 |
| Rotarians Ingo Hartig, Goerge Bartlett, Mark Morris and Peter Garland |
On
Thursday March 9, Windham Middle School’s seventh-grade students hosted an event
to share the outcome of their project: Taking Back Maine’s Future: Ending the
Opiate Crisis. In attendance were parents, children, law enforcement, Rotary
Club members and Senator Bill Diamond.
With a
$1,200 donation from the Sebago Lake Rotary Club, the students were able to
include the DeLorean replica as it was seen in the 1980s film, “Back to the
Future”. The project is the brainchild of RSU14 school personnel Doug Elder, Lee Leroy, AJ Ruth and Gwen
Roberts and required students to travel through time, via research and
evaluation of current data and statistics, bringing newspaper articles back
from the future: some from the bright promising future where Maine has defeated
the epidemic. Others from a dark and dangerous future where the epidemic
persists.
When
Elder opened the school cafeteria doors the public was welcomed to visit both
of these possible futures. One side of the cafeteria was dark, with litter
strewn about, mock drugs and syringes on tables along with would-be news
articles sharing the state of affairs if the epidemic goes unchecked. The
students clearly demonstrated their concern and what the future could hold.
Students
shared their concerns and the results of what they learned from the project. Maggie
Whiting stated, “Opiates are a real problem. If this issue is not solved, Maine
could go very wrong due to increased overdoses and deaths.” This was reinforced
by headlines of news articles on display, including: “Child Overdoses on
Mother’s Fentanyl.”
Dakota
Woodall concurred by adding, “Maine will come to an end as we know it if we
don’t do something. People need to listen to what we are saying.”
Another
student, Nathan Jordan was very clear when he said that the possibility of a
bleak future is not a fantasy. “It is based on what could happen if things
continue as is,” he said. “We need to educate to avoid this future.”
Traveling
to the bright future the public observed thoughtful ideas and positive outcomes
that could result from pragmatic approaches to battling the epidemic.
Cate
Culbovich expressed what he learned from the project, “We need more treatment
centers where people can get help.”
Julia
Mazerolle had an idea that may be helpful in eradicating addiction. “A
prescription drink, wearable patch or chewable could be developed to cure
opiate addiction. If we can prevent addiction there will be a better future for
everyone.”
Elexis
Crommett reinforced, “We need to take action that will result in fewer
overdoses.”
Sasha
Funk proposed, “Scientists could come up with a vaccination which prevents
addiction.”
Another
scientific approach was offered by John Ulmer. “Scientists could extract the
addictive components from prescription drugs.”
Haley
Blethen stated that education is imperative, making people aware of the many
side effects of addiction. “When a baby is born to an addict, the baby
immediately goes through withdrawals. The doctor must give the baby the correct
dose of opioids and continue to reduce until they are off the drug. However,
the baby remains an addict as ‘once an addict, always an addict’ since the drug
rewires your brain,” she said.
The
Windham Police Department was also present, and Patrol Captain William Andrews stated
that he was impressed with the data collected by the students. “It is
refreshing that the youth are taking interest in this epidemic. I’m impressed
with their ideas, figures and statistics.”
Rotarian
George Bartlett was enthusiastic about the project stating, “this gets the kids
involved in the community to help with a very real problem.”
The
students were overwhelmingly positive about what they learned which required
multi-week investments of time. Ulmer indicated this included, “practicing the
Socratic method to answering questions in preparation for this event.”
“We are
all at risk as an ‘unlikely addict.”, Elder stated. “It could start simply from
an injury, after being prescribed an opioid. One thing leads to another. I just
read an article on a police officer dying of an overdose. The problem is so
stark and pressing. The students extrapolated the cold hard facts. If the
trends don’t change, Maine will become a wasteland. The tide is turning,
though, as we are beginning to see companies and doctors held accountable.”
The project was also aided by Be the Influence Coalition, which is a collaborative group of Windham and
Raymond community leaders who are working to raise awareness and address
concerns caused by substance use and abuse in area communities.
The replica DeLorean was provided by Bill and Patrick Shea of
Hubbardston,
MA.
