Johnston students work towards a safer community

Ten students from Ferri Middle School and Johnston High School recently attended a four day TeamSpirit Leadership Training Program at Bryant University. The event hosted over 140 high school students and 30 adult advisors from across Rhode Island’s schools and is run by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

The TeamSpirit Leadership Training Program is designed to prevent alcohol and other drug use and impaired driving by youth. The program’s mission is based on the assumption that young people can effectively help themselves and peers refrain from using harmful substances. The conference provided participants with information, skills, and motivation to organize alcohol and drug-free activities in their schools and communities.

Action plans for school and drug-free events and activities were developed at the conference by school teams and community teams, which are composed of students and school advisors from the various participating schools and community groups. The action plans will then be implemented during the school year.

According to Patricia Sweet, the director of Youth Prevention at Tri-County Community Action Agency and the coordinator of the Johnston Prevention Coalition, in the 26 years of TeamSpirit, Johnston has only had two students attend in the past, attending the event five years ago. However, this is the first year that Johnston was able to recruit students to attend the event, who returned with great ideas and have an advisor to support their action plan on schoolwide activities that coincide with alcohol and marijuana use.

“This is a major accomplishment for Johnston to make a presence at TeamSpirit and represent Johnston schools. We are very proud of the students who represented Johnston, they did a great job,” said Sweet.

The Above The Influence (ATI) advisor of Ferri Middle School, Carolyn Carnevale was the TeamSpirit advisor and attended the event with the students. The new high school ATI Advisor, Mallary Bileau, also attended workshops during the day to work with the students.

During the event, each school was given the name of a victim of a drunk driving accident, along with their background information and personal likes and dislikes, for them to sponsor an event in honor of their victim sometime during the upcoming school year.

The Johnston Prevention Coalition provided funding for the ten students to attend. During the event’s closing ceremony, participants received awards and made a personal commitment to stay alcohol and drug free.