Leaders from Kosciusko government and area schools were encouraged to create a positive culture in order to help kids stay off drugs. In a luncheon Friday, guest speaker Katie Divley spoke at Connections United Methodist Church, Warsaw, about the importance of using concern and hope to reach youth. Dively, research scientist at the Center For Health and Safety at Montana State University, was the keynote speaker at the luncheon sponsored by the Kosciusko County Drug Free Coalition. Dively travels the country sharing her research with groups across the country. Marsha Carey, coalition coordinator, said they held the event in order to get the most people interested in the coalition. The coalition is targeting 12 sectors to bring a wide range of people into the fold. Carey said the coalition is especially targeting alcohol and marijuana use by youth. Dively said one of the main issues is to find whether students in school believe that drug and alcohol use is more prominent than in reality. According to a survey conducted by Warsaw and Tippecanoe schools, 21 percent of 12th-graders have drank alcohol in the last 30 days and 11 percent have tried marijuana. While these numbers show a positive downward trend, it’s still not zero, Dively said. The more telling trend was a majority of students believe drinking or smoking pot at their ages is wrong, she said. Sixty-five percent of students reported they thought drinking was wrong at their age and 67 percent said the same about marijuana, the survey said. She said many students can have misperceptions about how many of their peers are doing drugs because of TV and media. She would like schools to do a survey that includes perception questions like, “How many students do you think are drinking?” The main focus needs to be on positive messaging showing “concern and hope,” she said. Dively said research shows ads that scare people by showing death or disease as the effects of drinking or drugs can backfire. Instead, groups should focus on an approach that mixes concern and hope for the future. Dively said even people who can’t make their coalition meetings due to work commitments can be involved in the fight against drugs. Carey said a survey will be coming out to some Kosciusko County residents. She encouraged everybody who receives one to fill it out and help the coalition find what the values of the county are.
