Regional Coordinators’ Meeting
Monday, September 27, 2010
11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Embassy Suites Hotel, East Syracuse, NY

New York State Regional Play-offs
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Marley Education Center, Syracuse, NY

New York State Finals
Monday, May 16, 2011
6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
DoubleTree Hotel, East Syracuse, NY

We’d also like to offer big time kudos to our Runners Up, Christian Brothers Academy (Onondaga County), and our two Finalists, St. Mary’s Institute (Montgomery County) and Dryden Middle School (Tompkins County).  Great job!  : )

Clinton Middle School

Christian Brothers Academy

Dryden Middle School

St. Mary’s Institute

Grades 3 & 4

First Place:
Sophia Burns, Grade 3
St. Daniel-St. Matthew Academy, E. Syracuse, NY

Second Place:
Spencer Vono, Grade 4
Blessed Sacrament School, Syracuse, NY

Third Place:
Lily Walker, Grade 4
St. Daniel-St. Matthew Academy, E. Syracuse, NY

Grades 5 & 6

First Place:
Amy DeGaetano, Grade 6
Dryden Middle School, Dryden, NY (Tompkins County)

Second Place:
Danielle Yerdon, Grade 6
St. Daniel-St. Matthew Academy, E. Syracuse, NY

Third Place:
Megan Hotaling, Grade 6
Otselic Valley Central School, Georgetown, NY (Chenango County)

Grades 7 & 8

First Place:
Madelyn Fetzko, Grade 8
Sherburne-Earlville Middle School, Earlville, NY (Chenango County)

Second Place:
Breana Karrat, Grade 7
Clinton Middle School, Clinton, NY (Oneida County)

Third Place:
Shayna Fick, Grade 7
Clinton Middle School, Clinton, NY (Oneida County)

That’s the number of 5th through 8th graders who voluntarily participated in the Twenty-fourth Annual Drug Quiz Show.  These wonderful students (all winners in our eyes), representing over 200 schools throughout New York State, studied the materials provided and became engrossed in the exciting “game show” format.  As a result, they were able to answer questions such as:

1.  What drug is involved in 1/3 of all suicides, 1/2 of all murders, and 1/2 of all fatal car accidents?
2.  Name 2 characteristics of inhalants that make them particularly attractive to 10- to 15- year-olds.
3.  What is the difference between “blacking out” and “passing out?”
4.  Would it be an overstatement to say that cigarette smoking is now as important a cause of death as the great epidemics of typhoid, cholera, and tuberculosis in the past?
5.  What is leukoplakia? *

Students became conversant with the legalities, benefits, and risks of substances as diverse as prescription pills, steroids, chewing tobacco, and crack.  They learned the health benefits of laughter and techniques for handling stress positively.  They became familiar with important life skills (decision-making, ways of reducing personal risk factors, saying no, etc.).  In a word, through the program they learned to make decisions based upon fact vs. myth, on sound thinking vs. emotion.

Perhaps that’s why the community has been so supportive.  Each of our sponsors knows that substance abuse is our nation’s #1 health problem.  Moreover, they recognize the power and potential this prevention strategy has to provide more than mere information (i.e., to make available specific tools as well as confidence in dealing with peer pressure) to thousands of public, private, and parochial school students at precisely the time research indicates they typically are faced with having to make their first real-life decisions about alcohol and other drug use.

The Drug Quiz Show is essentially a volunteer run, cost-effective project with a proven track record of replicability.  It has won numerous awards including the New York State Education Week Competition and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ highest honor: the Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Community Health Promotions.  With pride in our progress and even greater hope for the future, we look forward to the day when all students will have this opportunity to positively influence their own growth and development!

*1.  Alcohol.
2.  Accessibility and low cost.
3.  During a “blackout” a drinker remains awake but suffers temporary memory loss; the next day he/she can’t remember what happened while drinking.  In contrast, people who “pass out,” actually become unconscious
4.  No, not according to the British Royal College of Physicians
5.  White, leathery, potentially pre-cancerous patches that can appear in the mouth, for example, as a result of a person’s using chewing tobacco.

If you’re new to the Drug Quiz Show … welcome! We invite you to learn more about our program by browsing the site.  Just click the tabs on the right side of this page.  Or check out our Newsletter. Should you have questions or need additional information, don’t hesitate to contact us.

If you are a Regional Coordinator or School Advisor, please take a moment to register. Once the Syracuse office has verified your information, you’ll receive an email letting you know you’ve been approved to enter your special section of the site. On subsequent visits, all you’ll have to do is login by entering your email address and password. This will give you access to study materials, information, and forms designed just for you. Download and print any or all of these items at your convenience.

As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas. Your insight is invaluable to making the web site meaningful and workable. Enjoy!