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Volume 41, Issue 6
November 11, 2003
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November
11 , 2003
‘Awareness Week’
Drugs, alcohol focus of talks
Jamar
Younger
Mesa Legend
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| Chinh
Chi Pham Mesa Legend
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| Clinical social worker Paul Rock
Krech speaks about substance abuse during Awareness Week. |
The Peervention Volunteer Program recently completed its Peervention
Awareness Week, which was an event that focused on prevention education
for alcohol and other drug abuse.
The week, titled “Tell It Like It Is,” was highlighted by
a series of workshops and seminars aimed at providing information on the
effects of alcohol and other types of drug abuse.
Crista Adams, one of the creators of the Peervention Volunteer Program,
said the program is important because alcohol and drug abuse (AOD) abuse
is the No. 1 reason students drop out of college.
Various speakers educated in alcohol and drug abuse issues taught the
seminars.
Glenda Nieman, a nationally known speaker on AOD issues, spoke on family
dynamics involving AOD abuse.
Nieman’s workshop included a living family sculpture depicting the
various roles of family members in a dysfunctional family.
For the sculpture, she utilized students who were participating in the
class and had them play the roles of the different family members, thereby
giving the students a visual illustration of a family torn apart by drug
abuse.
The seminar helped students recognize the traits of a dysfunctional family
and how to deal with the problems that arise.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from; dysfunctional
families are everywhere,” said Victoria Stringham, an MCC student
who attended the seminar. “It’s good to know to deal with
alcoholic and personal issues.”
Among the other seminars during Peervention Awareness Week was a workshop
taught by David Bowers of the Arizona Higher Education Consortium, who
presented in-depth information regarding the behaviors and dangers of
high-risk driving.
Another seminar was given by Paul Krech, who is a clinical social worker
at Arizona State University.
His workshop was titled “What Everyone in Higher Education Needs
to Know” and focused on providing information on AOD abuse.
This information included statistics of alcohol-related incidents at a
major university (which was not identified) as well as information regarding
the different levels of alcohol abuse and the different types of intervention.
Lillis Lloyd, who teaches a counseling class called “Eliminating
Self-Defeating Behaviors” (CPD 102AD), invited her class to participate
in the activities because she wanted them to have a heightened awareness
of the effects of AOD abuse.
“I want them to understand the psychodynamics of substance abuse
as it relates to alcohol and other drugs. There are so many students who
are not aware of the components of substance abuse,” Llyod said.
She pointed out that many students may think it’s normal to drink
alcohol and abuse substances.
Lloyd hoped that the activities would help “clarify these issues”
for her students.
The Peervention Volunteer Program is a student-driven program in which
students volunteer to provide AOD abuse information to the campus community.
The “Peers”, as they are called, plan, implement and host
campus-wide prevention activities, speakers, and events.
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