Santa Monica High School Conducts "Truth About Drugs Presentation 9th and 10th Grades"

Editor's Note: It's an open secret that drug and alcohol use is pervasive at santa monica high school. There's a sense that the school has to do something about the problem. This is a note we received this morning, from SamoHi Principal Antonio Shelton:

As many of you know, it is extremely important that we communicate and make our students aware of the truth about drugs and alcohol. Over the course of this school year, our school community has discussed how we can inform our students about drugs and their impact on young lives.

Drugs are more than just another social problem. They are the single most destructive element present in our current culture. Some 246 million people at all levels of society consume illegal drugs. Almost 200,000 die from drugs each year.

The greatest toll is on young people. In the time it takes to read this sentence, another school age youth will try drugs for the first time. He or she may be as young as 11 years old. Moreover, drug use among young people has escalated over the past decade. The answer: reach youth with the truth about drugs before they start.

We would like to meet with the 9th and 10th graders, who are our most vulnerable over the course of four Wednesdays (May 3rd, 10th, 17th, & 24th) during the late start Wednesday. Students will report starting next Wednesday, May 3rd to Barnum Hall at 8:15 a.m. These meetings will be done by house and students should only meet on the date they are designated to attend.

Our first house to attend will be S House 9th and 10th graders. During the meeting, students will be given the truth about drugs, so that they can make informed decisions to be drug free.

Each week, on Tuesday evening, I will send a message reminding 9th and 10th graders to attend their house meeting. Once again, we will take attendance for this meeting at 8:15 a.m. in Barnum Hall. We strongly encourage parents to assist us in getting students here for this important event.

Please look for an email from me, sharing this same message with the attendance schedule for the meeting dates specifically by houses. Attendance will be taken at each meeting and will count as class time. Please see below the date that your house will be attending the meeting.

May 3rd- S-House Meeting 8:15 a.m. Barnum Hall 9th & 10th graders

May 10th-M & O- House Meeting 8:15 a.m. Barnum Hall 9th & 10th graders

May 17th-H-House Meeting 8:15 a.m. Barnum Hall 9th & 10th graders

May 24th-I-House Meeting 8:15 a.m. Barnum Hall 9th & 10th graders

Sincerely, Antonio M. Shelton, Ed.D., Principal, Santa Monica High School