Opiate Group, Education Officials Look To Bring Prevention Speaker To Schools

OCEAN PINES – The Worcester County Warriors Against Opiate Addiction Education Committee is working with principals and members of the Board of Education to bring a drug prevention speaker to each of the system’s middle and high schools.

The Warriors are currently arranging assembly times for speaker Michael DeLeon, a former drug dealer and homicide witness, to share his views and experiences on bullying, gangs, alcohol and drugs.

DeLeon is the founder of the Steered Straight program and speaks to schools, churches and organizations around the country in an effort to teach individuals the consequences of their actions.

Yet, some educators at the meeting held concerns about DeLeon’s potential talks and if his speeches would be engaging to students in the county.

“Can he tailor it to Worcester County’s needs?” Stephen Decatur Middle School Principal Lynne Barton said. “I’m not implying that we should water it down, but to make it more relatable.”

Many of DeLeon’s speeches address his incarceration, something Barton said middle-schoolers would not fully comprehend.

Currently, the middle school is partnering with Atlantic General Hospital in a pilot program to incorporate health literacy units into its existing curriculum, according to Tamara Mills, coordinator of instruction for Worcester County schools.

This year, teachers have decided to be proactive about the drug epidemic and are teaching eighth-graders about heroin, the main focus of DeLeon’s speaking engagements.

Barton suggested to Mills only eighth-graders attend the assembly due to the nature of the talks.

“It seems that when they hit 13 or 14 they start to work,” Barton said. “It’s logical around here, especially with the work force. Most of those kids get a job in the summer after eighth-grade and they are on their own. For the first time, they are making their own money and they are around older people. They work downtown, they are down on the Boardwalk and they are exposed to things they have never been exposed to before. It’s a huge transition time.”

Jackie Ball, chair of the education committee and co-founder of the Warriors, said the school system and the organization should also encouraged parents to attend a possible night assembly while DeLeon was in town.

She and the school officials agreed that the assemblies should take place before the prom and testing season begins.

Currently, the Warriors plan to cover DeLeon’s $2,500 fee with the help of a financial donor, Ball said. Yet, the schools will be responsible for implementing his program’s curriculum.

School officials and Warriors members still questioned the cost of the entire program and if he would be willing to speak to multiple schools for the three-day engagement.

Further discussions for hiring DeLeon were put on hold until the Board of Education and the Warriors had answers to potential assembly dates and tailored speeches.

Also in the meeting, Ball spoke with committee members and educators about the group’s presence at future parent teacher conferences and National Education Week.

“The word ‘opiate’ terrifies parents,” Ball said. “We are trying to break the ice and not be afraid to talk about it.”

The Warriors will set up tables with informational flyers and contact information, including tips for securing and disposing of prescription medication.

“You can ask almost any kid where they started using, and they will say the medicine cabinet,” Ball said.

The assemblies are slated for February or March of 2017.

About The Author: Bethany Hooper

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Bethany Hooper has been with The Dispatch since 2016. She currently covers various general stories. Hooper graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 2012 and the University of Maryland in 2016, where she completed double majors in journalism and economics.