By Karen Barone
This intense presentation is one of many that students experienced this week during East Rockaway School District's "Substance Abuse Awareness/Wellness Week. Scott Anthony Anderson, a.k.a. "Scotty Rock" is a return guest speaker, who presented his chilling dose of reality to the students three years ago, and due to an overwhelming response, was asked to return. His presentation is based on real-life experiences as the product of a loving middle-class family, an above-average student and a hard-core drug abuser.
Anderson reinforces the pitfalls of peer pressure and accents the importance of self-worth. Anderson is blunt and dead serious about getting his message out to the students.
"I love you," he tells the kids, "I am here because I care."
Eighth-grader Michael Farrell echoed Anderson's sentiments.
"I love you, Scotty," said Farrell. "I have great respect for what you do."
East Rockaway's Pupil Personnel Director, Joanne Morgan and social worker, Miriam Abramson, arranged the assemblies and guest speakers for the entire district. Seventh-graders were shown a video depicting a group of high school students who are involved in a fatal car crash after driving under the influence of alcohol. The video, entitled "Every 15 Minutes," is graphic and effective. After the video was over, students put on pairs of fatal vision goggles, which are goggles that have been slightly altered to simulate the affects of being under the influence of alcohol.
"If this is what it feels like to be drunk, we won't drink," the students agreed.
Centre and Rhame Avenue elementary school students were treated to a presentation by Richard the Magician. His act is full of charming one-liners and sensational magic, littered with reminders to the children not to smoke, drink or use drugs. He relies on audience participation from both the students and teachers, involving everyone in his show and in the lesson to stay substance free.
"If I were a magician, I would take away drugs forever," said third-grader Nadia Glowatz.
Rhame Avenue teacher Michael Cohen said the programs for Substance Abuse Awareness/Wellness week taught students very important lessons about drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, and the earlier students are taught to say no, the better.
"They're all incredibly smart and being taught about substance abuse at an early age will hopefully have an impact," said Cohen.
