Auburn Career Center is offering the opportunity for students to join Drug Free Clubs of America.
The club combines the efforts of schools, parents and the community into one prevention tool to protect students from experiencing the spiraling consequences of teen drug abuse. DFCA promotes and rewards healthy decisions by creating excitement with a drug-free culture, according to a news release from Auburn Career Center.
Each club member successfully enrolled will receive discounts from local businesses.
Auburn has partnered with Lake Health to administer the drug screens for club members.
On Oct. 2, Angie Ferguson, DFCA executive director, will meet with Auburn administrators as well as Gary Robinson, vice president of government and community affairs, Lake Health; Terri Stupica, Chardon Municipal Court judge; and Chris Brill-Packard, Occupational Services, Lake Health. Dr. Nancy Rodway of Lake Health is also working with Auburn on the DFCA initiative. An orientation will be given to the group.
“Auburn Career Center is glad to help pioneer such an important initiative,” said Principal Jeff Slavkovsky. “Drug Free Clubs of America will be a vehicle to steer many young people toward healthy lifestyles. We have great support from local businesses to offer rewards to the students enrolled in the club and they will also receive a certificate to be placed in their professional portfolio, upon completing Auburn.
“The best reward thus far has been the overwhelming number of students who have signed up. With over 90 kids currently enrolled, that is a testament to the type of students we want and have at Auburn Career Center.”
After a voluntary drug test, each member is given a full color ID as a member of the club.
Randomly throughout the school year, students may be retested. The results of every test are sent only to DFCA, who will notify the parents of a negative or positive screen. Auburn is sponsoring the club, but will have no knowledge of the drug test results. Also, all membership fees will be paid in full by Auburn.
