Drug Free Lee to offer Back to School Virtual Backpack for Parents
The inaugural Back to School Virtual Backpack for Parents will offer four subject areas next week, right in time for back-to-school.
“It is the first time, but I expect it to be annual,” Drug Free Lee Executive Director Deb Comella said.
During the pandemic, all five coalitions in Southwest Florida started working together as a way to help problem solve, as many of their events had to be cancelled. One of the ideas that stemmed from that collaboration was a Prevention Parents Facebook page, she said.
“During our prevention week in May, each county took a different day. Each county had a different topic and it went so well. The information was so strong that we felt we wanted to repeat it to offer parents some resources when they send their kids back to school,” Comella said.
The Virtual Backpack for Parents event will be streamed through the Southwest Florida Prevention Parents Facebook page.
• Tuesday, Aug. 1: Opioids – What You Don’t Know Can Kill (Your Kids!): Guy Blanchette, Drug Free Collier
• Wednesday, Aug. 2: Vaping in Plain Sight, Emmanuelle Perez, tobacco Free Hendry
• Thursday, Aug. 3: Prevention Resources at Your Fingertips, Diane Ramseyer, Drug Free Charlotte
• Friday, Aug. 4: Talking – and talking Back About Drugs, Mary Fischer, Drug Free Lee
The first day of school for Lee County public school students is Aug. 10.
“One of the things that we know, almost always, home routines get changed as kids get back to school,” Comella said, adding that the summer routines are more casual. “As they get back on the schedule, also remember to include talking to kids about a whole lot of things. Good decisions about drugs and alcohol and screen time to help them become resilient.”
Comella said the great thing about the internet is these topics can be accessed at any time.
“The different topics are posted at noon,” she said, but the presentation can be listened to when it is convenient for the parent. “Nothing is longer than 20 minutes. It’s really quick. A parent can access it after kids go to bed, or during lunch. It will strengthen their weapons for substance abuse and keeping their kids free from drug and alcohol abuse.”
Comella said she thinks sometimes parents struggle with how to talk to kids about drugs and alcohol, what they hear and what they might see at places such as the bus stop.
The presenters providing the assortment of information are from different parts of Southwest Florida.
“The problems are the same, but we are able to access learning leaders from five counties instead of just one,” she said. “We are hoping we can give parents one more weapon in their arsenal against drug abuse.”
To reach MEGHAN BRADBURY, please email news@breezenewspapers.com