District 88 partners with AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks, area schools and villages of Addison, Carol Stream and Glendale Heights to host ‘Day of Champions: A new approach to drug education in our schools’

On May 15, District 88 partnered with AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks, 12 local schools and the villages of Addison, Carol Stream and Glendale Heights to host a “Day of Champions,” an educational program to engage students in approaching drug education in schools. Pictured are the students who participated, along with several community leaders sitting in the front row (in chairs). They are (from left) Chief Douglas R. Flint with the Glendale Heights Police Department, Village of Glendale Heights Village President Linda Jackson, Village of Addison Mayor Rich Veenstra, Christin Kruse with AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks and Bruce C. Christian, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks.

On May 15, District 88 partnered with AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks, 12 local schools and the villages of Addison, Carol Stream and Glendale Heights to host a “Day of Champions,” an educational program to engage students in approaching drug education in schools. Top left: Addison Trail senior Jessica Bach discusses how heroin has affected someone close to her and how that has impacted her life. She's pictured with Willowbrook Social Worker Erik Engel. Top middle: High-schoolers (from left) Allison Letson (Willowbrook), Ali Mirza (Willowbrook), Kevin Enright (Glenbard South), Tavion Keith (Glenbard South), Kennedy Galuza (Glenbard South) and Patrick Poirier (Glenbard South) lead a discussion with Addison School District 4 students. Top right: J.T. Daniels (Addison Trail) and Angel Dominguez (Glenbard East) facilitate a session. Bottom left: (From left) Sevina Topalska (Addison Trail), Bach (Addison Trail), Taniya Roby (Addison Trail) and Diana Dybisz (Willowbrook) share a laugh during the event. Bottom middle: (From left) Charles Schroeder, Kayla Neff, Penelope DelValle and Toby Micheletti with District 45 share their thoughts with the group. Bottom right: Yasmine Cattron and Jack Bolsinger with Addison School District 4 talk about what they learned.

On May 15, District 88 partnered with AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks, 12 local schools and the villages of Addison, Carol Stream and Glendale Heights to host a “Day of Champions,” an educational program to engage students in approaching drug education in schools. The program also was supported by the DuPage Regional Office of Education (Regional Superintendent Dr. Darlene Ruscitti) and DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin through a drug forfeiture grant.

In the morning, 90 high school students from District 88 and Glenbard Township High School District 87 came together for a training session. They then served as peer mentors to facilitate conversation among 160 middle-schoolers regarding opioid use and drug education in schools. The elementary districts that participated are Addison School District 4, District 45, Salt Creek School District 48, Marquardt School District 15, Queen Bee Schools (District 16) and Community Consolidated School District 93.

At District 88, the safety and well-being of students is the No. 1 priority, and this program is one initiative to help students lead a healthy lifestyle. The district has hosted/participated in the following drug education events and will continue to work with local organizations to support students and families.