Contact Name: Rebecca Deschane, 920-593-3406
Green Bay, Wis. (June 2, 2008) – The Partners in Education Drug Alliance – and organization of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce - presented the 2nd Annual Drug Alliance Advocacy Award to the Unified School District of De Pere at its school board meeting on June 2.
The Drug Alliance Advocacy Award was established in appreciation of the community advocates who play a crucial role in raising public awareness of alcohol and drug related issues while promoting a drug-free community. The Unified School District of De Pere was selected as the 2008 recipient because of its work to revise the extracurricular code of conduct at the high school, including implementing a random drug testing procedure for students who participate in any extra-curricular activity or request a parking pass. The award was presented to students, parents and staff members who served on the committee to revise the co-curricular code, as well as the school board, in recognition of the collective efforts and work to implement the new policy.
"We applaud the actions taken by the Unified School District of De Pere to actively address the substance abuse issues that continue to plague our area schools. While there have been some heated discussions about this policy, it is evident that the district had the best interest of the students in mind when they opted to implement it," said Rebecca Deschane, youth development manager at the Green Bay Chamber of Commerce and project director of the PIE Drug Alliance said. "Furthermore, it clearly demonstrates the district’s strong commitment to fostering a positive learning environment for their students by proactively addressing the use of alcohol and other drugs by youth."
This is the second year the Drug Alliance Advocacy Award was presented to an individual or organization that has focused on extracurricular code of conducts at high schools, stressing the important need for our community to send a consistent message to our youth that alcohol and drug use will not be tolerated. Scott Venci, a sports reporter with the Green Bay Press-Gazette, was honored last year with the inaugural Advocacy Award for his articles highlighting the varying degrees of punishments by area schools for athletic code violations and his strong convictions promoting the need to change the status quo.
The Partners in Education Drug Alliance is a coalition of business, education, health care, law enforcement and community partners who seek to share community resources and educate the public on issues relating to the prevention of alcohol and drug use by area youth. The PIE Drug Alliance is funded by a Drug Free Communities grant from the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information about the Partners in Education Drug Alliance, contact Rebecca Deschane at 593-3406 or rdeschane@titletown.org.
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The Education and Leadership department includes programs such as Partners in Education (PIE), Leadership Green Bay and Current Young Professionals. PIE’s most prominent programs include the Golden Apple Awards, Brown County Teen Leadership, Youth Apprenticeship, WisCareers, Career Expo and Educators in The Workplace--programs designed to strengthen the economic future of our community.
Established in 1882, the mission of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce is to promote economic and community development. Chamber programs include Advance, Partners in Education, Leadership Green Bay, Brown County Teen Leadership, Current-Young Professionals Network, Good Government Council, the Highway 41 International Development Program, and the Small Business Council.
For more information about the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and its programs, call 437-8704 or visit www.titletown.org.
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