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Documentary
film will
warn teens of the
dangers of meth use |
Students will team with Oregon Partnership to create a film
showing the impact of the drug on students, communities |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
|
It’s known as speed, ice, crystal and crank. It can be smoked,
snorted, injected or taken orally. It’s highly addictive and the most potent
member of the amphetamine family.
Members of Oregon Partnership — a program created to inform young people
of the dangers of substance abuse — are working with Yamhill County Prevention, the
Newberg School District and Northwest Film productions to create a film documenting the
dangerous impact of methamphetamine on students, schools and communities.
According to Keith Fredrickson, communications director at Oregon
Partnership, the main reason behind the production of the film is to raise public
awareness about the growing meth epidemic in Oregon and rural America.
“The film itself is an awareness-raising tool, the hub of the wheel that goes
out and engages community about problems with (meth),” he said.
The meth rate in Yamhill County is 50 percent higher than in the state,
Fredrickson said. In a healthy teens survey done by the state of Oregon, 8 percent of
teens that took the test in Yamhill County admitted to using the drug at least once. The
state average is 5 percent.
Fredrickson said the film will also provide students involved in the
production with skills in filmmaking, photography, writing and producing.
“It gives kids good exposure to filmmaking,” he said.
Max Margolis, YouthLink director at Oregon Partnership, said he is still in
the process of looking for an assistant to help him with the project. After that person is
found, Margolis hopes to begin filming in February 2004. Filming preparation will include
workshops to provide education to participants.
Ninth- and 10th-grade students at Newberg High School involved in the project will
be expected to devote a considerable amount of time to the project, Margolis said. In the
Sherwood project — students in Sherwood have already produced a video — students
dedicated about four hours a week, occasional weekends and a retreat to the project, he
said.
“We are looking for them to be involved in the project with any creative
talents they have — acting, camera talent, equipment, musical talent — some
students even shared students about how meth impacted their lives,” Margolis said.
Student recruitment will begin in January with a presentation for all freshmen and
sophomore students. The presentation will include an overview of the project and the
application process. |
|
From Nov. 19,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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