Friendswood athletes representing all sports at FISD have rolled out an athletic leadership campaign to use their influence in the school as well as in the community to reinforce the message that alcohol and substance abuse are not part of a healthy athlete’s life. Students representing a broad spectrum of sports participated in photo shoots at Imaging Studios that will be used in various ways throughout the school year to reinforce the slogan Mustang Horsepower: No Additives.
The following FHS athletes participated in the first round of photographs: Sally Williams, Erin Hintz, Sharon Cole, Alanna White, Jason Yarberry, Zack Reinert, Byron Randle, Annalisa Hall, Matt Ellis, Kristen Bowen, Andrew Street, Patrick Westhoven, Aimee Konet, Michael Ruiz, Jacob Karam, Caity James, Andre Gautreaux, Colton Yuchnewicz, and Kevin Thornton.
Photographs were used to create an athletic leadership poster entitled Mustang Horsepower: No Additives to reinforce the message that athletes support clean and healthy living without substance abuse, steroids or other performance enhancing substances. Posters are now on sale during lunch period in the FHS cafeteria for $5 on Thursday and Friday starting at 11:30 a.m.
In addition, a 6 x 10 foot banner will be hung on the home side of the stadium this week that features the four football captains (Jacob Karam, Andre Gautreaux, Colton Yuchnewicz, and Kevin Thornton).
Stickers have been made featuring the slogan and will be distributed to junior high and high school students and a special t-shirt is being created to promote the program. Future program plans will include photo cut-out posters sold to local business supporters at cost.
At the beginning of the 2007/08 school term, FISD launched a new organization called C.L.E.A.R. (Clean Living Encouragement and Responsibility) at the high school and the junior high in order to change the norms regarding alcohol and substance abuse. FISD Athletic Director Steve VanMeter agreed to challenge his football team and their parents at their back-to-school meeting to sign up for membership in CLEAR. By noon on the next day after the parent meeting, CLEAR had its first 50 members as a result of the leadership role taken on by the football players and their parents. This energetic start helped CLEAR to far exceed its original goal of 300 members and to ultimately recruit over 950 members in its first year.
When students signed up for CLEAR, they were asked the following question, "Do you consider yourself an athlete?" When the CLEAR membership roster was analyzed, 67% of FJH members and of 65% of FHS members responded "yes" to this question. So, a CLEAR majority of the membership is made up of athletes and this group of students became a natural leadership group for the student community.
This year (2008/09), students have also created a CLEAR membership shirt that will go on sale soon. In addition, the athletic department campaign will involve the community in the message of alcohol and substance abuse prevention. The student- led campaign publicizes the fact that the majority of students pledge to be alcohol and drug free and believe that clean living is a vital part of an athlete’s proper development. For photos and background info on the campaign as well as info on a related national campaign called Play Healthy, visit the website at: www.fisdk12.net.
To find out more about how you can help, contact Lynn Shigekawa, coordinator of the Friendswood Alliance for Youth and Families at 281-482-1267, ext. 237 or lshigekawa@fisdk12.net. |
