6th Grade Annual Drug Store Event
March 22, 2021
Digital Drug Store Presentation for Sixth Graders
Each year, Coronado SAFE collaborates with CMS to host the annual DRUG STORE event for 6th graders. This school year, the in-person event is not possible and Coronado SAFE has worked with CMS to offer a virtual presentation on Monday, March 22 during T3.
The Key of Excellence for March is THIS IS IT! which focuses on building habits of self-awareness and taking positive action in the moment. In line with the Key of Excellence, the goal of this presentation is to offer students important information about healthy decision making and the consequences (developmental, medical and legal among others) of drug and alcohol use.
Details of the presentation and its contributors can be found below. The T3 presentation will be followed by an evening zoom parent Coffee Talk event (“Talking to Your Kids About Drugs”) hosted by SAFE. Details below.
Coronado SAFE- Drug Store 2021
On a community level, we choose 6th grade as a target for the Drug Store program because it is a time before student’s beliefs about drug and alcohol use are solidified. We know that attitudes towards drugs and alcohol are important predictors of behavior, so our goal is to provide this important information to students as those attitudes are being developed. We also know the adolescent period 6th graders are entering is a particularly vulnerable period for drug use and addiction:
- 9 out of 10 people with substance abuse problems began using drugs before age 18.
- People who begin using any addictive substance before age 15 are six and a half times as likely to develop a substance use disorder as those who delay use until age 21 or older (28.1 percent vs. 4.3 percent).
- Introducing toxic substances during adolescent brain development creates long-lasting changes in brain structure and reactivity to reward circuitry.
While the larger Drug Store Program is a good one, we know the role of parents in drug and alcohol education is even more important, especially in the context of changing laws and public opinion around substance use. Research is clear that parents/guardians have the most power to prevent harm and that the biggest deterrent for young is concern about disappointing their parents. While law enforcement and therapy have a role, it is trusted, caring and knowledgeable adults who can help children learn to thrive in a world where recreational intoxication is part of life as a source of pleasure as well as risk. Please take the opportunity to engage your children in conversations about drugs and alcohol on an ongoing basis.
The 2021 Drug Store is a modified experience for our 6th graders. We will compress a considerable amount of information into pre-packaged segmented videos that allow the students to explore different aspects of drug and alcohol use/ misuse. This year’s Drug Store will cover the purpose of this exercise, the legal aspects of drug use/ misuse, the physical aspects, as well as the social aspects.
~10-15- minute interview with Samantha Lowie, MSW. Samantha Lowie is an SDSU graduate. She is currently a therapist and mental health clinician at Vista Hill Bridges Teen Recovery Center. Social work and helping others has always been her deepest passion, especially working with youth and teens! In her free time, she enjoys cooking, being outside, and hanging out with friends and her dog Axle. Samantha will discuss:
- What makes the Drug Store so impactful
- Why 6th grade is the specific focus for this program
- Some facts and myths about drug and alcohol use/ misuse
- What 6th graders need to know
- What can students do to focus on making safe decisions?
~7- minute presentation from Grace Del Bagno, SRO, CPD. Officer Grace Del Bagno is the Coronado Police Department School Resource Officer. Her responsibilities include enforcement in and around the schools, being a liaison between the schools and the police department, and educating the city’s youth about laws, leadership, and sound decision making. Officer Del Bagno has held this position for almost 3 of her 4.5 years at Coronado PD. Grace will discuss:
- Police focus on rehabilitation
- Possibility of inadvertent overdose and statistics
- Importance of recreational activities
- “The opposite of addiction is connection”
~10-minute presentation from Cheyanne Contreras, Pharmacist, SHARP Coronado. Cheyanne Contreras, PharmD currently serves as the Safe Medication Practice pharmacist at Sharp Coronado Hospital. She leads efforts in process improvement as related to medication errors. Cheyanne has worked for Sharp Coronado for over 8 years and has received her Six Sigma Yellow Belt. She also serves as a facilitator in the system-wide CAREforYou program helping peers through difficult times. Cheyanne is passionate about the DrugStore program because she enjoys educating the youth and ensuring they have tools to make important life decisions. In her free time, she enjoys softball and spending time with her family. Cheyanne will discuss:
- Effects of drugs on the undeveloped brain
- Brain facts and brain health
- Drug education- different drugs and the different damage they present
~10-minute video demonstration of Refusal Skills from CHS ASB. Members of the high school ASB will demonstrate the following Refusal Skills:
- The “Handy Excuse”
- “X-it Strategy”
- Blame it On Your Parents
Finally, any questions that the students may have can be submitted here and Coronado SAFE will happily respond!
Coronado Middle School
Email: karin.mellina@coronadousd.net
Website: https://cms.coronadousd.net/
Location: 550 F Avenue, Coronado, CA, USA
Phone: 619.522.8921
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coronadomiddleschool/