Pupils at Crystal Lake’s Lundahl Middle School recently participated in a national study on the effectiveness of anti-drug commercials.
Fred Sensing, 13, remembers one anti-drug commercial clearly. “Kids were Rollerblading, and the ad said that the best high was adrenaline,” said Sensing of Lake in the Hills. The ad was an effective one for Sensing. “I wouldn’t do (drugs),” he said. “I play sports, and I don’t want to do anything bad to my body.”
Lundahl pupils viewed commercials from the Partnership for a Drug Free America. The results of the study, conducted by a group from the Annenburg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, will be used to produce a more effective anti-drug campaign.
Allison Preston, 13, of Crystal Lake said these commercials and the no-drug-tolerance message at Lundahl helped her to deal with a drug-related situation she once faced. “A past friend asked me to try marijuana. I said I wasn’t interested in that kind of thing, that it wasn’t cool,” she said.
Principal Rick Carlstedt said the school tries to take a positive role in its drug message. “The message is there constantly to stay away from drugs, so we don’t deal with the situation punitively (as much),” he said. “We’re trying to make kids feel good about themselves and to emphasize success.”
For participating in the survey, Lundahl received $3,000, which will go toward an obstacle course.
