Published: November 07, 2008 09:40 pm            

Students Against Destructive Decisions

By VANESSA WELCH

vanessa.welch@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Many teenagers face challenges on a regular basis arising from anxiety, peer and family relations, academic problems and aggression. A new organization at Mt. Vernon Township High School aims to help young adults cope healthfully with these issues through peer-support from fellow students.

Students Against Destructive Decisions sponsor Sheila Stowers said all students are encouraged to become members, and the organization is beneficial in its focus on students reaching out to their classmates.

“A lot of kids have issues going on in their lives,” Stowers said. “They don’t always want to talk to an adult about them, and being able to talk to a peer helps them.”

Stowers added students are knowledgeable about issues their age-group faces, and are able to “spot a problem an adult may not.”

According to Stowers, at MVTHS SADD is replacing Lifesavers, and motives behind the decision included purpose and participation fees.

“The focus is a little broader with SADD,” Stowers said. “Lifesavers mostly focused on suicide prevention, and SADD focuses on all kinds of prevention – anything that falls under destructive decisions.”

Lacey Daniel, who was a past member of Lifesavers, said the change will help to make “more progress and reach more people.”

Though students are trained for free to become members of SADD, those who undergo Lifesavers training must pay a fee unless they receive grant money. Currently the retreat costs $90 per participant.

“We can have a bigger organization and it opens doors to those who couldn’t afford Lifesavers,” Stowers said. “SADD has more resources available and more events students can participate in.”

SADD was founded in 1981 in Massachusetts as Students Against Driving Drunk, according to information from the organization. In 1997, SADD expanded its mission and name. Although it continues to endorse an alcohol-free and drug-free message, “SADD now highlights prevention of all destructive behaviors and attitudes that are harmful to young people, including underage drinking, substance abuse, impaired driving, violence and suicide, information states.” Since its formation over 25 years ago, the organization has grown nationally and includes thousands of chapters in middle schools, high schools and colleges.

Stowers said she and social worker Christine Renth will help advise students, and members will receive free training. Through the organization, students will deliver education and prevention messages to their peers through activities which may include peer-led classes, teen workshops, prevention education and leadership training and other awareness-raising activities.

“I like the idea of helping people,” MVTHS junior Kat Bullock said. “I usually help others, so I thought ‘Why not do this with other people who are doing the same thing in an organization?’”

“Even though the organization is called SADD, we’re actually very happy people,” Bullock jokingly said. “That’s why we call it SADD with two d’s.”

According to a 2005 national survey on drug use and health published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis-tration, in 2005, 3.4 million youths ages 12-17 years old had at least one Major Depressive Episode in their lifetime and 2.2 million youths had MDE during the past year.

“SADD helps kids to look beyond their own experiences – that they have a lot of classmates with pain – so they become empathetic to that,” Stowers said.

Students who are interested in joining SADD may contact Stowers at 246-5409.

        

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