New drug-awareness assemblies

Samo has introduced a new set of drug assemblies was offered this fall for freshman and sophomore students.The assembly was organized to educate students about the detrimental effects drugs can have on young teen’s futures, and how to help friends who are struggling with drugs and alcohol. This year the meeting was held from the beginning by Samo administrators, supplemented by representatives from a few outside organizations with helpful insight and information. Dr. Antonio Shelton believed that the assembly was very beneficial to the young members of Samo’s student body as they grow up in their high school careers. Greatly differing from the DARE program, whose motto is “Just Say No,” this assembly was not designed to tell students to stay away from drugs altogether. Samo’s drug education agenda pushed the idea that students are capable of making the right decisions if they are educated about possible consequences. The assemblies for the freshmen and sophomores differed; however, the messages and information provided was the same. For the freshmen presentation, the administration brought in four different organizations with unique insight for Samo students.First, a psychiatrist spoke about the psychological aspect of drugs, and shared how the development of your brain can be affected by drug and alcohol use. Next Samo introduced an officer from the local Santa Monica Police Department, who gave insight into their perspective of dealing with drugs on the streets, as well as some of the legal aspects of consuming drugs and alcohol in high school. Then Shuli Lotan, SMMUSD Mental Health Counseling Coordinator, spoke about the mental health perspective. She talked about how genes and family history can make someone genetically susceptible to drug and alcohol addiction. Finally, a member of the Clare Foundation, a rehabilitation organization, discussed the process of supporting a friend or family member who may be struggling with drugs and alcohol.  Shelton believed that it was important that the assembly was not an anti-drug meeting, where students were told to stay far away from drugs. It was solely to provide the Samo students with information that will allow them to make safe choices.“The bottom line is to provide the reality of what a drug is. What we’re trying to do is provide information. There are different components. We have the mental health, the brain research, the school resource officer and the rehabilitation. All we are trying to do is inform our students,” Shelton said.Freshmen are grateful that they were able to attend the assembly going into their high school journey. The overarching themes the meeting inspired resonated with many of the attendees, including Juliette Capehart (’21). “I think it was beneficial because it taught kids more about drugs and the ways it could affect our lives. It’s good to know these facts and be thinking ahead,” Capehart said. For the sophomore class, the assembly was run by an organization named Miles to Go. A representative went through the same concepts that the freshmen learned, and was able to relay the information in a way that got Samo students thinking. Last year’s assemblies were initially held by an organization affiliated with the Church of Scientology, and after receiving communal outroar, these meetings were cancelled. As a result of the backlash from Samo students and parents after last year’s drug assembly, the school’s administration made many alterations to adapt. The new assemblies were designed specifically not to mirror the past presentations and to only highlight the basic information that is vital for all growing and developing high school teens. Sophomore Emma Guerrini Romano (’20) believed that this year’s presentation was beneficial for students to attend.“I feel that the information we received was very valuable to have as we go through high school. It’s important to learn how to help our friends and ourselves in regards to drugs and alcohol,” Guerrini Romano said.