“Wild Sobriety” was the theme at the University of Pittsburgh at
Bradford Friday as 36 students from Floyd C. Fretz Middle School
and Bradford Area High School had a SALSA (Students Advocating Life
without Substance Abuse) United training day in the University
Room.
Traveling from Cushing Academy, a private school located north
of Boston, Mass., Maurice Soulis, creator of SALSA United and an
advisor for the FCD (Freedom from Chemical Dependency), brought
with him four students and a message for Bradford students: Be
proud of the healthy choices you are making.
“The two goals of SALSA, for any age level, are to reinforce the
kids who are choosing not to use and to draw attention to these
kids,” Soulis said. “This program is unique because the kids serve
as role models.”
One instance of this is Kayla Palmer, who explained, “I have
younger siblings that I want to be a role model for. I want to stay
alcohol and drug free for myself and for them.”
Soulis, also a counselor at Cushing Academy, was inspired to
begin SALSA fifteen years ago after his wife came home and
explained that the general consensus among younger students was
that all high school kids used tobacco, drugs or alcohol.
SALSA now has clubs in about twelve schools from Massachusetts
to Virginia.
“There are healthy, happy kids that choose not to use and have
fun,” he continued. “We’ve heard the horror stories, and it doesn’t
work. We find that the kids who are causing the problems actually
aren’t the majority, but they tend to get the majority of the
attention.”
Amanda Mezzelo, a junior at BAHS, agreed that the students who
are not getting into trouble need a little attention for
themselves.
“I think it’s a good idea to have a club for people who are
using so that they can get help,” she said. “And I also think it’s
good for us to have a club so that we can help prevent things like
that.”
The SALSA Club danced its way to Bradford with the help of the
Walrus Foundation, an organization that focuses on the education,
prevention and awareness of drug and alcohol abuse, primarily for
kids in at-risk environments.
“The FCD has a great education program for kindergarten through
twelfth grade on making healthy choices. SALSA is a spin-off of
this, so the Walrus Foundation decided to sponsor it in the
schools,” said Susie Dennis, executive director of the Walrus
Foundation.
Margie Brown, a teacher at BAHS and the advisor for Students
Against Drunk Driving, took the helm for the SALSA club at the high
school as well.
“Our first year we recruited a team that we knew was very
self-assured and could go in and nail a presentation. We visited
the Fretz Health Fair that year, and since opening up the club for
membership, we have really expanded our horizons,” Brown
explained.
In fact, a list of activities for the SALSA club this year
include a float in the homecoming parade; a BCPAC Children’s Film
Festival that went on for five weeks; a team for Relay For Life and
a flower fundraiser at the high school for The American Cancer
Society and a tobacco prevention project.
The group also sent representatives for the McKean County
Tobacco Coalition Convention in Harrisburg and the Moose Lodge
Youth Awareness Program.
“When we first started, it was more of a celebration of their
healthy choices; lately I have been trying to stress their position
as role models. This club offers a leadership opportunity for some
kids who might not normally have that chance,” said Brown.
Mike Dennis, SALSA advisor for Bradford schools, explained that
membership for Fretz and BAHS combined adds up to about ninety
kids. Brown is the advisor for the high school, with Judy Abbey and
Jim Johnson heading up Fretz.
“We don’t have everyone here today because having that many kids
makes things a little chaotic,” Dennis said. “The representatives
that are here will go back to the other members and teach them what
they have learned today.”
He continued, “What I try to impart to the kids is that part of
being a human on this earth is giving. Don’t just be a taker; be a
giver.”
Soulis explained that the important part about getting Fretz
kids involved is that, “If there is interest and commitment at
Fretz, it will carry over to the high school.”
Dani Tomlin, a freshman at BAHS, said that she joined in part
because her older brother, Mike, is a SALSA member.
“I want to live a healthy life and stay drug and alcohol free,”
Tomlin said.
Soulis’ students from Cushing, Nicole Swartz, Marina
Blandino-Henriquez, David Quinlan and Robert Phelps, were there to
encourage the BAHS and Fretz kids to stay on board.
“This is not a place for you to be judgmental and this decision
to make healthy choices doesn’t mean that you are a caretaker or a
counselor – you don’t need that weight on your shoulders,” Soulis
told the students during his opening speech.
“Make people aware of the good news.”
