Students at Warsaw North and South Elementary Schools celebrated Red Ribbon Week last week as part of their campaign to “Say No To Drugs.”
North School Counselor Teresa Flores reported that North students were enthusiastic about participating in the week’s activities.
“At North, we had morning video announcements about being drug free and our dress up theme days. Fifth grade Student Council helped pass out Red Ribbons and daily treats. Our teachers did a door decorating contest with a drug free theme,” said Flores.
Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was a Drug Enforcement Administration Agent who was tortured and killed in Mexico in 1985. In honor of Kiki’s memory and his battle against illegal drugs, friends and neighbors began to wear red badges of satin. Parents then began to form coalitions using Camarena as their model while embracing his belief that one person can make a difference. These coalitions adopted the symbol of Camarena's memory, the Red Ribbon. Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities.
Warsaw R-9 School Superintendent Scott Gemes said that the district is very serious about working with students who struggle with mental health issues.
Bruce Miller who is a certified school-based counselor with Katy Trails, has an office in Warsaw High School and works with students referred to him by faculty or parents.
“He works one on one with referred students in the middle school and high school and also travels to both elementaries to work with students,” said Gemes.
Gemes mentioned that both elementary schools have counselors to work with students who may be dealing with anxiety issues or other mental health concerns.
North School instructor Amanda Payne works with students in a special behavioral room to help them deal with issues.
Tyler Richardson is the WHS counselor. Kelsi Brosnahan is the JBMS counselor and Laura Sons is the South School counselor. Students and parents are encouraged to contact on of these counselors to help with any issue a student may have.
When teenagers are struggling with emotional problems, they often turn to alcohol or drug use to help them manage painful or difficult feelings. In this, they are not different from adults. But because adolescent brains are still developing, the results of teenage “self-medication” can be more immediately problematic.
In the short term, substance use can help alleviate unwanted mental health symptoms like hopelessness, anxiety, irritability, and negative thoughts. But in the longer term, it exacerbates them and often ends in abuse or dependence. Substance use escalates from experimentation to a serious disorder much faster in adolescents than it does in adults, and that progression is more likely to happen in kids with mental health disorders than in other kids.
Treatment varies among different mental disorders and by age. Based on US data from 2023.
-Among children ages 3-17 with a current mental health condition, just over half (53%) received treatment or counseling from a mental health professional in the past year, and 43% took medication for an emotional, concentration, or behavioral condition.
-Among children with depression, 79% received treatment or counseling, compared with 59% of children with anxiety and 52% of children with behavior disorders.
-Receipt of treatment or counseling increased with age, from 36% of children ages 3-5 to 60% of children ages 12-17.
Parents and students can contact school counselors and teachers for help to students live a drug free, productive life. Contact school counselors or administrators to set up an appointment. Warsaw R-IX office (660) 438-7120; Lincoln R-II office (660) 547-3514 or Cole Camp R-I office, (660) 668-4427.
