Riverbend students attended the Teen CRUSH Drug Summit on Thursday, October 21 in Washington, Mo. Students learned about the benefits of being drug free, the negative impact of drug use on teens, and ways to encourage others to stay drug-free.
Riverbend counselor Makenzie Ellis attended the summit along with students.
“Our biggest takeaways are that there are alternatives to drug use when managing life’s stressors,” Ellis said.
Students learned about how drug addiction can impact on friends and family. Speakers shared stories of recovering from addiction and losing a child to drug addiction.
“It was really impactful to hear their stories about having that mental and physical struggle with addiction,” 7th grader Samantha Raftery said.
Students also learned practical ways to avoid drug use. Tracy Allen, Riverbend counseling secretary, said students were encouraged to think about how to get out of a situation involving drugs.
“We talked a lot about having a plan with your parents,” Allen said.
Members of the Riverbend Ambassadors club were chosen to attend the event. Riverbend Ambassadors club sponsor Renne Chellis said student ambassadors are selected because they are friendly and welcoming to new students.
“We felt like they were good representatives of the school and they could bring it back and share with their peers,” Chellis said.
