By Suzanne Gorman, Head of Downtown Campus
We take seriously our responsibility to help educate students on substances and their effects. As many of you know, we bring in Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD) each year on both campuses for student, parent, and faculty sessions, and we take advantage of other opportunities when presented with them. It’s an ongoing discussion and educational effort. FCD’s approach is based on science, with a message of urging teens to delay, as earlier use is one of the risk factors for addiction. Our approach as a school includes this as well as talking openly and honestly with students about the negative impacts that substances have on developing brains, mood, motivation, etc.
On Wednesday, we had the opportunity to welcome back to school an alumnus of both Goshen (2010) and the High School (2014). Riley Gregor shared with the students his journey of addiction and now recovery, as he has completed the program at the Healing Place and served there for several months afterward as a peer mentor. He explained to students how he masked feelings with substances; how his use progressed to addiction; how addiction feels physical, mental, and spiritual for him; and how he maintains his sobriety now, as he plans to return to college at the University of Louisville next semester. We truly appreciate Riley sharing his story with us and know he made an impact on the students.
The ever-popular Halloween costume contest was held on Monday, with some truly impressive entries. Congratulations to the winners: Matthew Melendez, Noah Sparks, Henry Harkins, and Logan Wourms as “The Cowboys,” Colleen Torrans as “Fairy,” Evie Dunn as “Frozen Fairy,” and Maimouna Cherif and DK Robinson as “Black Panthers.”
With the proliferation of neighborhoods changing trick-or-treating from Halloween to the day prior, we also changed: Our Open House is now this coming Monday, November 5th at 6:30 p.m.! If you have friends or family who might be interested in St. Francis, please send them our way!