New Approach Used to Discourage Drinking, Drug Use at Watertown High School

After years of saying "don't," "stop," and "no," the Peer Leadership Club at Watertown High School took a more positive approach to encourage WHS students to avoid alcohol and drugs.

In past years, the anti-drinking and drugs message was spread using statistics abouts about how many Watertown students used alcohol and illicit drugs. Last week, member of the club group - which works with the Watertown Youth Coalition - unveiled their "I am ..." campaign by putting posters up around school and letting students create one of their own.

"We are not really focusing on 'don't do this.' It is more about the fact that there are alternative activities (to drinking and drugs)," said WHS junior Elisa Portz, a peer leader. "We created what we thought would fit our school."

Some posters used stock photos of teens, but others feature WHS students. Portz appears in one of the posters, which declares "I am a Team Player," and shows her in her WHS ice hockey uniform. She chose that because she plays a number of sports at the high school and thought that was an important part of her life.

While the posters around the school have been printed up, students had a chance to create their own personalized "I am" photo during lunch one day last week. 

"We offered to take a picture of them and them then they put 'I am ...' and filled in the blank," Portz said, who added that they also wrote down personal goals. 

On Friday, the Peer Leadership Club was back with all the photos, which they placed on posters for everyone to take a look at. 

The activity was part of SPEAK Week (Sharing Personal Experiences and Knowledge) which included the Peer Leadership Club, the Armenian Club, the Gay/Straight Alliance and the Diversity Club.

The posters will not just be seen at the high school, said Melanie St. Pierre, community organizer with the Watertown Youth Coalition, which is a program of Wayside Youth and Family Network. 

"We will put it up in the community - The Boys & Girls Club, Town Hall, the library and maybe the middle school," St. Pierre said. 

Just how well the "I am" campaign works is yet to be seen, said Sara Berkowitz, the Peer Leadership Advisor. She works with the Watertown Youth Coalition.

"It's a slow process," Berkowitz said.  

Each year, the Youth Coalition surveys students at the high school and middle school to put together the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Future year's studies will show if the "I am" campaign changed the habits of Watertown teens.

Along with drinking and drug use, the survey covers issues such as body image and suicide. The Youth Coalition appeared before the School Committee in February and noted that the number of suicide attempts by Watertown teens is a growing concern.

The results of the latest survey, from 2012, will be released at the Watertown Youth Coalition's Spring General Meeting, planned for Tuesday, April 2 at 6 p.m. in the Watetown Free Public Library, St. Pierre said.