Peer Educators

Issues

     On Monday, April 21, we went to the Collingwood Prevention Fair to learn about different issues like drugs, gangs, child abuse, body image, peer pressure, and computer overuse. We learned about the problems of each situation and how to solve them.

     The first issue was about drugs and marijuana. We learned that we shouldn't smoke marijuana because we have no idea what's in it, so why smoke it and put it in our mouths? There could be dangerous chemicals in it. If you were to get caught smoking pot, you would be fined and ruin relationships between your friends and family. Try not to get talked into doing something stupid.

     The second issue was about gangs. The peer educators talked about the life of being in a gang. The reasons why people join gangs is because they get money, respect and attention. But I learned that you should be a leader, not a follower. If you're in a gang, they watch your every move, tell you what to do, and give you orders that involve crime. Once you're in a gang, you won't be able to get out. If you try to get out, they would kill you because you know too much about them. To stay safe, join after school programs so you have an excuse to avoid joining a gang when being offered to join one.  

     The third issue was about child abuse. The skit they had was about a boy whose parents always made him work and if he didn't, they'd abuse him and hit him. He wasn't doing well in school because of the abusiveness his parents did to him. He got sick and tired of them controlling his life and threatening him, so he decided to run away from home. Eventually, he became homeless and lived on the streets. They also talked about how many children in the world are abused each year. The four types of child abuse are: Neglect (ignoring), physical, sexual and emotional. A way to solve child abuse is to tell an adult you can trust before it's too late.

     The fourth issue was about body image. They taught us that we shouldn't change our body for anyone besides ourselves. Also remember that clothing doesn't make up for who we are inside. And don't listen to magazines that tell you how you SHOULD look, because everyone is different and we shouldn't all look the same. Think you're overweight? Well, instead of starving yourself to get thinner, a better way would be to exercise more, and eat healthier. Have a positive body image. Remember, no one looks perfect. Don't judge a book by its cover.

     The fifth issue was about peer pressure. We learned to not give in to it. If you do give in to peer pressure, you'll end up regretting it. You can make a fool of yourself, or hurt yourself if you force something you don't want to do. If you don't want to do it, then why bother? There's no point, just don't do it.

     The last issue was about computer overuse. Computer overuse can interfere with your effort in school by skipping school and not doing homework. A computer addiction can block out your social life. It also blocks your family and friends out of your life. For example, you may reject going out with your friends because of the computer. It can also cause gossip and rumors to spread and hurt your friends. If you have an obsession, talk to someone about it so you can get help with it.

     I enjoyed learning about these six issues, and I'm sure everyone else did too. I learned some new facts and how to think of them. Now I know what to do if they ever occur.   

by Suzanna Che

     We had a marvellous time that the Collingwodd Prevention Fair. Our trip began at 8:20. We all waited for Selma to lead the way and we arrived at Collingwood around nine o'clock. It was time to show our seven hours of hard work to others. There was Norquay, Grenfell, Bruce, Renfrew and Nootka. All the schools presented an outstanding performance. At noon, we ate our lunch and then we went back to our room and prectised more, because in the afternoon it was my time to perform our group skit. Our group was nervous; we were scared we would mess up the lines or forget a part. But all the nervousness was gone when we kept on going to the end. Congrats to all peer educators, especially Norquay's peer educators and especially to Selma - we couldn't have done it without you.