Army National Guard Visits Area Schools

The Army National Guard has been spreading an anti-drug message at two Eastern Panhandle Middle Schools with a program designed to educate students.  Sergeant First Class Noland with the West Virginia Drug Demand Reduction Office says the Stay on Track Program involves 12 lessons that include time in and out of the classroom.  He says the program goes beyond simply telling students to stay off drugs and delves into what drugs will do to their bodies, goal setting, decision making and how outside influences such as the media can persuade their decisions.  Several members of the guard were at South middle School and Spring Mills Middle School to help spread the message by setting up one of the West Virginia’s three portable climbing walls to show participants about positive peer pressure and reaching for the top.  Noland says he hopes the program can continue to expand.  He says that there are many anti-drug programs out there but many are struggling with funding.  Noland says all of the handouts and materials used for Stay on track come from the National Guard.  West Virginia has been involved with the program for about three or four years, it began last year in the Eastern Panhandle.  Noland hopes to take the program to Harpers Ferry Middle School sometime in November.

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