The following are pictures of the students and volunteers who participated in this year’s presentation of The Drug Story.

Finding ways to get through to today’s youth can sometimes be a challenge, but interactive programs like the recent presentation of “The Drug Story” to schools in Franklin County always seem to go a long way.

“The Drug Story,” which is sponsored by Franklin County Community Education, is something that Sue Entrekin, who has worked closely with the program for many years, said was started as a way to get young students to see the detriments of using drugs or alcohol.

“We partnered with Russellville City School’s drug free counselor Nancy Cooper several years ago and she introduced us to this program,” Entrekin said.

“We continued sponsoring the program because it’s a message our students need to hear.”

The interactive program takes sixth-grade students in all the county schools through different stages of a young person’s life who has gotten involved with drugs.

Volunteer actors from the community portray different scenes show how devastating drugs can be and how they affect not only the person directly involved with drugs but all the other people in their lives as well.

“Sixth grade is a pivotal time in a young person’s life where they will soon be making decisions about this sort of thing,” Entrekin said. “With funding in the schools the way it is, drug prevention programs are not readily available for the students to take part in, so we felt this would be a good way to get the message across.”

Entrekin said even though Community Education sponsors the event, they wouldn’t be able to put it on without the community support they receive year after year.

“The collaboration between the community participants is just incredible,” she said. “These people have given their time to help us get this valuable and potentially life-saving message across and we appreciate them so much.”

Community Education wanted to recognize the following organizations and individuals for their participation in The Drug Story on May 9 at Red Bay Free Will Baptist Church:
Red Bay Hospital, Red Bay Free Will Baptist Church, Chief Janna Jackson and the Red Bay Police Department, Transcare Ambulance Service, Redmont Trading, Deaton Funeral Home, Steve Lindsey, Jeremy Robinson, David Corum and the Red Bay Free Will Baptist youth group, Kathy Archer and Kristy Scott, David Kelley, Judge Paula McDowell and Asst. DA Jeff Barksdale, Carolyn Barksdale, Dwayne Murphy, Bobby Forsythe, Lynette Horton, and Sen. Roger Bedford and Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow who provided the transportation for the students to attend the program.