TIMES HERALD

Anti-drug program is a hit at Ar-We-Va

By Bret Hayworth/Times Herald News Writer

John Crudele delivered an anti-drug and positive parenting message in three sessions with Ar-We-Va students and par­ents on Thursday. In his afternoon session with elementary students, he had the audience giggling as six students fit into a huge red sweater with the “Just Say No” theme toward illicit drug usage. Crudele said that when students say “no” to drugs, they are saying “yes” to life and that “to be the best you can be, you have to be drug free.”

WESTSIDE — In three sessions Thursday with students and parents of the Ar-We-Va School District, motivational speaker John Crudele hammered home an anti-drug theme.

Crudele, who similarly spoke last year at Coon Rapids-Bayard Schools, is renowned for his ability to engagingly inform youth and parents on strategies for keeping kids drug-free.

In the afternoon session with K-5 students, Crudele had the pupils chanting “Be Smart. Don’t Start,” as aided by fifth-grader Ben Nolbling. He had six students squeeze into a huge sweater bearing the phrase “Just Say No,” and concluded the day by recounting a long list of ways to turn down drugs.

He quickly moved through an inventory that included, “No,” “No, thanks,” “Not a chance,” “Not for me,” “Forget it,” “I don’t believe in it,” “No way,” “Don’t be crazy,” “No and don’t ask again,” concluding with “No—period.” Crudele then slapped hands with each pupil as they exited the Westside gym.

DeAnn Leiting, the at-risk school liaison officer at Ar-We-Va, noted that the morning session for grades 6-12 was so well received that the time allotted was extended from 1 1/2 hours to two hours. “It was fantastic, they were just eating it up,” Leiting said.

When Crudele told a story about youth respecting their parents and that his own father had committed suicide, many students were visibly crying. In addition, Crudele spoke at length to the adolescents about smoking, alcohol, drugs and sex.

The sixth- through 12th-grade students completed follow-up session questionnaires and Leiting was reviewing those this morning. Many wrote that he was the best speaker they had ever heard at school.

“We are definitely planning on having him come back in the future,” Leiting said. “He just did a great job.”
As for the parents’ meeting in the evening, it lasted two hours and the Ar-We-Va crowd numbered over 200.
“we were just thrilled with the crowd we had,” Leiting said. “I am really proud of our parents. Everyone seemed really pleased.”

A big part of the parents’ discussion centered on how to relate to one’s children, Leiting said. One notable point was in Crudele telling the parents, Leiting said, that “kids spell love T-­I-M-E. You have to spend time with your kids to show them love. And you need to tell your kids you love them, not just say it, but show it.”

Normally stoic fathers really seemed to grab onto the message, Leiting said. Afterwards, both men and women hung around to question Crudele personally. “You wouldn’t believe all the parents who came up for a hug,” Leiting recounted.

Crudele is a Minneapolis, Minn.-based speaker and his visit was sponsored by Ar-We­Va Community School, the Ar-We-Va Action Team and the Carrollton Inn of Carroll.