Written by: Addie
Edited by: Lia
Visual by: Maximilian
From September 29 to October 3, ISM held a Prevention Education Week, a campaign focused on raising awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.
PreventionEd is a global organization focused on helping students build healthy coping skills, learning strategies to resist peer pressure, understanding the risks of drugs and alcohol, and promoting more informed choices.
On September 29th, PreventionEd Prevention Specialist and Program Manager Luna Gayeski spoke about their own experience relating to these issues during the HS whole-school assembly.
“I started using substances as a 14-year-old, quickly developing addictions that had a myriad of negative consequences in my life […] With a few simple interventions from safe adults, I could have avoided those painful consequences,” Luna shared.
Their story, they explained, is what drives their passion for preventing young people from engaging in risky substance use.
While ISM has set aside this specific week for prevention-focused activities, Luna emphasized that the conversation should not be limited to a single program.
“The prevention conversation is not one 90-minute conversation. It’s 90 one-minute conversations […] It’s an okay subject to talk about with peers and adults in your life,” Luna reminded, noting that ongoing, everyday conversations are more effective than one-time lectures regarding the topic of substance abuse and prevention.
According to PreventionEd, education is one of the strongest tools to reduce substance abuse. By learning about these essential topics early, students are encouraged to make informed choices that protect their health and future.
Through events like these, ISM is taking an important step forward in creating a safer and healthier school environment.
