We are the GameChangers from Wheeling Park High School! We are students leading the fight to change the game on substance misuse in our area high schools and elementary schools. Sadly, we have seen the devastating impact of dangerous substances in our community. Just this summer, alcohol played a role in a death of one our fellow students. This and countless other substance misuse tragedies should never be happening here or anywhere else. As peer leaders, we are working to spread the word about the dangers of substance misuse and encourage others to make healthy choices.
Our members are involved in many of our school programs, clubs and extracurricular activities. Our diverse interests offer us an opportunity to reach many of our fellow students with the GameChanger message. In our second year as a group, we have already seen positive changes. We have seen a growing number of Wheeling Park High School student signups for our “Drug Free Club”, and we have had requests from other students to join our GameChanger team. It is our goal to continually increase our visibility and expand the influence of our GameChanger group.
As a group, we are concerned for fellow students who are currently experiencing substance misuse issues and we want to help. Our passion for the cause comes from many different directions. Some of us have seen the impact of the drug epidemic on loved ones firsthand. Some of us stay substance free to maintain a high level of academic or athletic achievement. Others stay substance free out of respect for their parents and the example they have set. While our reasons to stay substance free vary, we all strive to model behaviors that will have a positive impact on our fellow students. We believe that, by example, we can greatly influence our peers and younger students and help them to make healthy choices. We believe our participation as GameChanger Peer Leaders is having a significant, positive impact on our classmates, our schools and our community and we pledge to continue our efforts in the years to come.
Editor’s Note: This post was created by the Wheeling Park High School GameChanger Peer Leadership Team. Team members include: Adam Carman, Zac Davis, Kaden Miller, Josie Kamsoucksaly, Taylin Holt, Kaelin Castello, Seneca Heller, Amare Johnson, Kaden Miller, Chance Funari, and Trey Fry.