>> COMMUNITY LEADERS IN WILBRAHAM ARE TAKING THE LETHAL
LEAD TO TACKLE THE OPIOID ADDICTION CRISIS.
THERE WILL BE A SESSION AT MINNECHAUG HIGH SCHOOL WITH A
PRESENTATION FROM NBA PLAYER CHRIS HERREN.
>> WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH WILBRAHAM SO WE
RECOGNIZE THE DRUG INTERVENTION AND THAT IT REALLY REQUIRED A
COMMUNITY EFFORT AND A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH.
WE'RE REAL EXCITED WHEN WILBRAHAM REC BROUGHT THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO US.
WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO BRING IT TO THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS OF
THE DISTRICT.
>> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WILBRAHAM, IT'S A SMALL TOWN.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THE DRUG CAPITOL OF THE WORLD BY ANY
STRETCH.
NEITHER IS MONTAGUE, ANOTHER SMALL TOWN.
IS THIS SOMETHING WE STILL HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO IN THE SMALL
COMMUNITIES?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK OUR EXPERIENCE IS PROBABLY TYPICAL OF MOST
SUBURBAN COMMUNITY.
WE DO REGULARLY MONITOR AND SURVEY STUDENTS ON THEIR
SUBSTANCE USE, AND WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO
THOSE BEHAVIORS.
PARTICULARLY THE MOST FREQUENT BEHAVIORS, ALCOHOL, TOBACCO,
MARIJUANA, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN STUDENTS ENGAGE IN USING
THOSE SUBSTANCES THAT IT MIGHT BE THE GATEWAY TO GETTING
INVOLVED WITH THE MORE SERIOUS SUBSTANCES THAT CHRIS HERREN
WILL TALK TO THE STUDENTS ABOUT NEXT WEEK.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL DISDISAGREE BUT ON THAT, THAT'S
NOT TRUE, ALCOHOL, POT, THAT IS NOT A GATEWAY, BUT YOU SAY
DIFFERENTLY.
>> YEAH, I THINK SO.
CERTAINLY IT'S A RISKY BEHAVIOR THAT COULD LEAD TO FURTHER RISKY
BEHAVIORS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TALK TO STUDENTS ABOUT FROM THE EARLIEST
AGE.
WE MIGHT NOT TALK TO YOUNG LEARNERS ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE, WE
DO TALK TO THEM ABOUT APPROPRIATE CHOICES.
WE'VE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT PROBLEM-SOLVING, SEEKING A
TRUSTS ADULT, UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY MATTER THAT, THEY ARE PART
OF A COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS THEM.
AND SO IF WE CAN ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN
APPROPRIATE CHOICES AND NOT MAKE THOSE RISKY CHOICES, THEN WE
THINK DOWN THE ROAD THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE LESS LIKELY TO
ENGAGE IN THE GATEWAY TBHAIFERS LEAD TO THE TYPES OF DRUGS CHRIS
WILL TALK ABOUT.
>> THE HARD WORK I PUT IN TO BE A BASKETBALL PLAYER, THERE'S
MANY PEOPLE JUST LIKE ME.
PEOPLE CAN TELL YOU THE SAME STORY I CAN TELL, I JUST AS
CELTICS IN IT.
>> THE KIDS WILL SEE IT DURING THE DAY IN SCHOOL, AND THEN
THERE'S ANOTHER POSSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE AT NIGHT WITH THE
PARENTS.
WHY WAS THAT SO IMPORTANT TO BRING THE PARENTS IN ON THIS?
>> AGAIN A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHES,
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS A LOT OF OUR
POPULATION, YOUTH ATHLETES, PARENTS, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THE PARENTS CAN GO AND SEE CHRIS HERREN SPEAK AND SORT OF SEE
THIS GREAT STAR ATHLETE HAD IT ALL IN HIS HANDS AND HOW HE
MANAGED TO REACH THE LOWEST OF THE LOWS AND COME BACK FROM
THAT.
NO MATTER OF DEMOGRAPHICS OR WHO YOU ARE, IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.
>> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE.
BECAUSE HE HAD EVERYTHING.
THIS REALLY CROSSES ALL LINES, YOU KNOW, ALL DIFFERENT PEOPLE,
ALL WALKS OF LIFE CAN REALLY GET CAUGHT UP IN THIS.
YOU DID SEE CHRIS HERREN SPEAK.
AND HE'S A DYNAMIC SPEAKER.
>> WHAT WAS SOMETHING THAT STRUCK YOU?
>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I TOOK FROM IT, I HAVE THREE YOUNG
DAUGHTERS BEGINNING TO GET INVOLVED IN SPORTS.
WHEN YOU HAVE AN INJURY, AN ANKLE OR KNEE INJURY, WHATEVER
IT MIGHT BE, YOU GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND ONE OF THE
FIRST THINGS THEY PRESCRIBE FOR YOU IS PAIN MEDICINE.
THAT'S JUST A DANGEROUS PATH TO GO DOWN.
THAT LEADS INTO VARIOUS DIFFERENT ADDICTIONS, SO TO
SPEAK.
IT REALLY JUST RESONATED WITH ME HAVING THREE KIDS AND ATHLETES
AND PLAYING ATHLETICS MY WHOLE LIFE, AGAIN, FROM A PARENT
PERSPECTIVE, TO BE COG DISTANTS OF THAT AND VERY AWARE OF THE
DANGERS.
>> MARTY, THIS IS PART OF A BIGGER BROADER LOOK FOR
WILBRAHAM?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE DON'T PREVENT STUDENTS FROM GETTING INVOLVED WITH ILLEGAL
SUBSTANCES BECAUSE OF ANY ONE PERSON'S WORK OR ANY ONE
AGENCY'S EFFORTS.
IT REALLY IS -- IT REALLY REQUIRES EVERYBODY PULLING AT
THE SAME ROPE.
IT'S PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO PREVENTION AND
INTERVENTION.
IN THE DISTRICT THIS IS THE CHRIS HERREN PRESENTATION, IS A
REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE PUZZLE.
IT WILL RAISE AWARENESS ON A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
HOPEFULLY IT'S A WAY FOR US TO ENGAGE PARENTS AND STUDENTS IN A
REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN PREVENT AND
INTERVENE WHEN STUDENTS DO INVOLVE THEMSELVES WITH ILLEGAL
DRUGS.
>> YOU'LL HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS FOLLOWING UP.
THIS IS SORT OF THE KICK-OFF -- >> SURE.
>> I KNOW THIS IS SORT OF LIKE A BIG PART OF THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, WEAVER REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A DRUG FREE
COMMUNITY COALITION WHERE WE HAVE PARTNERS FROM THE
COMMUNITY, RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESS
PARTNERS, CIVIC PARTNERS, FOLKS FROM THE D.A.'S OFFICE, FOLKS
FROM WILBRAHAM PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT ARE INVOLVED
WITH US IN A COALITION THAT WORKS TO PREVENT AND INTERVENE
AROUND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND USE.
AND SO THIS FITS REALLY NICELY INTO THAT WIDER FRAMEWORK.
THEN DURING THE SCHOOL DAY OF COURSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF
OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK TO KID THROUGH PHYSICAL EDUCATION
CLASSES AND HEALTH CLASSES ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE AND ABOUT
APPROPRIATE CHOICES.
AND REALLY, A LOT OF IT IS THAT THE SCHOOL LEVEL IS ABOUT
BUILDING THE TYPE WAS HABITS THAT WILL HOPEFULLY PREVENT KIDS
FROM MAKING THOSE BAD DECISIONS.
>> BRIAN, YOU MENTIONED YOU PLAYED SPORTS ALL YOUR LIFE,
YOUR KIDS ARE, YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF SPORTS IN WILBRAHAM.
CHRIS HERREN HAD TALKED ABOUT BEING LARGER THAN LIFE.
HERE'S THIS BIG SHOT ATHLETE.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE KID ON VARSITY FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL,
HOW DO YOU TELL HIM, LOOK, YOU'RE NOT LARGER THAN LIFE.
YOU GOTTA STAY BETWEEN THE LINES.
>> I THINK IT'S PROBABLY JUST PARENTING 101.
WHETHER YOU'RE A REC DIRECTOR OR A PARENT.
I SAY MORE OFTEN THAT I'D LIKE TO, TO MY DAUGHTERS, YOUR
ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
WHETHER YOU'RE THE STAR ATHLETE OR JUST PLAYING REC BASKETBALL
IN THE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE, THIRD, FOURTH GRADE, YOUR
ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
BE CAREFUL DOING SOMETHING ON A WEEKEND ACTIVITY MIGHT LEAD TO
SOMETHING THAT LEADS DOWN THE ROAD, LIKE CHRIS HERREN.
MAYBE YOU'RE NOT AS GIFTED OF AN ATHLETE AND HAVE ALL THE OUTS
THAT CHRIS HERREN DID TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK IN AGAIN.
YOUR ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES, BE AWARE.
>> LAST QUESTION: HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE KIDS TO COME FORWARD?
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS OFF CAMERA WITHOUT BEING LABELED A SNITCH?
YOU KNOW SOMETHING'S GOING ON BUT YOU'RE AFRAID TO COME
FORWARD.
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THAT SNITCH MENTALITY IS SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING TO
OVERCOME.
IT'S ABOUT AGAIN ESTABLISHING POSITIVE ADULT CONNECTIONS AND
MAKING SURE KIDS FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A TRUSTED ADULT THEY CAN
REACH OUT TO, WHETHER IT'S A TEACHER, COUNSELOR,
ADMINISTRATOR, ANYBODY CAN BE A TRUSTED ADULT.
WHEN YOU HAVE THAT STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY, WHEN YOU HAVE THAT
STRONG FABRIC, WE FEEL LIKE KIDS ARE GOING TO BE WILLING TO COME
FORWARD AND SAY, HEY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A FRIEND,
WORRIED ABOUT THIS BEHAVIOR THAT I'M INVOLVED WITH.
SO IT SORT OF STOPS BECOMING SNAICHG PART OF A GOOD COMMUNITY
DECISION THAT YOU'RE MAKING.
>> BRIAN, WHEN IS CHRIS COMING, AGAIN?
>> THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15th, 7:00 P.M.
AND MINNECHAUG REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL.
>> THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
>> THANK YOU.