CLEARFIELD – Susan Ford of the Clearfield-Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission reported that the district’s social norm’s survey has indicated its students are “highly influenced by perception” at Monday night’s regular school board meeting.
Ford said that the Pennsylvania Youth Survey is typically conducted in most districts across the state. She said that students who are in grades six, eight, 10 and 12 participated in the survey, which inquired about their use of alcohol, tobacco and other types of drugs.
“They’re influenced by the perception of what others are doing. They’re thinking ‘gee, everyone is smoking, or gee, everyone is drinking,” she said. Ford said that the majority, however, are not doing so.
She said that approximately five percent of the students reported that they smoke on a regular basis. She added that the students’ perception was measured at around 50 percent.
Ford said they would like to discourage any student who hasn’t decided whether to use alcohol, tobacco products or dugs from doing so.
Ford said that they’re hoping to place the statistics in poster format in the schools. She said the posters could also potentially be supplemented with in-class interaction.
“They need to get a look at what is really going on out there,” she said. “It’s just one tool in the arsenal to combat drug and alcohol abuse in our area.”
She said that they would likely produce four or five different posters with the board’s final approval of each.
“Maybe, we could get the sports teams involved and show the younger students that there are other activities,” Ford said.
Board vice president Dave Glass, however, thought that the students’ lifetime alcohol usage statistics were high. He said that they indicated that four in every five students have tried it.
Ford said that she believed the results were both accurate and typical of those across the nation. She reminded Glass that the lifetime statistics included even a sip of alcohol.
“(For example,) Johnny’s mom and dad have a party. If he takes a sip of alcohol, that’s included. It includes everything,” she said.
Glass said that he believed they needed to reach out to the students’ parents as well.
Ruthanne Barbazzeni, middle school guidance counselor, noted that the parents’ intervention was important. She said they have a campaign ready to get under way that will encourage parents to become involved in their efforts.
“We want them involved and to help keep our kids healthy and safe,” she said.
Student representative Chris Renaud said he wasn’t surprised by the survey’s results.
“Mr. Glass says that he thought these stats were high. But the survey was well designed. Unfortunately, these stats are everything that I expected them to be. It doesn’t surprise me at all,” he said.