Kauai students pose with artist East3 after the completion of the first day of art workshops. Over 100 students from Kauai were registered to attend the Spray Away Meth art workshop series over the 2-day period.
By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)—The Hawaii Meth Project today announced its statewide line-up of events for the first national Meth Awareness Week, held November 30-December 7. Activities have been planned on Maui, Kauai, Oahu, and Hawaii Island and will be led by the Hawaii Meth Project’s Teen Advisory Council (TAC) members.
The first national Meth Awareness Week will be observed in an effort to combat the abuse and use of methamphetamine. Coordinated by the Meth Project, a large-scale, teen-targeted prevention program of The Partnership at Drugfree.org that aims to significantly reduce meth use, the week will kick off with provocative, creative and social content dramatizing the dangerous and devastating effects of meth.
State partners including Hawaii are launching awareness campaigns with various local events and enhanced digital media support during the week.
“Hawaii has seen first-hand the devastating effects that meth abuse has had and continues to have on our local community, which is why our goal is to bring highly effective peer-to-peer outreach to our youth – our future,” said Hawaii Meth Project’s executive director, David Earles. “Our participation in national Meth Awareness Week is an amazing opportunity for us to strengthen our ‘Not Even Once’ message and directly engage more of our local youth and community partners.”
Hawaii Meth Project’s Meth Awareness Week activities and events are as follows:
On Monday, December 2, the Hawaii Meth Project will announce the winners of its Break the Ice art contest. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top entries in two age divisions, and there will also be a People’s Choice Award for the entry with the most “likes” on Facebook. The contest was open to Hawaii students ages 13 to 19.
On Tuesday, December 3, Hawaii Meth Project will be on Maui for meth prevention lessons led by TAC member and Baldwin High School junior McKayla Wandell. Wandell has also organized an anti-meth slam poetry performance by Oahu slam poet, Gary Brock. An after-school meth prevention awareness sign waving has also been scheduled fronting Baldwin High School in the afternoon.
On Wednesday, December 4, students, volunteers and community members will be teaming up in full force to support the Hawaii Meth Project and participate in an anti-meth sign-waving rally at a popular intersection near the Lihue Airport. A Hawaii Meth Project informational booth will also have a presence at Kauai High School earlier that same day. TAC member and Kauai High School sophomore Erica Owan will be educating her peers about the risks of first-time meth use and the importance of prevention on December 4.
On Thursday, December 5, Oahu student advocates will come together for anti-meth sign waving to promote the Hawaii Meth Project’s “Not Even Once” message in the community. Students and community leaders will gather on N. King Street, fronting Farrington High School. An all-school assembly at Farrington High School will also take place in the gymnasium and will feature a presentation by a recovering meth addict, meth prevention lesson by Hawaii Meth Project, hip-hop performance by Diverse Dance Group, and a live anti-meth urban art presentation by East3.
On Friday, December 6, students, volunteers and community members will support the Hawaii Meth Project’s efforts at Pahoa High & Intermediate School on Hawaii Island. Meth prevention lessons will be held in classrooms throughout the day. A lunch recess rally will feature an obstacle course by the Hawaii Police Department and a Hawaii Meth Project booth where students can participate in activities and sign a pledge to live a meth-free lifestyle. At an all-school assembly, students will hear about the importance of meth use prevention from a recovering meth addict, the Hawaii Meth Project and the Big Island Substance Abuse Council (BIASC). Students will bring national Meth Awareness Week to a close with an anti-meth sign-waving rally outside of their school.
About the Hawaii Meth Project
The Hawaii Meth Project is a nonprofit organization that implements large-scale, research-based campaigns and community action programs to reduce methamphetamine use in the state. Central to its integrated campaigns is MethProject.org—a definitive source for information about meth for teens. The Hawaii Meth Project is affiliated with The Partnership at Drugfree.org, a national nonprofit organization working to help families solve the problem of teen substance abuse. For more information, visit HawaiiMethProject.org.