There is only so much you can actively keep kids, especially teenagers, away from. Things like liquor and weed are drunk and puffed all around them and they aren't difficult to get a hold of either. But it doesn't mean parents or teachers shouldn't try. That's the focus of the Canaan Seventh Day Adventist School's "Be Drug Free" week. Today 250 Canaan school students took to the streets with their posters against drug use among youth. The march ended at the Memorial Park this morning and we spoke with the principal about the importance of this movement.
Patricia Nembhard, Principal, Canaan Seventh Day Adventist
"It was an entire program for the entire week, on Monday we had Pastor Paul Casanova that came and brought awareness to the young people about drugs and on Tuesday we had a fair where we had the Coast Guard and the police department that also came and they had their booth and the young people were able to go to each booth and they were able to learn that drugs really kills and they need to stay away from drugs and on Wednesday we also had a competition , if you go to the school you can see the competition where the kids had a painting competition based on the theme : be drug free and drugs - what destroys you, yesterday we had a poem, a drama competition and also a music competition and today we end off the rally with this parade to let the community see that young people from Canaan Seventh Day Adventist School are aware that drugs destroy you and we are making sure , we are pledging we will not be a part of that."
Courtney Weatherburne, 7News
"What are some of the challenges that I guess you face as a principal, and as teachers and parents as well face to get that message across to children."
Patricia Nembhard, Principal, Canaan Seventh Day Adventist
"What we face at our school is that young people, despite knowing that this is a problem, they still try to bring it to school because of peer pressure, because of where they live so what we do as leaders of this school, we just advise them, we show them the differences - what these things do."
Courtney Weatherburne
"Tell us why you thought it was important for the school to hold this event and for you to participate in it as well?"
Elisha Marroquin, Student
"I think because it encourages other children, and other students for them to stop doing drugs so we can have a better Belize."
As you heard, the march was the culmination of a week of activities at the school. It is an annual observance.
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