WILMINGTON — It’s an all-too-common breaking news story and social media post. It transcends generations, socioeconomic class, gender, ethnicity, religion and political affiliation — drug abuse.
Drug abuse has rooted itself so deeply in our culture and in our communities that conversation must now take place. The time has come where community members must educate and arm themselves, join forces, and fight the enemy together.
From the outside looking in, it is often easy to overlook and sometimes even forget that drug abuse not only has a name, it also has a face. It is the young person sitting in your classroom — your family room, the parent in your carpool, the greeter at your church, the colleague with whom you eat lunch. Drug abuse does not discriminate.
Recognizing the ever-growing need to empower and equip its school families and its citizens, Wilmington City Schools and the Wilmington Police Department will join forces 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 in the Wilmington High School auditeria to host “Operation Street Smart Adult Education.”
Presented by the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and the Franklin County Commissioners, operating out of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Street Smart program is designed to educate parents, teachers, social workers, community partners and community members — anyone with a nexus to children about the current drug trends, terminology and paraphernalia.
While D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officers already work hard in area school districts to help children make the right decisions and say no to drugs, the goal of Operation Street Smart is to arm individuals who work closely with young people with the information necessary to recognize the influences of the drug culture on children.
The program will also familiarize the audience with the many different drugs children face and share the experience and knowledge of undercover narcotics officers so audience members are better prepared to help children make the right choices.
The Street Smart program is free and open to the public. While registration is requested, it is not required to attend; however, prior registration will allow for adequate copies of resources.
Where possible, please register by emailing [email protected].
Information for this article was provided by Diana Miller, who coordinates communications for several area schools.
