club, said the lock-in gave children a chance to talk with high school students

"It's good for the children to hear from individuals who are in high school," Ellis said. "They look up to those students who are a little older."

During the event, students ate pizza, played games, sang with a jazz pianist and painted T-shirts.

"We're trying to show the children that you can have fun and excitement without the use of drugs or alcohol," Ellis said.

Fifth-grader Amber Swader said it worked.

"We're here to have fun and to learn," she said. "They are telling us not to do drugs so we can have a better life and don't end up dead and don't end up in jail."

Sixth-grader Betty Wolford agreed that the lock-in was a good idea. "We get to learn not to do drugs, and we tell everybody else not to do drugs."

After enjoying a slice of pizza and a soda, fifth-grader Chris Smith smiled, "This was great."