STUDENTS GET DRUG MESSAGE FAST

Students at Juliet Senior Public School are Racing Against Drugs in
an innovative program designed to give them a positive spin on a
serious problem.

Targeted at students in grades 6-8, the program involves students by
having them design and build model race cars which run on CO2
cartridges.

Ron Sproat constructed a car from a kit, with his father's help, and
decorated it with a cartoon of Homer Simpson.

"Sanding is the hard part," he said, but he and his friend Mike
Butcher both think "it's cool" to make the cars.

About 40 students are involved at this point. Juliet is the first
school in the district to adopt the program, a collaborative effort
of the school and the Stratford Police service.

Derek Farr, an education assistant at the school, was inspired by his
interests in car racing and art to contact his friends in the drag
racing community with the idea of "giving kids a voice."

"Racing is a totally drug-free sport," he explained. "You can be
involved as a driver, a fan, a mechanic."

Participants in the program link the fun of building and racing cars
with the underlying anti-drug message.

"Drugs are more prevalent than most people think," said Deb Neeb,
school liaison officer from the Stratford police. " Lots of drugs are
available in the community and students are starting to use them at a
younger age."

Ms. Neeb, who is frequently at the school, is aware that the "lecture
method" of informing students about drug abuse has been overused. She
is hopeful about the Racing Against Drugs concept.

"It's more in tune with kids - more hands-on," she said.

The program is in its initial stage at Juliet. By next year an
education kit will be available. Organizers would like to get other
schools involved, with the possibility of elimination heats, and then
a final race day, complete with displays and trophies.

Juliet School has already demonstrated an interest in drag racing
with a motivational assembly featuring racers Scott Wildgust and Brad
Buhrow. Some students attended the national event at Grand Bend
Motorplex (a sponsor) last year, and 120 kids plan to attend this
year's race, June 1.

On June 14, Juliet will hold its first racing competition with the
student-built cars, which can go 60 feet in a second.

Another program sponsor, Kevin Zimmer of Fram's K&K Race Team, has
donated t-shirts to the participants. He is enthusiastic about the
project, not only because it raises awareness about the sport, but
also because the drivers can use the students' interest in cars to
talk about safety and lifestyle issues.

Principal Stu Laing is "proud of all that's been accomplished." He
believes that getting the students involved in racing is preferable
to the "just say no" philosophy. And as an educator, he points to the
connections with the curriculum in science and health.

This Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Racing Against Drugs will hold
an event at sponsor Stratford Motor Products to raise funds for the
program. A car wash can be had for a donation, and a snack (hot dog
and a drink) is $2.

A special invitation is extended to owners of racing cars and classic
cars to display their vehicles and talk to participating students.