82 lines
4.5 KiB
Plaintext
82 lines
4.5 KiB
Plaintext
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STARTING A "JUST SAY NO" CLUB
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A well organized "Just Say No" club plays a dual role in a school or
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community. First, it provides its members with continuing support for
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maintaining a drug-free lifestyle. Second, every "Just Say No" club can be
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instrumental in preventing or reversing the use of drugs in its school or
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community. Every club member is an ambassador to the school or community,
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acting as a postive influence on peers to remain drug free.
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In addition, a "Just Say No" club is an excellent way to help kids avoid all
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kinds of unacceptable behavior. Although the club's basic goal is helping
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young people stay drug-free, it also encourages postive behavior in many areas
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of kids' lives. Postive peer pressure and support for doing the right thing go
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a long way toward keeping kids healthy and happy.
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After your "Just Say No" club is established, there is no limit to the
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variety of activities and projects your club can initiate. In some ways a
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"Just Say No" club is just like any other club for young people. The basic
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idea is to get together to have a good time and be involved in activities that
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are both constructive and fun. The club offers support both for leading a
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drug-free lifestyle and for accomplishing postive goals for the school or
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community.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on organizing a "Just Say No" club, contact the
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Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 7101 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 612,
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Bethesda, Maryland 20814. You can obtain from them a copy of "Just Say NO," a
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guidebook for setting up "Just Say No" clubs, written by Tom Adams. The
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following is excerpted from this excellent book.
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THE BASICS
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1) A key to the club's success is the organizer or organizers. This may be
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one person or a team of individuals working together. The organizers may be
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teachers, high school students, counselers or other school personnel, parents,
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youth workers, law enforcement personnel, members of the clergy or other
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interested members of the community. The organizers must be enthusiastic and
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be willing to make the commitment to establish the club, recruit captains,
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assist the club members in setting up activities and attend regular meetings.
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2) An important element in starting a club is to recruit as club captains
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upper elementary or junior high school students who are strong leaders.
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Recruitment of new members is one of the captain's main responsibilities. He
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or she also chairs meetings of the club and assists the organizer in developing
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agendas for the meetings and planning activities.
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3) Club membership is targeted for kids between the ages of seven and twelve.
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Teenagers may serve as mentors of younger children in a club that combines
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different age groups. Most chapters have one captain and 15-20 members.
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Remember that children are much more likely to join a "Just Say No" club if
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they are asked to join by one of their peers. In fact, the concept of postive
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peer pressure is essential to your club's success.
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NATIONWIDE "JUST SAY NO" EVENT
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On May 22, 1986, a major event in the "Just Say No" movement will take place
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when "Just Say No" clubs all over the country will participate in a nationwide
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walk against drugs. Millions of young people all over the country are expected
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to be part of the walk. The kickoff for the 1986 walk against drugs will take
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place with Soleil Moon Frey, the star of NBC's "Punky Brewster Show", who
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invites kids all over the country to participate in the walk against drugs in
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the spring of 1986. She'll be joined in this invitation by Chloe, the club's
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dog mascot, who is a fashon model and lives at the Swedish Embassy in
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Washington.
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Here's how your club can get involved in the 1986 walk against drugs: * Make
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plans now to participate. * Meet with the police department to obtain permits
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and enlist the department's support in supervising and helping with thewalk. *
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Involve the mayor and city council and ask them to declare May 22, 1986 "Just
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Say No" in your city. * Alert local newspapers, television and radio stations
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about your plan so that they'll help promote the walk and cover it. * Ask
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local service organizations and clubs for their support- for example, they can
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donate baloons, T-shirts, buttons, or refreshments.
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In order to help teachers, parents, and community leaders to develop a "Just
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Say No" club, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has implemented a free
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telephone number, which you can call for further information and assistance.
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The number is:
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. The number is: 1-800-847-6555
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