Middle School Program

On-site program for middle school students

Philosophy

Creative Drug Education is committed to providing
accurate information about alcohol and (selective)
other drugs, which are most likely to be experimented
with during the adolescent years of development.
This information is presented in the context of “shared use,” the most common social context of usage among the current adolescent population.

Creative Drug Education is dedicated to a better understanding of the nature and influence of drugs, including alcohol, on the brain of the user, with special attention given to the changing relationship between the user of such drugs and his surroundings.

Creative Drug Education believes that accurate information, delivered in a comprehensive manner--within the social context in which drugs are experimented and used--provides the greatest opportunity for students to make decisions that lead to chemical-free lifestyles.

Program Description

Creative Drug Education (CDE) provides an educational program which is presented over a number of days during the course of an academic year. While the minimum program is three days, the most typical program is 4-6 days.

1. Experimentation, choice-making, and terminology.

This unit establishes the basis of the CDE program. While providing didactic data with an age-appropriate focus, this session also “humanizes” the information by providing seminal anecdotal accounts of young people with whom Richard Ryan has worked. The terminology includes such concepts as “experimentation,”  “tolerance,” “compulsion,” and “obsession.” The combination of the didactic and anecdotal information has been proven to be the most effective in terms of retention.

2. Dynamics of dependency

This unit explores the spectrum of drug use from experimentation to dependency, with a particular emphasis on the physical and emotional dangers of using drugs, including tobacco and alcohol. Terminology in this unit includes the concepts of “chemical abuse,” and “chemical dependency” (addiction and/or dependency).

3. Influences affecting our choices

This session looks at the pervasive influences in young people’s lives. While this unit certainly includes exploring and understanding the different forms of media presentations, its primary purpose is to explore the concept of “cool” in their lives. Because “cool” is a peer concept, it is essential for the students to recognize a number of ways in which “peer influence” can easily turn into pressures.

4 Marijuana

The drug THC (found in marijuana), inarguably one of the most accepted and used drugs in our current culture, is a far different drug than it was a brief twenty to thirty years ago. With more refined growing and harvesting processes marijuana today has far more health ramifications that it had at an earlier time. Yet the most critical danger in the use of marijuana is not the increased potency of the drug, but rather the ages at which young people are experimenting with the drug today. This unit explores the ways in which THC affects the learning process, social interaction, and perceptual awareness.

5 Living in a family with chemical dependency

This very specialized unit is designed for identified children of alcoholics, usually at the expressed request of an administrator, counselor, or parent. Richard Ryan presents this unit only after a consultation with appropriate school personnel. Group is limited to no more than 6-8 students.

Special Rate

Ask about the 2-day “Transitions” program, which includes substance abuse awareness education and looks at how we make the decisions we make, and why. This program--OFFERED ONLY IN THE SPRING--also includes a “Transitions” evening for parents (ONLY), which prepares parents for parenting in these changing times.

In addition to the student program, Richard also includes an information session for faculty during the time he is with the academic community.

Please send inquiries to:

Richard J. T. Ryan, M.A., President

Creative Drug Education

Center for Personal Responsibility

12220 W 26th Avenue

Lakewood, CO 80215

303-275-9426 (Home office)

720-985-5505 (Cell)

email: creativedrugeducation@yahoo.com