Peer Teachers at Northeast; Teach Temptations of Alcohol, Drugs

Drugs. Alcohol. Peer pressure. Through high school, students face temptations that lead them off of the right path. Peer teaching is sending members to Northeast Middle School to warn the students of these dangers and teach them how to say no before they get to high school.  

“It sounds cliché, but this is such an important thing to stress to these middle school students and warn them about the dangers [of alcohol abuse and drug usage]” said senior Melanie Laurence.

Teaching the middle school students about alcohol and drug use helps put a stop the abuse before it starts. Peer Teachers are going to talk to and teach the middle school students every Tuesday in February; they warn the 7th grade students about drug and alcohol use and teach them how to keep a safe and drug free lifestyle all through their high school years.

“I think it is so important because teens can be naïve about the dangers that are in the world, especially drug and alcohol abuse” said Laurence.

 “All the peer teachers have been trained [to go]. We spent time at a retreat and went through a day of training and have the curriculum lessons ready to go” said history teacher Scott Moeller.  They teach the students about saying no to making bad choices and teach them how to avoid giving into peer pressure.

 The peer teachers are taught how to engage with the students as it is their number one priority to help them.

“Even if we only reach one person at the middle school, then our goal is accomplished” said Laurence.

“It is important that this program uses high schoolers [to teach] and not adults because the middle schoolers look up to us more and can relate to us” said Laurence. “We are their role models”.

Peer teaching is a great way for high school students to help younger students maintain a safe and drug free lifestyle and preventing drug and alcohol abuse in the future Vikings.

By: Lauren Sparks  Staff Writer