Photograph by Robert Scheer
Hauie Lin of Saratoga High School was one of 17 peer counselors who educated Redwood School students
about drug and tobacco use.
By Tim Persyn
If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, then the 17 Saratoga High School students who volunteered to be Redwood School peer counselors this year are worth their weight in prevention.
The peer counselors visited Redwood April 2 to talk to seventh-graders about drugs and alcohol. The counseling program involves two other visits to the school, one to discuss smoking and the other to talk about decision-making and peer pressure.
Peer counselor Lynn Wasserman, a senior at Saratoga, remembers when she was in seventh grade and experienced counseling from older high school students.
"It's a good way to get involved and talk about issues with kids," Wasserman said. "The kids not only get information, but also have someone closer to their age to talk to. This makes them more willing to accept what you're saying. They don't have an adult preaching at them."
The peer counselors spent an entire day at Redwood for their discussion on drugs and alcohol. They went from classroom to classroom, meeting with kids in small groups to discuss, give information, listen to student concerns and answer questions.
Saratoga students who volunteer to be peer counselors spend about 25 hours in training, which includes listening to guest speakers, attending workshops and reading. Their presentations at Redwood include skits, large-group activities, and small-group discussions where participants can get to know each other on a first-name basis.
In their discussions with Redwood students, the peer counselors strive to maintain privacy.
"The conversations don't leave the room," said program facilitator Pam Dunnett, adviser to the Healthy Lifestyles committee at Saratoga High School.
Dunnett commented on the effectiveness of the peer counseling program. "I think peer counseling is a wonderful form of education," she said. "There has been such a big rise in smoking, and there are always drug and alcohol problems. Any avenue we can use to reach these students is good."
As peer counselors, Saratoga students have an opportunity to reach students before bad influences can. "We can tell them about issues they will face," said Julie Patterson, also a senior at Saratoga High. She added that serving as a peer counselor can eventually mean being seen as a role model. "They watch you more closely--they want to see if you live up to what you say," she said.
Wasserman said the peer counseling experience can impact the life of the counselor. "We become more knowledgeable and can put that into our own lives. Sometimes high school students will ask us about these issues," Wasserman said.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, April 10, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved