Last week, Manchester Township Middle School (MTMS) students attended a Substance Abuse Prevention Assembly made possible through the Tigger Stavola Foundation, a group dedicated to fighting addiction, spreading awareness, and saving lives through drug prevention and education.
Keynote speaker Stephen Hill, founder of Speak Sobriety, shared his own inspiring story as a survivor of addiction, using it to explain the ways peer pressure might happen or why someone might turn to trying drugs or alcohol. He made it clear how severely addiction can affect the quality of someone’s life, spreading beyond one person to impact friends and family as well.
As a survivor, Mr. Hill noticed that there was a lot of information telling children what NOT to do in those situations - what he did not see was information about what they COULD do. So, through his presentation, he provides students with knowledge and methods that enable them to say “No!” to substance use. In his own words, the best way to avoid addiction is by never trying a substance in the first place.
With our students better prepared to stand up for themselves, they can move forward with confidence and a substance-free lifestyle!