Education
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Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019 • Page 8
Substance use prevention program visits Wayzata High School
Know the Truth program
included stories from
recovering addicts
By JASON JENKINS
[email protected]
Recovering addicts recently shared
their stories with Wayzata High School
students as part of the Know the Truth
substance use prevention program.
Four presentations were given through-
out the day Feb. 15 to around 300 health
class students.
In the past 12 years, Know The Truth
has led over 12,000 presentations in
more than 160 high schools and middle
schools in Minnesota and has connected
with over 400,000 students. The program
is from Minnesota Adult and Teen Chal-
lenge, a Minneapolis-based addiction
treatment center.
Sadie Holland, prevention education
manager for the center, said her focus is
on developing long-term prevention ob-
jectives and strategies for the program.
Through the program, presenters share
personal stories of their struggles with ad-
diction. Holland said the program is suc-
cessful at engaging students because they
are able to relate to the presenters, who
are as young as 20 and no older than 27.
She said the peer-to-peer approach helps
the message resonate with high school
students.
“We’re reinforcing what’s already be-
ing taught in the health classes, but we’re
bringing a new perspective through all of
our presenters,” she said.
Holland said the decision to visit
schools is critical since a vast majority
of those with alcohol or drug addiction
issues began drinking, smoking or using
illicit drugs before the age of 18.
“We’re really hoping that by using re-
al-life examples. … It’ll change the stu-
dents’ attitudes, which hopefully will then
change their behavior,” she said.
Holland said each presentation also
covers the four most common gateway
drugs: alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and
pills. “The focus is on busting any myths
or misconceptions that the students might
have about those certain drugs,” she said.
A recent study conducted by a research
evaluator from the University of Min-
nesota showed that nearly one in four
(SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Anthony Pitaro, an intern with the Know the Truth substance use prevention program, was one of the presenters who spoke Feb. 15 to Wayzata High School
students about his experience with addiction.
students in the Know the Truth group
reported an overall increase in healthy
attitudes toward substance use and the
risks associated with it, compared to only
about one in 12 in the control group (stu-
dents who participated in the standard
health curriculum).
The program at Wayzata High featured
three speakers: A current client of Min-
nesota Adult and Teen Challenge and
two interns with Know the Truth who are
graduates of the treatment center.
One of the interns who presented was
Anthony Pitaro, 23, a recovering drug
addict who grew up in Durham, North
Carolina. Pitaro said he started smoking
cigarettes at 13 after he was offered one
by an older friend.
“I took to it pretty quick,” he said.
Pitaro said he had moved on to mari-
juana, alcohol, prescription pills, cocaine
and ecstasy before the end of eighth grade.
At 16, he began using heroin. A few years
later, he started using methamphetamine.
“I had been addicted all of my young
life and I had never experienced being
clean long enough to kind of get to know
myself,” he said.
Pitaro and another intern, Aubrey Lee,
spoke to students about the resources
available through Know the Truth and
Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge be-
fore telling their personal stories dealing
with addiction. At the end of the presen-
tation, students were asked to participate
in an anonymous survey on whether or
not they use substances.
Pitaro said that during his time with the
prevention program, he has discovered a
love of working with students. He said his
goal is to enroll at Augsburg University to
become a special education teacher and
work with at-risk youth and people who
are using drugs.
“I’m hoping to become a teacher and
so this was the best opportunity for me
to be able to work through my recovery
and give back to people while hopefully
moving forward to my future,” he said.
For more information about treatment
services at Minnesota Adult and Teen
Challenge, call 612-373-3366.
Young people who would like to speak
with someone from Know the Truth can
text or call the hotline at 612-440-3967.
For more information, visit knowthet-
ruthmn.org.
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EDUCATION BRIEFS
Empty Bowls will be
March 5 at Cooper High
The ninth annual Robbinsdale Area
Schools Empty Bowls event will be 4-7
p.m. Tuesday, March 5, at Robbinsdale
Cooper High School, 8230 47th Ave. N.,
New Hope.
The community is invited to enjoy a
simple meal of soup and bread donated by
local businesses. Handcrafted bowls that
were created and donated by community
members, local schools and organizations
will be available for a donation.
The community-wide event helps en-
sure that fewer people in the area go home
to an “empty bowl” and supports the
PRISM and NEAR food shelves, which
serve the communities in the district.
Local singers, musicians, orchestras and
bands will play throughout the evening for
attendees.
Info: emptybowlsrobbinsdale.org
The Blake School
reaches campaign goal
The Blake School recently announced
the successful completion of a $80 million
fundraising campaign. The fi ve-year effort
focused on increasing fi nancial assistance
for students, supporting professional de-
velopment for faculty and creating new
and improved campus facilities.
“I am deeply grateful for the support
of our families, colleagues, alumni and
students in reaching this milestone,” said
Anne Stavney, head of school.
The campaign is funding fi nancial as-
sistance to 22 percent of the student body
of 1,375 students in grades PK-12.
Also funded are faculty professional
development programs including curric-
ulum development grants, new curricu-
lum for student immersion experiences,
funding for faculty and administrators to
pursue graduate studies and for facilities.