TEENAGERS TEACH YOUNGER KIDS ABOUT DANGERS OF DRUGS, ALCOHOL

Kim Pulley did not look out of place at the head of the small classroom in the Jefferson Elementary School on Wednesday. All eyes - most eyes, anyway - were focused on Pulley as she led the class discussion.

When a question was asked, eager hands shot into the air as if the arms to which they were attached were spring loaded.

She walked up and down the isles looking upon the work of the 20 first graders in the room, smiling when young eyes met hers; offering suggestions and guidance as needed.

But Pulley is not a teacher, and the class was not focusing on spelling or arithmetic.

She's a junior at Cape Central High School, participating in a new program to teach younger students the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

"I really wanted to help kids make the right decisions about their lives," Pulley said.

Twenty-six high school students are part of the anti-drug program, which was launched Dec. 3 at Jefferson Elementary school. The program began last year when students were asked to volunteer to begin training to teach drug prevention.

The student teachers go through more than 40 hours of drug prevention and leadership training, before they begin with a real class.

Some of the Cape Central students spent a week at Camp Epworth near Ironton, to get additional training.

Angie Askew and Casi Krauss attended the summer camp.

"We learned a lot about ourselves," Krauss said. "The camp taught us a lot about motivation and self esteem."

"They also taught us about drug strategies and different forms of prevention," said Askew. "We all learned how to deal with people who were addicted to drugs or alcohol."

The students brought back the information from the camp to share with those who could not attend. The group meets once every two weeks to discuss teaching technique and share ideas about drug prevention.

"The program is unique, in that students are teaching students," said Bill Askew, director of drug prevention programming and activities in the Cape Girardeau school district. "The younger kids identify more closely with the high school students - they look up to the older kids and listen to what they're saying."

The program is offered to first, third and fifth grade students in the Cape Girardeau area. The students teach one to three days a week, a half-hour per day, during free time, lunch, study hall, physical education classes or non-core curriculum classes periods.

The first grade students like the ones in Marsha McGowen's class at Jefferson, have been following along with their instructors in a coloring book which tells the story of Wags and Freckles - two dogs that learn the lessons of alcohol abuse.

During Wednesday's lesson, Wags and Freckles had discovered a puddle of beer that had spilled from some bottles thrown out behind a bar.

During the class, Pulley - who was assisted by Rachelle Emmons and LeeAnn Hill - posed questions to the class about what to do if they saw alcohol laying around or when they saw someone drinking.

"I would just walk away," said one first grader. "I would tell them that I wanted something else to drink and that they shouldn't drink because it's bad," said another.

"Would you drink beer if someone offered it to you?" Pulley asked.

"NO!" the class answered loudly, in unison.

The young teachers said they were nicely surprised by their overwhelming reception by the students, not to mention their eager participation in the weekly sessions.

"They know a lot more than we thought," said Krauss. "We get ideas about how to teach from their responses."

Askew said that he normally videotapes the student-taught sessions.

The student teachers then view the tapes as a group, discussing style and suggesting more effective methods of conveying the anti-drug message to the students.

The high school students who attended the camp formed the group CASA - Central Against Substance Abuse - in their own school. To join, students must sign an agreement promising not to use drugs or alcohol.

The new program is only a small part of a very big picture the Cape Girardeau school district has created to convey anti-drug messages to its students.

Askew's programming is directed at all drugs, legal or prohibited.

The third grade classes learn the hazards involved with smoking tobacco. First graders learn about the addictive nature and imminent dangers of marijuana.

Programming at other levels address inhalants and prescription drug abuse, as well as the dangers of crack cocaine, heroine, LSD, cocaine and other hard-line drugs.

Attention has been recently refocused on the dangers of inhalants, which are resurfacing in Cape schools.

"With inhalants, kids can go out and buy 15 highs for a dollar," Askew said. "There's no law forbidding the sale of magic markers, spray paint or airplane glue."

Inhalants can be particularly deadly because of the abrasive, disintegrative effects the chemicals have on the lungs, and the swelling that can be caused in the brain.

Inhalants also cause oxygen levels in the blood to be depleted, cutting the transfer to vital organs.

School systems across the country are beginning an evaluation process to determine the effectiveness or the saturation level of the drug message they are trying to convey to their students.

"It's really going to be too early to see much of a difference," Askew said. "But we're going to continue to send the message out."

That message is conveyed in several different forms and aimed at all levels of Cape area schools, but Askew admits that the programs are more effective with younger people.

When students enter junior high and high school, peer pressure steps in along with delusions of omnipotence, making older students difficult to reach.

But the school system does have support and after care programs for students who develop drug problems and wish to seek treatment.