SADD Club Offers Support For GMS Students

By Suzanne Smith
SADD Club Sponsor

The Grenada Middle School SADD club is a local chapter of a nationally recognized organization that promotes a tobacco, drug, and alcohol free lifestyle. The national organization was founded in 1981 as Students Against Driving Drunk. As the organization became more popular, students decided to change the official name of the organization to Students Against Destructive Decisions in 1997—this broadened the focus to build awareness of any decision made by teens that could have destructive results. Since 2003, the SADD club at Grenada Middle School has been under the direction of Mrs. Suzanne Smith. The club is open to any student in grades 6, 7, or 8 interested in encouraging others to avoid destructive decisions, such as: tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use, teenage pregnancy, and bullying.

Each year SADD sponsors Red Ribbon Week Activities in our school by passing out red ribbons for everyone to wear, having students sign an pledge to be drug-free, and distributing candy with messages. Peppermints say “You were mint to be drug-free”; smarties say “Smarties don’t smoke!”; and dum-dum suckers say “Only dum-dums use tobacco and alcohol products.”

Our group participates in Relay for Life to spread the word that the use of tobacco products can cause cancer and to encourage young people not to start smoking. The SADD club at Grenada Middle School works with the local Tobacco Free Coalition to promote being tobacco free throughout Grenada County. This club is a Generation FREE team because they have pledged to be tobacco free. Each month they complete activities that assist in encouraging others to be tobacco free.
SADD are always seeking community projects which promote a tobacco free lifestyle and encourage teens to avoid destructive decisions. If you have questions or would like more information about SADD, please contact Mrs. Suzanne Smith at Grenada Middle School.