Students are mentors for younger people

SHOHOLA - On April 24, twenty-four student members of Students Against Substance Abuse (SASA) spent the day at Shohola Elementary School. They spent their time interacting with the elementary students through two different avenues. The fourth and fifth graders received interactive presentations regarding heroin, marijuana, alcohol, and Ecstasy. The feedback from teachers, students, and a local DARE Officer were very positive. Kids in the younger grades were taught about general safety procedures. This was accomplished through a tour of Safety Town. Safety Town is a PennDOT program, which was brought to Shohola by a PTA members and the Pike County Highway Safety Team. The miniature town has multiple stations, including a traffic light, a police station, a hospital, a car backing out of a driveway, a stranger passing out candy, a car seat, a bike and helmet, a train, a school bus, and a pay phone. Students were taught what different signs meant in each of these situations. They were taught how they should respond in a safe manner in each one. At the pay phone, they were taught how to dial 911 and provide the operator with information. The following SASA members participated in the event: Heather Bowman, Ann Marie Chessari, Ashley Cordova, Kim Eaton, Miranda Featherman, Will Foster, Joey Gallagher, Pat Hines, Jessica Johanson, Megan Keenan, Brittany Kralik, Adrienne Lombarde, Tyler McCarthy, Erin McHugh, Shannon McHugh, Lauren Merikas, Shawn Moore, Erin Morrison, Mallory Mussolini, Danielle Petersen, Yanira Santiago, Jeffrey Schultz, Joee Shimanski, and Jenn Vill, along with advisor and Delaware Valley teacher, Kimberly McDaniel.