Drug Free Idaho is an anti-drug coalition developed by community leaders that engages youth with the goal of drug prevention. Looking for a fresh approach to work with the local youth, the Executive Director, Rob Stevenson, joined with a youth advisory to plan a strategy to talk with youth about the true dangers of drugs and alcohol and to find healthy alternatives.
Stevenson notes that Natural High is one piece of their approach and that it is effective because it offers a positive message and helps to start important conversations.
Drug Free Idaho supports school efforts during Red Ribbon Week and they continue to share the message by being visible at local events. One particularly effective way of working with the community is hosting booths at festivals and other affairs to spread the word. Often at the booth, members of the coalition engage with the public on a personal level – asking people to document their natural high and taking a photo.
Working with photographers and members of the community, Drug Free Idaho captured real, local people engaged in their natural high in a catalogue, which they used to show other coalitions how to set up their own booths. They have continued to support Drug Free Coalitions across the state.
Meridian Anti Drug Coalition is one of the state’s coalitions that uses the booth at events, like Spring Safety Fling or during National Prevention Week. At a biannual professional development for teachers, counselors and school nurses through local universities, they shared the Natural High curriculum and how to use it in the classroom.
They find Natural High resources easy to use and share and even created a Public Service Announcement to amplify their message. Together, in an effort to spread the message more broadly, Drug Free Idaho and Meridian Anti Drug Coalition created an inspirational video.
You can follow Meridian Anti Drug Coalition on Facebook to watch them in action.
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