High on Kids was founded in 1991 with a simple mission – to help our school district’s young people resist drugs and alcohol.
In April 2001 we celebrated our 10th anniversary and I'm proud to say that we’re still going strong.
In March High on Kids sponsored a parents-only forum about the dangers of bullying and how to prevent bullying in our community and our schools. More than 35 residents attended the forum to hear our guest speakers from the Capital Area Intermediate Unit.
This past summer, High on Kids' annual Youth Enjoying Summer week drew 50-plus participants for a host of activities designed to promote drug- and alcohol-free lifestyles. Our annual Run for the Ribbon has become a fixture in the Lower Dauphin School District community, this year drawing more than 800 participants.
Even with these successful events, our group is not where I want it to be.
I want High on Kids to be much more active and visible – with new ideas, more community forums and getting more members of the community involved.
High on Kids is not and should not be a small group of volunteers. We need everybody to take part in order to really make a profound difference in the lives of our young people. We need to be doing more in the community.
But perhaps most importantly, we need to get more parents involved. Don't think that your involvement with High on Kids will cause people to suspect that your child is involved in drugs. Your involvement should show people that you're concerned because everyone's child is susceptible to drug and alcohol use.
I believe that everyone has a gift to share – whether it is a monetary gift or the gift of time. I would ask everyone in the Lower Dauphin community to use your talents to help High on Kids make a difference in the lives of our children.
Patti Wilsbach Krow