Countywide drug-free club effort set to launch

CHILLICOTHE - Chris Scott knows what he'd like to see when kids who have pledged to stay off drugs walk into a business participating in the new My Attitude Determines Everything (MADE) drug-free clubs initiative.

"(I'd like to see them) really treat these kids like rock stars when they walk in," the Rotarian said..

All of Ross County's public school districts have confirmed they are on board as the new initiative prepares to hit its stride at the start of the new school year, with Chillicothe City Schools agreeing this week to join the countywide effort. Scott said it's important to have countywide participation that is consistent from district to district because of the mobility of some students.

Although the city schools' Keys to Success program providing incentives for juniors and seniors who stayed drug- and trouble-free and maintained decent grades grabbed most of the headlines over the past year, members of the local Rotary led by Scott and Dave Huggins were getting leaders of the county school districts, law enforcement, members of the business community, some students and some parents involved in helping to create a structure by which a countywide drug-free club could be created.

That structure is nearly complete, with hopes to launch the program with some activities during Ross County Fair week. Then, information will be made available during back-to-school nights at local districts, letters will be sent home and interested students will get registered to participate with an initial drug test administered for the first time during September and October.

Much like Keys to Success, MADE is an incentive-based program designed to give kids confronted with a choice about drug use a third option beside saying "yes" or "no." Now, they will be able to say "I can't" if offered drugs, as in "I can't or I'll lose my chance at earning that prize" or "I can't or I won't be able to earn that homework pass." Unlike Keys to Success, the countywide program will not carry any requirements other than remaining drug-free.

A Keys to Success program will continue in the city schools, but the drug testing requirement will be dropped from that program. Instead, those interested in participating in Keys to Success also will have to participate in MADE and be tested through that program.

The work on MADE started a little more than a year ago when Scott was attending a Rotary Club presidents' training and saw a flyer for Tyler's Light, a drug awareness and education program for communities targeting the need for open discussion between parents and their children. He reached out to the organization's president, Wayne Campbell, about a desire to have him make presentations at the city and county schools and to meet with Rotary members, school superintendents and principals.

That visit, along with a discussion between Scott and Chillicothe Superintendent Jon Saxton about the city schools' new Keys to Success program and Rotary's involvement with it, was a springboard to more discussions with others like Adena Superintendent Pete Ruby about how a countywide program might work.

Further research into Drug-Free Clubs of America led to a fall meeting at Infosight with about 45 people, then a second meeting at the Paccar Medical Education Center featuring a Drug-Free Clubs representative. The countywide approach, Scott learned, is unique for Drug-Free Clubs of America, which normally focuses on one school district at a time.

As things moved forward, districts were asked to recommend incoming seniors who might be good selections as student officers to push the program forward in their schools. Scott said these are kids with natural leadership abilities who can convey enthusiasm for the program while encouraging students from all social circles and abilities to get involved. He said the group selected for the inaugural run at the program has created a solid core to build around, which is important because the program is designed to be pushed by students rather than adults.

How does MADE work? It starts with coordinators visiting area businesses, talking with school officials and doing some planning to create incentive rewards in the schools and in the community, along with countywide activities such as dances that are being considered. Representatives of the program under the guidance of Kevin Norman with the help of Debbie Bettendorf are in the process of visiting businesses to line up incentives, whether in the form of free items that can be given to students or discounts on products or services.

Using the incentives as motivation, students will be encouraged to sign up and, as part of that registration, they take a drug test. Upon passage, they receive a photo ID card they can carry with them identifying them as a member when they redeem community rewards. The hope is that as their friends see them using their cards, those friends will be encouraged to sign up.

Part of the ID card portion of the program involves helping the students in applying for jobs.

"On the back of that card, there's a toll-free number that if you're going to give that kid a job interview, you can call that number to verify they are drug-free," Scott said. "So the other thing we're asking the business community besides giving an incentive to the kids is guaranteeing them a job interview if they're the type of business that hires teenagers.

"It's going to help our business community have people who are drug-free because, quite honestly, that's hard to do."

Scott thinks the program helps pick up where the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program in the schools leaves off, and his hope is to have around 700 students across the county enrolled in it. That does come at a cost to program operators to help cover such things as both initial and follow-up drug testing, necessary insurance, promotional materials, some incentives and other expenses. As a result, they are reaching out to members of the community and to alumni from area schools requesting they become sponsors to help with the estimated cost of about $100 per child.

"The First Capital Rotary Foundation is going to handle all the money, so as individuals, when you donate, it's tax-deductible," Scott said.

A GoFundMe account has been established at gofundme.com/29fp4zdg to handle donations to the program.

Another fundraiser, The Buck Fifty, also will provide proceeds to the MADE program. The Buck Fifty is a new event taking place April 7-8 — an overnight running relay race that will cover about 150 miles. For more information about that event and to register, visit thebuckfifty.com/the-race.