KAPA‘A — If the horns from passing cars and trucks were messages of support, there was a lot of it when Project Meth Kaua‘i representatives to the Project Meth Teen Advisory Council took to the streets, Friday fronting the All
KAPA‘A — If the horns from passing cars and trucks were messages of support, there was a lot of it when Project Meth Kaua‘i representatives to the Project Meth Teen Advisory Council took to the streets, Friday fronting the All Saints Church in Kapa‘a.
Bryson Cayaban, the representative from Waimea High School, said the idea was born from Allen Mae Ortega, the representative from Kapa‘a High School, who coordinated with Keith Kitamura of the school’s Peer Mediation Program to have about two dozen students join the Project Meth representatives in a sign waving campaign.
“Today is actually Methamphetamine Awareness Day in Hawai‘i,” said William Jordan Balbin, the representative from Kaua‘i High School. “The sign waving is meant to raise awareness about meth and its dangers to people.”
Aimee Imai of the Hawai‘i Meth Project said in observance of today’s National Methamphetamine Awareness Day, recognized annually to highlight efforts to increase awareness of his highly addictive drug, the Hawai‘i Meth Project hosted awareness events throughout the state to educate the community and teens about the dangers and devastating effects of crystal methamphetamine, or more commonly known on the streets as “ice.”
Kaua‘i’s sign waving campaign by high school students joined efforts on other islands where more than 800 students took part in a Meth awareness assembly at Washington Middle School on O‘ahu.
The assembly featured local street artist Katch 1 creating an aerosol art piece while the students watched. The mural will be featured in the Meth Project’s “Take A Stand Against Meth” art display at the Hawai‘i State Capitol from Jan. 8 through Mar. 22, 2013 and at Honolulu Hale from Mar. 25 to Apr. 12.
Entries for “Take a Stand Against Meth” are still being accepted with details and more information available by visiting www.MethProject.org/action/hawaii.
Governor Neil Abercrombie joined the effort by issuing a proclamation declaring Nov. 30 as Methamphetamine Awareness Day in Hawai‘i and “urging all of the state’s residents, government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, and schools to join the Hawai‘i Meth Project’s efforts in raising awareness about the dangers of this drug.”
Cayabyab said the Kaua‘i representatives to the Project Meth Teen Advisory Council are also active beyond the single day celebration, working with other people from the middle and high schools in various outreach programs.
“We advocate peer-to-peer outreach on the bad use of Meth,” the Waimea High School representative said.
The Hawai‘i Meth Project is a nonprofit organization which implements large-scale, research-based campaigns and community action programs to reduce methamphetamine use in the state, a release states.
Central to its integrated campaigns is MethProject.org, a definitive source of information about meth for teens. The Hawai‘i Meth Project is affiliated with the Meth Project, a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Palo Alto, California aimed at significantly reducing Meth use through public service messaging, public policy and community outreach.
Visit www.HawaiiMethProject.org for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
