Program takes proactive approach on drugs; Michigan: Public Schools of Petoskey.

The program that made Public Schools of Petoskey the Michigan state winner in the 2006 National Civic Star Award competition began in 2002 following a debate about the need to do random drug testing in the schools to prevent or at least reduce drug use.

The program has evolved into a communitywide effort that promotes healthy life styles and personal accountability for students and their families.

It was initiated as a response to surveys of middle- and high-school students about their histories of drug use and opinions about drug-related issues. The surveys showed that students, starting in middle school, were increasingly involved in drug use and that their incidence of use was above the national average.

The school board decided to take action using a proactive rather than reactive approach after much discussion, including parents, students and other community members participating in open forums. The outcome was the COATS, or Community Offering Alternatives to Substance Abuse, program at Petoskey High School. The goal of COATS is to prevent and stop drug use and to educate the community, including students and their families, about substance use and abuse.

Students become program participants as a result of aberrant behavior. They may be required to attend a COATS meeting as a condition of probation, as a result of a court order or to avoid suspension from school. More than half the students choose to stay in the program after they have begun to participate and their required participation time has ended.

The program increases interaction among students and community members and provides counseling. COATS engages students in an array of activities, such as dances at the local Y, bimonthly esteem-building activities including wall climbing, distribution of birthday bags to all students in the school and weekly support group meetings and counseling sessions with licensed substance-abuse counselors. Parents have access to counseling, peer group meetings, workshops, a library and resource materials.

The program also offers staff training for other schools, presentations on substance-abuse prevention, drug paraphernalia workshops, presentations to area service clubs and other community-based organizations.

Program support comes from throughout the community. The school district provides staff and in-kind support, while local service clubs, area foundations and the local Revenue Sharing Board have provided funding. Camp Daggett, an outdoor leadership and esteem-building program, provides the climbing wall, and the state police and other local governmental and nongovernmental agencies participate in programs and activities and provide financial support.

The best evidence of the program's success is the enthusiasm of the students who participate in it and the adults and agencies that support it.

For more information, contact Superintendent John Scholten at Public Schools of Petoskey, 1130 Howard St., Petoskey, Mich. 49770, or call [phone]. Scholten's e-mail address is [e-mail].