Eighth-grade students gathered last week for the first meeting of the Pathways Youth Coalition.
The meeting took place during eighth-grade lunch Aug. 28, in the Parent Resource Room.
The student-focused group got its start last year, when seventh-grade students were invited to attend meetings to find out what the organization was all about. This year, those same students, now eighth-graders, are given an opportunity to make a difference at Duncan Middle School.
The goal of the Pathways Youth Coalition is to reduce drug and tobacco use. Sponsors for the group are counselor Bubba Clark and Jennifer Gormley, who is with the Wichita Mountain Prevention Network.
“Ultimately our goal is to reduce tobacco and drug use, and empower kids and educate them on the side effects of drugs,” Gormley said. “Some problems we face are to getting people to join our group.”
During the meeting, the students had a discussion on how to reduce drug overdoses, cigarette use and how they can branch out.
“Me and Mr. Clark are excited for this new year we are trying to keep this going on for about as long as we possibly can,” Gormley said. “We started this organization because we have seen in other places like Detroit, Baltimore, etc., especially in middle schools that many kids are cornered into doing drugs and tobacco.
“One thing we could improve is to keep a consistency of having people show up and make it a safe space for kids. We try doing this in middle school to teach kids from a young age on the horrors of drug abuse.”
Although the first meeting was on a Thursday, the remaining meetings are planned for the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting will be this Tuesday.
Gormley said she hopes the students get a lot out of the organization.
“My advice to kids are what you think may feel good will mess you up in the long run,” she said. “Blowing the vape smoke could lead you in the wrong direction, and it only take one pill of fentanyl to ruin your life.
“I think with governments legalizing drugs that they should study and research before rushing to legalize; it that rushing this could lead to a rise in homelessness and suicide.”
