European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 12, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars Ano stripes monday december 12.1988 education students turning Long talk Aga psf drugs nto a video by Vince crawl eve Nairn hit Bureau Siam beg West Germany Hollywood might spend millions but icon Agurs in Bamburg bagged Gro Ceries last summer 10 raise si.700 so they could make an Anli drug video. Filming started just before Midnight on a saturday. There was t a script just two dozen 13 to is year ii its sitting up All Notghi talking and sometimes shout ing about drugs. The my Sasagi hey decided upon is that Damberg should just say no to just say  the just say no program that is currently the Standard for drug ind alcohol prevention in t really effective because it s like a cliche student Jim Drew by said. Everybody associates that with Nancy Rea Gan Anita lot of us Don t really identify with  popularized by the Media and spearheaded by the first lady the Campaign  to Stop drug and alcohol abuse by urging people not to Start. Rather than give in to peer pressure i hey re supposed to just say they rather not. Saying no telling people to just say no in t going to work one girl said. Because people Aren t. Going to do it. They re not going to Stop because we Tell them to. They re going to Stop if they actually find a reason  moreover the students fear that urging them to say no May backfire encouraging some of them to say  it s called rebellion and it s part of being a teen Ager. They Don t want to hear thai marijuana is going to Hurt their lungs a student said. That s like a joke to them the regular marijuana smokers. Thai s no Rea son to Slop. You can t sit there and preach to them the facts like every ounce of alcohol is going to kill 10,000 brain  she said the number of brain cells is Noi Foremost Ina person s mind when he is about to Lake a drink. Searching for better reasons than no two dozen students locked themselves into the Bamburg Chapel on dec. 3 so they could discuss and argue their views about drug abuse. Although the students did t find Many answers two Volunteer  cameramen kept video cameras rolling until nearly 4 a.m., making a documentary of the round table discussion. The students Hope to edit the results Imo a Short hard i icing video that will make a few of their classmates Ponder the same prob lems. Jim Walsh Leamberg s adolescent substance abuse Counselor said he would give the students efforts a a because while they addressed drug problems they did t r Ovide any real solutions. Walsh came up with the idea of taping the teen agers because of All the teaching methods he s seen he said video is the Best Way to relate to today s students. And it s a shame but there Aren t really a lot of Good teaching videos on the Market he said. A Survey Walsh took in november 1987 showed that More than 90 percent of Bamburg s students had tried alcohol at least once 26 percent had tried Mari Juana or hashish More than 40 percent had been drunk within two months of the Survey Date and 10percent had been stoned. Walsh who surveyed 300 of he 500 save nah. Through 12th-Gradc students at Bamberg said the re sults were about average compared with other Ameri can schools in Germany. A 1988 University of Michi Gan Survey of Dodds High school students in Europe showed 95 percent of seniors had tried alcohol and 45 _ percent had tried marijuana at least once before graduation. The video production is expected to be part of a larger two part project the second part being a More conversions drama. The students fed that they not adults Are Best qualified to Lake their message to fellow students. I think our level is the Only level you can do any thing on. Because no one understands our age group better than us ourselves and our Peers student Rob Griffins said. Griffins said he s seen statistics from the 1930s and 40s showing that one of the big problems among High school students was gum chewing in class. Nobody even talked about the bigger problems he said. Now people Are talking about the bigger is sues so drug and alcohol abuse has become a More open  Griffitts too agreed with his classmates criticism. Against just say no.". In Many cases when you pressure a child it inadvertently causes him or her to do just the opposite he said these people need to quit telling their kids to just say no because it s not going to work. And no one knows that any belter than  with a canters rolling Bamberg students hash oat their views on the misuse of drugs by Iten igers. Education briefs 2 schools in Germany to get new principals Wiesbaden West German two assist ant principals have been promoted to principal at Asch Altenburg and Simbach Elc Montanes school officials announced. Gene Sil email assistant principal at Aviano elementary Italy has been chosen to replace James Halley at a Schaffenburg. Hallcy was appointed Okinawa District superintendent in the Pacific Region. To in Rani assistant principal at Ramstein elementary replaces Tim Killcy at Simbach Killcy retired last month. Silvernail and Barnard were the first two principals within the school system to be selected with the help of special panels that included parents military members and educators. Schoolkids Are invited to enter to contest Beverly Hills Calif. Schoolchildren Are being asked to submit ideas that could form the basis of a major television documentary. The american dream contest is asking Chil Dren Ages 9 to 17 to submit ideas for a Short him that illustrates what is special and positive about America. Nine winning concepts will be produced As a National television special hosted by Michael Landon. The winning students will be profiled on the special and will appear to Intro Duce their ideas. Official entry forms Are available to teachers parents and students and can be obtained by Send ing a Legal size self addressed and stamped Enve Lope to the american dream contest 6306 Wilshire blvd. Suite 14, Beverly Hills Calif., 90211. Entries must be received by Midnight feb. 28. The winners will be announced in May. New course to focus on religious Freedom Washington not a group of Educa tors who fear the debate Over lie place of Reli Gion in the Public schools has frightened school officials into Alt but banishing the subject have come up with a curriculum that they say teaches religion without promoting a Faith. At a news conference last month the Williamsburg charter foundation comprising scholars and educators outlined a one week course for primary and secondary schools that addresses the principles and problems of religious Liberty in the nation s Public schools. Foundation officials said the curriculum will be published next Spring. Pilot courses Are to begin in the 1989-90 school year in districts that have volunteered to lest the curriculum in California new Jersey new York and North Carolina. Students raise $3,300 for Ramstein victims bad Kreuz Nach West Germany is children at bad Kreuz Nach elementary school sur prised themselves and their teachers last month by raising More than $3,300 for Ramstein air show disaster victims in a  �00 children snuggled up with pillows stuffed animals and Good books nov. 22 to earn Money for victims of the August crash that lolled 70 and injured hundreds. Six children representing grades one through so. Were 10 present a $3,355.77 Check monday to the 316lh air division commander. Brig. Gen. Law rence . At  school s Reading improvement specialist Kathy Garrett come up with the idea after several children approached her to ask How they could help in the Wake of the air show crash.  said she and other teachers were amazed at How Long the children read How hard they worked and now supportive the Community was in the pc Christmas Days of tightened budgets. The children collected pledges for each half hour they  students read As Little As two hours White others pored Over their books for the full in Bour school Day. / the children went around grinning from ear to car they were so tickled with themselves she said