On Nov. 3 at Twin Valley High School, there was an assembly held by the NOPE (Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education) Task Force of Chester County, to teach teenagers about the affects of drugs and alcohol.
The assembly includes first, a professional, Chelsey Price, who explains the effects of alcohol and drugs on the brain.
Then a law enforcement official had been brought in, Trooper Gonzalez, to grimly describe what she has to do for her job, and an experience that she had gone through while performing her job.
The last people to speak are two parents or family members that had lost a loved one because of drug and alcohol abuse.
The point of the presentation was to draw emotion from the students.
The hopes for the presentation was to affect students enough that they would go to speak to someone about their problem, whether it was about themselves, or someone they care about.
The goal was to get the students to speak out about the problem.
“Drug overdose does not happen how you see it in movies,” said Price, explaining that drug overdose is a very serious matter and it is a hard problem to deal with.
During the assembly students were asked to stand, if their answer to a question asked had been yes, then they were to remain standing. If their answer had been no, then they were asked to take their seats.
They were first asked, “How many of you know someone addicted to drugs or alcohol?” Many remained standing. Almost the entire auditorium of students was remaining.
The students still standing were then asked, “How many of you have told someone in an attempt to help that person?” Very few had remained standing after, many had taken their seats once again.
Kaitlyn Haines, 18, said, “It really opened up my eyes about how serious that could actually be.”
Many students did not realize the affects of drugs and alcohol.
“It affected me, but I really hope it affected other people just as much,” said Haines.
Students learned that when someone becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol, it affects the people around them and involved in their lives, not just the person that took them.
Two mothers told their story about losing their loved ones in order to give the students some perspective on the situation. While Trooper Gonzalez talked about her experience as a Trooper, she played a recording of a 911 call from a mother who had just found her son dead. The students had been shocked when the mother walked over to speak after the recording because she had been there the whole time.
Jane Walker was the mother of son, James Walker, who had passed away of a drug overdose at age 20. He had been what she called a “garbage user.” James had been aware of his problem and had struggled with it for years, in and out of rehabs and recovery houses, but eventually the addiction had won.
Trisha Stouch also spoke of her experience with drug abuse. Her daughter, Pamela, had passed at age 19. Trisha’s story had been different because she not only told the students about what it was like to see her daughter go through the addiction and struggle, but she was able to show what it was like for Pamela.
Her daughter had kept a journal during her recovery and Trisha read some of Pamela’s journal to the students. Pamela said that she wanted people to like her so she “lowered myself and my standards.” She also said, “I constantly stayed high so I wouldn’t have to face the mistakes I’ve made or the consequences of my actions.”
Trischa said, “Addiction was stronger than we knew.”
Students learned that drug addiction is a difficult matter to overcome and many people struggle with drugs and alcohol because there is a bigger problem behind that. They use the drugs and alcohol to hide from their problems.
NOPE wanted students affected by drugs and alcohol to realize that they can do something about it.
“Be the hero and tell someone,” Trooper Gonzalez said.
NOPE goes to different schools to present and inform students and even teachers of alcohol and drug abuse. For more information, visit www.nopetaskforce.com.
