Brookings-Harbor High School staff are working to address student drug use and experimentation.  

BHHS Principal Larry Martindale estimates that 35 to 50 percent of the school population uses or has experimented with drugs – marijuana, alcohol, prescription drugs and steroids – this year. 

“The concern has been brought to myself, my staff and our police department that we do have an issue with drugs,” Martindale said.

 At Wednesday night’s school board meeting, Martindale and head football coach Joe Morin talked to the board about two programs the school plans to implement: the Athletes Training and Learning to Avoid Steroids (ATLAS) program for boys, and the Athletes Targeting Healthy Exercise and Nutrition Alternatives (ATHENA) for girls. The programs are not aimed at athletes in particular, Martindale said, but are open to all students.

“This program ... is going to help us build role models as they stand up and say ‘No’ to drugs in our school,” Martindale said. “It’s a message to the school and the community that ‘I’m drug free and proud of it.’”

Morin and girls basketball coach Chris Schofield have volunteered to act as advisors to the programs. 

The programs are activity based, and will be led by the respective advisor and student leaders. Student leaders would teach the lessons to other students. Eventually, Martindale hopes, seventh- and eighth-graders at Azalea Middle School could be trained as well. 

Students who volunteer to be involved in ATLAS and ATHENA will be educated on what to eat before and after working out, daily protein needs and the effects of drugs and alcohol on athletic performance, for example. 

They would also agree to take drug tests once a month.

“Our goal is, we would like to have 40 boys and girls involved in this program,” Martindale said. “That’s 15 percent of the population.”

The total cost for ATLAS and ATHENA is $7,220, which includes curriculum, T-shirts, whey protein and drug test kits.

Right now, the school has no money for the program, but hopes to fund the program through grants and donations. 

To make a donation to the program, contact Dean of Students Jon Young at 541-469-2108. 

BHHS chose this program because it has a good reputation.

“We’ve heard some very positive things about it,” Martindale said. “Other schools that have used it have had a tremendous impact on (their) school in a positive way.”

Besides working to implement this program, the school  has organized assemblies and lessons in advisory classes for students, collaborated closely with the Brookings Police Department and brought in Patrolmen Dustin Watson to educate staff on what it looks like when students are under the influence of drugs. 

In addition, the administration and coaching staff have met every couple of months to discuss activities to support a drug free staff, Martindale said.

The school hopes to implement ATLAS and ATHENA this semester.

“We felt this program would be a vehicle we could use to influence our kids, and make an impact on our school,” Martindale said.