On Thursday, February 2, 2017, the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division presented the Harrison County Chapter of the Drug Free Clubs of America (DFCA) with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award.  The award was presented by Assistant Director Stephen L. Morris and will took place at the FBI CJIS Division Facility.  Steve Dunham (program coordinator) accepted the award on behalf of the chapter.  The award is given annually to an individual or organization that has contributed significantly to crime, drug, and/or violence prevention in their community.

Source: http://www.connect-bridgeport.com/connect.cfm?func=view&section=News&item=FBI-CJIS-Division-Presents-Directors-Community-Leadership-Award-to-Drug-Free-Clubs-of-America25376

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On March 1, 10 area nonprofits will compete for $30,000 in award money at Social Venture Partners’ fourth annual Fast Pitch competition. Much like startup pitch nights and Demo Days, the event will pit the organizations against each other in three-minute presentations.

You can read about last year’s winners here.

SVP is part of an international network of 3,500 partners that invest their time, talent and grant money in innovative ways to help strengthen local nonprofits. The organization’s goal is to enable its investees to make the region a stronger and more vibrant community.

The event helps the public learn about different nonprofits and what the innovative work they’re doing in the community. The Fast Pitch program begins with 25 local nonprofits, which were chosen from a total of 45 applicants. After three and a half weeks of practicing their pitches, the nonprofits competed in the semi-finals, and 10 nonprofits were left standing.

Source: http://www.soapboxmedia.com/innovationnews/020717-SVP-fast-pitch-competition.aspx

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(Photo Provided: Ben Shuman, Parkersburg Boys and Girls Club executive director, left, Boys and Girls Club board member Dave Lewis, center, and Rotary’s Drug Free Clubs of America coordinator Bob Newell, right, announced a partnership Friday between the Boys and Girls Club, Ohio Valley University and Drug Free Schools of America.

PARKERSBURG–Ohio Valley University and the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg are the latest organizations to team up with the Parkersburg Rotary Club and Drug Free Schools of America.

Officials announced Friday that OVU will provide $1,000 scholarship vouchers to students who plan to attend the university and enroll in the Drug Free Clubs of America program.

“We applaud Dr. Howard Shank and Ohio Valley University in getting behind this effort,” said Rotary’s DFCA coordinator Bob Newell. “We also thank the Boys and Girls Club for endorsing this program. Ben Shuman, the club’s executive director, has made it possible to provide free memberships to the youth who participate in DFCA.”

Locally, the West Virginia University at Parkersburg Foundation and the PHS Foundation have joined the effort. The WVU-P Foundation has established a scholarship for high school graduates who have successfully completed two years in their high school Drug Free programs. Last month, the PHS Foundation provided funds to Rotary to help offset 40 student participation fees.

Read the full article here!

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CHILLICOTHE — Since its inception earlier this year, it seems like a ray of light has been shining on efforts to get the My Attitude Determines Everything (M.A.D.E.) anti-drug program rolling in local high schools.

It was fitting, therefore, that the sun was shining uncharacteristically warm and bright in mid-November on as many as 1,500 area youths as they marched through Yoctangee Park to the steps at the Ross County Courthouse, periodically chanting “We are drug free” for parents and community members scattered along the route.

Read more at the Chillicothe Gazette

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CHILLICOTHE — Culture is everything when it comes to drumming up interest in the Drug Free Clubs of America initiative and creating that culture appears to be off to a solid start in Ross County.

Chris Scott, who has been at the forefront of the effort to get the local My Attitude Determines Everything (MADE) program into all of the Ross County public school districts, has been impressed with the early response to the initiative on the part of both students and community partners. On the school district side of things, that’s been particularly true at Huntington High School, where about 54 percent of the student body has signed up to participate and underwent the initial drug testing last Friday. That figure includes 65 percent of the senior class.

“Typically, (when) the Drug-Free Clubs go into a school, they expect 10 to 15 percent enrollment in a normal one school type of situation,” Scott said. “When we were doing schools all across the county, I had told them my expectation would be about double that, around 30 percent.”
The Drug Free Clubs approach involves students entering an agreement to remain drug-free and submitting to random drug screenings conducted at the school throughout the school year. In return, they can receive reward perks at school, prizes provided by the school and businesses in the community and a card that not only entitles them to discounts or freebies at participating area businesses, but also guarantees them a job interview at businesses that agree to that condition.

(There’s more! READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE!)

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HARRISON COUNTY, W.Va (WDTV) – Monday marks the start of National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week.

As police continue to conduct raids connected to the influx of heroin laced with Fentanyl, teachers say they notice students are paying more attention.

“Kids talk about it, they know it’s here,” said Melissa Kaiser, a health instructor at Bridgeport High School. “They might not understand completely why it’s here and why it’s such a problem, especially with Harrison County, I-79 being a main thoroughfare through the county…they don’t understand that concept.”

Kaiser shapes her lesson plans around current events in the community. A couple years ago, the focus was bath salts. Now, the attention has shifted to new brands of drugs, like those labeled “Jungle Killer.”

“I go extensively into the beginning of the drug unit about how the brain works,” said Kaiser. “I think it’s important for them to understand not just ‘don’t do it.’ I think they need to be educated on why they shouldn’t, and once you start, that it does become something that’s out of your control, because your brain is hijacked.”

High School students, meanwhile, are taking their own measures to avoid the dangers, opting into random drug tests.

“Last year we had 90 members–it took us a year to get 90 members,” said Anita Hornor, a teacher at Bridgeport High School and leader of the school’s chapter of Drug Free Clubs of America. “This year, we really feel we’re going to double that number, because students are coming to me saying ‘I want to stand and I want to be drug-free.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

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CIRCLEVILLE — One-third of the entire student body at Circleville High School (CHS) has joined “Club Future,” the school’s chapter of the Drug Free Clubs of America. That means that around 200 students have pledged to remain drug free for the school year, and they took their initial drug screening tests on Wednesday to prove it.

“Our original goal was only 50 kids,” said Circleville High School Principal Chris Thornsley. “We brought a group of about 12 kids together last winter to pitch the idea, and one of the goals the kids set was to be the biggest club at Circleville High School. They’ve definitely achieved their goal.”

Heather McGowan with Drug Free Clubs of America in Cincinnati called CHS “trailblazers” for being the first high school in Pickaway County to get involved with the program. She said that all high schools in Ross County are now involved.

“For a smaller school, 20 percent of the student body is great for the first year, and CHS has 30 percent, so it’s really amazing,” she said.

Principal Thornsley said he would like to challenge Pickaway County’s other public high schools to get involved in a friendly competition.

“Now that I know the success and how important it is for our kids, it would be great to have it in all four county schools where we can compete against each other to see who has the most members,” he said.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

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CHILLICOTHE — Like the thought of running through Ross County all hours of the day or night? If so, The Buck Fifty, a new event coming in the spring of 2017, might be the right fit for you.

The Buck Fifty is a 150-mile running relay race involving 10-person teams that will cover the course over a single 24-hour period. That course will wind through three state parks, historic downtown Chillicothe, pedestrian trails and county roads with a beginning and ending at Ohio University-Chillicothe’s Shoemaker Center.

One of the organizers, Dave Huggins, said all proceeds from the event will go to the Drug-Free Clubs of America programs (read full article here)

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ST. CLAIRSVILLE – The Belmont County Independent Agents Association recently presented a check for $2,000 to the Belmont County chapter of the Drug Free Clubs of America.

“Our organization supports the youth of the Ohio Valley very strongly,” said Rich Steele, who was president of the association at the time of the donation.

“We want to do everything possible to help,” he said, noting that the Drug Free Club offers special events for its participants who have agreed to remain drug-free and gives those participants an excuse to refuse and to resist peer pressure.

Steele said the donation will help cover participation fees. He noted this will help young people who might not otherwise be able to join.

(see the full article here)

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