Getting the message to children - anti-drug message

Food and Nutrition, Jan, 1988 by Kent Taylor

Getting The Message To Children

For more than four decades, schools, USDA, state agencies, and food companies have been partners in providing nourishing meals to children through the National School Lunch Program. Now, some new partnerships are helping get the anti-drug message to children. Here are some examples:

Pet Dairy Gives "Just Say No" A Boost In The Southeast

Kids are used to being told, "Drink your milk, it's good for you." But, "Read your milk carton"? That's something new.

This year, in many schools across the country, kids will be seeing a daily reminder of the "Just Say No" message on milk cartons used in the National School Lunch Program.

Pet Dairy, headquartered in Johnson City, Tennessee, is one of the major sponsors of the "Just Say No" movement in the Southeast and was the first dairy in the nation to incorporate the now familiar "Just Say No" logo on its school-distributed milk cartons.

Since April 1986, Pet has printed "Just Say No" messages on more than 90 million half-pint milk cartons used by schools in their food service programs.

"Returning something to the community"

Ralph Gombert, Pet's director of marketing, explains that the company is interested in returning something to the community, not only with jobs, but in service opportunities like "Just Say No."

Pet Dairy has used milk side panels to show information such as good dental practices and pictures of missing children as well as to raise money for needy youngsters.

"The 'Just Say No' campaign seemed like a natural for us," says Gombert.

Pet has worked with the Just Say No Foundation to spread the anti-drug message through many activities. One way they have done this is by mailing to 750 elementary schools throughout the Southeast informational packets encouraging the formation of "Just Say No" clubs.

As an incentive for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders to participate, Pet gives away prizes such as "Just Say No" banners and sponsors ice cream carnivals. Pet also presents U.S. Savings Bonds and citizenship awards to deserving students.

For other companies interested in helping, Gombert recommends contacting the national Just Say No Foundation or state organizations.

"If you have a local promotion idea, th national organization will be very flexible in working with you and will co-ordinate the use of the logo to ensure a consistent message is being promoted," he says.

Many communities have gotten involved

Throughout Tennessee, interest in helping kids stay away from drugs is growing. The Tennessee Department of Education has been very active in organizing a "Just Say No" effort, and in what's called the Tri-Cities area-- which includes Bristol, Pet's homebase Johnson City, and Kingsport--"Just Say No" is especially strong.

At Johnson Elementary in Kingsport, former school food service worker Wilma Roberts is part of the solution when it comes to drug and alcohol awareness. Roberts, who recently became a teacher's resource aide at the school, has always been interested in students' well-being. This year she is PTA chairperson for "Just Say No" activities at Johnson.

"It's important that students have friends who can say no to drugs," says Roberts, who is promoting a drug-free environment with a variety of activities that are fun for children.

Events already planned include a 1950's sock hop with trophies; slogan and button design contests; and community service projects.

"Just Say No" clubs in the Tri-Cities area have a variety of local sponsors. For example, in Johnson City, a regional department store is sponsoring the club at Towne Acres Elementary. The clubs at Kingsport's John Sevier Middle School and Johnson Elementary are sponsored by local chapters of a national civic organization, the Optimist Club.

School staff are supportive

School administrators and staff are eager to help.

School food service managers, for example, are incorporating "Just Say No" activities in their school food service programs in a number of ways. In addition to using the special milk cartons, some are serving meals on styrofoam trays with the "Just Say No" message embossed on them. Other ideas being considered include displaying the slogan on murals, banners, table decorations, and meal tickets.

School superintendents are also involved. Jimmy Fleming, superintendent of schools in Sullivan County, participated in Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander's drug awareness task force.

"As a result of this task force, we recognized we could face a real drug and alcohol problem. One of our recommendations was to set up a drug prevention effort, which turned out later to be the 'Just Say No' program," Fleming says.

The reaction to the "Just Say No" program has been positive, Fleming says, because so many people are affected. "It's difficult to say you want to educate a child and not be concerned with habits that may be developing in public schools."

When he visits other communities he tells them they must set their own standards and decide what to emphasize in an anti-drug effort. He tells people they need to get involved because their children are at stake.