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5-06 Helicopter Landings Reach 25% More Monroe County Kidswith Anti-Drug Message

KEY WEST -- Want to make an impact on kids regarding tobacco? Show them a healthy lung and then show them a lung black with disease. Let them sit close enough to hear the air escaping from holes formed by cancerous tumors. Add to that, impressive landings by the Reconnaissance and Aerial Interdiction Detachment (RAID) helicopter used by the Florida National Guard (FNG) for drug interdiction, and presentations by the pilots, the self appointed “Grim Reefers” who are expert in drug interdiction and eradication, and it just might make an impression to last a life time.

Photo Credit: MYCP

That is exactly what SFC Daniel Willover from the Florida National Guard Drug Demand Reduction program for the state of Florida did in nine Monroe County District schools, Island Christian School, and two community youth organizations this month. Last year, just around 2,000 county students heard the presentation or saw the landings but this year that number rose to nearly 3,000.

District Prevention Coordinator for Monroe Youth Challenge Program (MYCP), Michele Sutter worked with the Florida National Guard to set up Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug (ATOD) programs for district schools through the National Guard Drug Demand (DDR) Reduction Program.

Assistant Principal at Horace O’Bryant Middle School in Key West, Harry Russell, thought the presentation was extremely powerful and very informative to not only the students, but also the staff who attended. He added, “Sgt. Willover’s abililty to grab the attention of 6th, 7th and 8th graders for an hour says it all.”

The kids were very attentive and shocked at the factual information about the affects of alcohol, tobacco and drugs on the body. “They definitely were amazed with the lungs that were shown,” Rusell said. He hopes this project will have a lasting impact on students so they will not succumb to the temptations of peer pressure and ever experiment or use drugs, tobacco or alcohol.

Nancy Ellsworth, Life Management Skills and Physical Education Teacher for CSHS worked with Sutter to coordinate presentations at CSHS. “SFC Daniel Willover, the FNG presenter, has a dynamic presentation and uses great visual materials. This is the third year MYCP has worked with Daniel and it has been my experience kids of all ages are very responsive to his message and his presence” said Sutter.

In the two-week period that Sgt. Willover was in the Keys Sutter coordinated presentations to nine district schools and two community organizations. There were more than 2,800 students served with drug presentations and approximately 3,000 students received presentations from the helicopter pilots while even more students were able to see the helicopter landings.

The RAID helicopter landed at Coral Shores High School, Plantation Key School, Key Largo School, Stanley Switlik Elementary in Marathon, Sugarloaf School, and Horace O’Bryant Middle School in Key West as well Key West High School

After hearing SFC Willover speak, the students remarked that it was ‘real’. It was evident as the entire room was silent and the students were riveted on SFC Willover, remarked a school guidance counselor.

SFC Willover, in addition to his drug presentations, also teaches the Knight Vision Peer Education Program - which teaches youth to teach other youth about the harmful effects of ATOD.

Instructors are advised to saturate the audience with at least three of the six following Florida National Guard Drug Demand Reduction Night Vision Program Learning Objectives in each presentation:

1. Incorporate an understanding of both the long-term and physical, legal, emotional and social effects of ATOD, including steroids.

2. Explore the relationship of ATOD use to related diseases and disability, learning disorders, handicapping conditions, birth defects, and heart, lung and liver diseases

3. Teach that combining ATODs, whether medical or illicit, can be fatal, even on first time use

4. Demonstrate and understanding of how ATODs can affect the mother and fetus before, during and after pregnancy, including lactation

5. Teach the effects and consequences of ATOD use in the operation of equipment and performance of other physical tasks

6. Provide information regarding the legal, social and economic consequences of ATOD use, both for self and others.

The theme is “Helping Florida’s Youth See Clearly the Dangers of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs.” According to Florida National Guard officials, the intent of the theme is to compare the idea that much like night vision goggles allow soldiers to clearly see the dangers on the battlefield, the presentations are designed to allow Florida’s youth to clearly see the dangers associated with Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug use.

These events are supported by Monroe Youth Challenge Program which is a project of the Monroe County Education Foundation to foster acceptance, respect, and success in the youth of Monroe County. For more information about this project, Challenge Day, or any other MYCP sponsored program call MYCP District Prevention Coordinator Michele Sutter at (305) 852-1664 or go to www.keysschools.com or visit www.floridacounterdrug.com and click on the Drug Demand Reduction Link to go to the Florida National Guard home page.