CHEMAWA
AMERICAN
Home of the Braves
VOL. 78, NUMBER 1 *
FALL HOLIDAY ISSUE 1983
CHEMAWA INDIAN HIGH SCHOOL, SALEM, OREGON 97305
Community Intervention Program Addresses Student Drug Abuse
Among Indian youth today
marijuana use has become so
widespread that it rivals alcohol
as Indian teenagers’ number one
high. One out of every five
Indian high school seniors uses
marijuana daily which para*
llels the daily increasing use of
alcohol. What does the future
hold for young potential leaders
who are stoned or drunk?
Mr. Gerald Gray, Chemawa
principal, and members of the
school board have declared 1983-
84 as the year for alcohol and
drug abuse awareness.
Alcohol and drug abuse are
the number one problem facking
all communities today—both
Indian and non-Indian. Indian
youth, however, have a greater
predisposition to chemical use
and abuse. The rising increase
bears this out.
In addressing the critical
problem, Mr. Gray is stressing
the need for awareness of the
problem by all members of the
jChemawa community.
"All of us—academic, admin
istration , residential, counselors,
coaches, kitchen staff, plant
management, and STUDENTS
must share in the responsibility
of challenging students and each
other to choose a drug-free life.
"Drug dependency affects
everyone. Not onlÿ does the user
create behavior problems, but
these problems pour over and
interfere with student learning,
o v e ra llp o te n tia la n d proaiic-
tivtty? self-esteem, spiritual
growth, and social growth. Be
coming aware of alcohol and
drug problems as a community is
the first step in this united
community effort," explained
Gray. >
Alcohol and drug education
centers upon increasing com
munity awareness of the prob
lems and their consequences for
young people today, and the con
sequences that will be brought in
the future. Students and staff
members are .being asked to
read the same set of pamphlets
and materials three times a week
during homeroom so that every
one is exposed to the same set
of current information. Seven
teen hours, or 85 homeroom
periods, will be used for this
massive educational awareness.
One hour a week will be devo
ted to alcohol/drug issues in the
dorms. Residential and students
are viewing films, listening to
guest speakers, and sharing con
cerns in group meetings.
Out of this process each person
will come to a better understand
ing of the issues. Assessing indi
vidual abilities in making contri
butions toward prevention and
intervention can come only after
every member of the community
is better informed of the serious
ness of the situation.
GOALS
Mr. Gray has outlined the
following as the major goals for
the school year:
1. Highten the entire school’s
awareness about alcohol/
drug abuse and dependen
c y as a problem in and for
tne school.
2. Stimulate discussion and
action concerning preven
tion between staff and
students.
» 3. Developing a receptive Cli
mate for staff and students
to examine , and make
cnoices tor now and the
future, concerning their
own chemical use.
.
4. Create a receptive climate
for early and effective in
tervention in disease pro
cess, and build support
groups of both staff and
students for those indivi
duals who desire to remain
drug-free.
Staff members received in-
depth exposure to the program’s
components of AWARENESS,
EDUCATION, AND TRAINING
during orientation at the begin
ning of the school year.
TRIBAL SUPPORT
These components extend to
parents and the communities
where Chemawa students come
from, Community support is re
quested and needed by the
school as a shared investment of
our future leaders. For such a
program to succeed, cooperation
and assistance from parents,
guardians, tribal leaders, and
tribal support personnel are
needed.
Students must not only be
come aware and be better educa
ted about the damage and long
term effects of such chemical
abuse, but they must be able to
share the information with each
other by supporting each other.
Student support groups are most
effective in helping individuals
when they are-directly concerned
about the chemical use of a very
close friend; when they want to
make changes and don’t have the
peer group support that is need
ed to stay with it; and when indi
viduals reach a point where they
are tired of the negative conse
quences of chemical use are will
ing to work for personal changes.
"Our kids want structure and
guidance. When we want to con
front students with problems we
must bring in significant others
to serve as their support group.
Only the people that they care
about can make the difference in
helping them to make such posi
tive and dramatic changes," said
Gray.
Schools do not cause alcohol
ism and drug abuse problems,
nor should they be solely respon
sible for the solution.
In a boarding school situation
more opportunities are available
to better inform, counsel, and
implement community interven
tion programs by making the
long term commitment needed
for such i drastic and crucial
changes.
Mr. Gray summarized the pro
gram by saying, "We must have
the courage, the commitment,
and the energy to say to our
oung people whose care has
een entrusted to us, 'I love you
enough to say ‘NO’ when I know
you will hate me for it.'
"We have a gigantic responsi
bility.; I hope that all of us are
willing to accept the challenges
and responsibilities as loving,
caring parents."
In each issue of the paper we
will explore one of the six stages
of the Chemawa Community
Intervention Program.
We welcome any comments,
questions, and concerns that you
may have.
Career Day Attracts NASA
Astronaut and Indian Leaders
By Corrine ChiefStick
"It is your decision to make
something out of yourself I", said
Major Onizuka, A U.S. Air Force
Major as he addressed 700
Indian students from throughout
the Northwest during the third
annual Chemawa Career Day
Dec. 7 at Chemawa.
Astronaut Onizuka, who is
scheduled to orbit the earth on
the space shuttle Challenger
mission next summer, said he
achieved his lifelong goal
through education and hard
work. He urged student to do the
same.
Jacob Bighorn, a Chemawa
social studies teacher and Cul
tural Life Committee chairman,
presented Onizuka with a cere
monial eagle feather to take
along on his mission. "For your
bravery and for you as a good
person, we offer you this eagle
feather from the people. We
have 25,000 years of traditions . .
Perhaps someday 25,000 years
from now, we will all be round
dancing on Mars."
"So many of our traditions
have been taken away, but we
give you this eagle feather to
take care of for all of us," said
Bighorn.
£
Onizuka sent special greetings
from the six astronauts orbiting
the earth.
White sharing his past,
Onizuka said that while he was
trying to choose his career, the
same common denominator for
success kept coming up: educa
tion. The same message re
mained the same.
"Take time now and set your
objectives. Use the advice and
input from the speakers today,
from all your teachers and coun
selors. The actual decision is
yours. You will make decisions
to make something of yourself,
or you will hope for someone to
come along and straighten your
decisions
out",
concluded
Onizuka.
Chorus and
Band Make
Debut
Major Ellison S. Onizuka, NASA astronaut, addressed students and
staff during the Career Day held at Chemawa.
Making its first public debut
members of the band will joint
ly present a special Christmas
Program Wednesday, Decem
ber 14, in the cafeteria.
The performance will begin
at 6:45 after the student/staff
potluck.
The band will perform “A
Christmas Medley,” “Christmas
Bells March,” and accbmpany
the chorus with “Do You Hear
What I Hear,” “Little Chris
topher,” and several music en
sembles featuring trios perform
ing traditional holiday selec
tions.
After the holiday perfor
mance students will return to
their dorms for dorm parties,
late hour munching out, and
last minute packing before leav
ing for a two week vacation at
home;
May Great Spirit Warm your
Tepee this Holiday Season
EDITORS NOTE: In the next
issue we will feature Major Oni
zuka and Career Day in its
entirty.
UPCOMING EVENTS
December 16 - January 1: - Christmas Vacation, Dorms closed
Jan. 1:-
Dorms open
Jan. 2:-
Classes resume
Jan* 26-27: - 1st Semester finals
Jan. 30: -
3rd Quarter begins
Jan. 5: - Girls’s Basketball Away at Jefferson
Jan 6: - Boy’s Basketball Away at Woodburn
Jarl 7: - Wrestling Tourney Here
Girl’s Basketball Away at Stayton
Jan. 9: - Boy’s Basketball Away at Cascade
Girl’s Basketball Away at Alsea
Jan. 10: - Girl’s Basketball Here against Valsetz (Frosh)
Girl’s Varisty and J.V. Here against Sweet Home
Jan. 12: - Girl’s Basketball Away against Salem Academy
Wrestling away at Stayton
Jan. 13: - Boy’8 Basketball Here against Salem Academy
Girl’s Basketball Away at Gervais
jan 14: - Girl’s Basketball Away at North Marion
Boy’s Basketball Here against Santiam
Wrestling Tourney Away at Colton
Jan 16: - Girl’S C team Basketball Here against Santiam
Girl’s Varsity and J.V. Here Against Salem Academy
Wrestling Match Away At
jan 17: - Boy’s Basketball Here Against Stayton
Jan 19: - Boy’s Basketball Here Against Sweet Home
Girl’s Basketball Away at Colton
jan 20: - Girl’s Basketball Away at Cascade
Girl’s C team Here against Woodburn
Jan 23- - Wrestling 3-way Match Against Dayton-Banks
Jan 24: - Girl’s Basketball Here Against North Marion
jan 26: - Girl’s Basketball Away Against Sweet Home
Wrestling Duel Here Against Sweet Home
Jan. 27: - Boy’s Basketball Away Against North Marlon
Girl’s C Team Away Against Cascade
Jan. 30: - Girl’s C Team Away Against Alsea
Jan'31:
Girl’s C Team Away Against Valsetz
J
Jake Bighorn explains
the Community
Alcohol Intervention Program.
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