Freedom From Chemical Dependency Program on Campus

This year marks the fifth year that Louisville High School has offered our 9th and 11th grade students a drug education program, FCD – Freedom from Chemical Dependency. Three religion class periods are given to FCD curriculum for both grade levels, and Mr. Chris Kelly of FCD works with the students using a combination of lecture, discussion and question/answer.  His easy and open style elicits a wide range of responses and, as you can see from the comments below, FCD proves to be important in the lives of our students.

The FCD website at www.fcd.org offers you and your daughters resources and a forum to interact, network and address the critical and complex issues surrounding substance abuse prevention. Of particular interest are the Update Newsletters filled with well-researched and timely articles, pertinent for anyone interacting with teens. Check out “What Kids Tell Us” and “Cyber Kids: Overdosing the Computer,” and, if you only have time to read one issue, try “Prescription for Addiction.” The website’s forum is moderated by FCD and a place where students can explore “healthy highs,” ask questions, share concerns and say “hello” to the FCD educator who visited their school.

Student evaluations are part of each visit. Here is sampling of what your daughters have written over the last few visits.

• You [FCD] informed us of the risks, consequences and reasons for abusing a substance. You didn’t make us feel uncomfortable when we asked questions about drugs or alcohol.
• I could not wait for this class to start each day. I had no idea that drugs had so many side effects and, believe me, I am so glad I learned about this. This was the best drug class ever!
• I felt the program answered questions I didn’t even know I had.
• This class will truly benefit me the next time I may undergo a difficult situation.
• A class like this can truly save someone’s life.
• I liked that you didn’t try to scare us, but instead tried to inform us so we could make our own decisions.
• The openness and comfort level were really great, and it encouraged me to ask questions and participate. The teacher’s own experience of being a recovering addict was great, as opposed to someone who doesn’t really have lived the experience.
• Overall, a class which I can use to help others or myself in the future.
• I came into this class thinking it was going to be the same as it was freshman year. Instead I learned more.
• It was really cool at lunch when he [the teacher] would walk around and talk with students one on one. It gives us a chance to ask questions and ask for advice that we wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing in class.
• I think that FCD is a good way to make sure that we stay aware of the different issues that are around us. A lot of the topics we covered are new to me. 
• It was effective to talk about interventions and to get website information.
• My parents enjoyed meeting Mr. Kelly. This program should be a part of Louisville because it teaches you while having fun.
• I think it was important to talk about interventions, because that is what we need to know how to do in life.
• I almost got a slap in the face with all the information and things that can happen when you abuse and use drugs or alcohol.
• I have never considered myself to be someone who will take drugs, but I now know that it can happen to anyone and I need to be careful about my decisions.  
• I know now how not to use and why. I’ve tried to do an intervention before. Talking about it was good because I got insight on what I could say or what not to say.
• It is easy to find this type of course boring and repetitive and preachy, but FCD is not like that at all. I truly believe that it is endlessly important.
• I thought I got more out of the program this year as a junior, because drugs and alcohol are becoming more real around me. Also, I was able to understand the affects of drugs and alcohol better because of experiences with friends.
• Freshmen year we were still very naive and unaware, but as we get older we are able to understand and relate to a lot of the topics that are discussed.
• It was interesting to get a “refresher” course on everything. Learning the risks of each substance is worth knowing. Hearing different scenarios and what you could do to help intervene as a friend or relative is helpful to know.
• It was good to hear other people’s stories and problems, and it was great how he [the teacher] shared so much of his personal life in order to help us and to explain certain things.
• I really wish I paid more attention to these meeting in 9th and 10th grade and that I wasn’t so scared of losing my friends.

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