Dorothy Westerman
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 25/05) - Dettah school children are learning lessons about addictions and the harm that they can inflict.

Student Zhalaani Drygeese-Yelle is one of those who learned about what substances are addictive.

Taati Martin, a student at the Kaw Tay Whee school in Dettah was among a group of students, teachers and addictions counsellors who participated in a community walk during National Addictions Awareness Week. - Dorothy Westerman/NNSL photo

"Smoking and drinking," she identified as harmful behaviours.

On Monday during National Addictions Awareness Week students from the Kaw Tay Whee school took part in a community walk to mark the significance of the week.

Student Jarette Crookedhand was one of the children walking the streets of Dettah to tell others about the problems addictions can cause.

"It's bad to drink," Crookedhand said.

Teresa McDougall, an addictions counsellor with Health and Social Development in Yellowknife, welcomes the children's efforts.

"It's important to get the message across, because no matter where you go, that's where it's going to be," McDougall said.

"And it's not just drugs and alcohol - it's smoking, gambling and other behaviours as well," McDougall said.

"The children are very aware; they are very smart," McDougall said.

The best way to combat the problem is to get the word out and into the schools.

"It's the children that take it (the message) home to the moms and dads," she added.

"If we can target the little ones, we'll be on the road," McDougall said.

Teacher Christina Allerston said students learn about addictions throughout the year.

"We talk about it an awful lot," Allerston said.

"We're doing it within the health curriculum all year long."

"We focus on healthy habits and correlating it to making good choices."

One of her students, Twyla Sangris, is living her class philosophy of making healthy choices, she said.

"She brings nutritious lunches every day and tells me about all the food groups that are in her lunch," Allerston said.

"I bring vegetables and I bring milk and yogurt," Sangris said.

Smoking, however, is not a healthy choice, she said.

"You can die," Sangris said.

Allerston said she discusses the healthy choices topic with her students on an ongoing basis.

"And the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program (offered to schools through the RCMP) focuses in on the actual types of drugs. With that they are learning how to say no," Allerston said.

The school also has a counsellor who comes in to work with the children on an ongoing basis, she added.

Another one of the students also participating in the walk was Nicole Drybones, who said she doesn't want to get cancer from bad choices such as smoking.

"I don't drink or smoke. I don't want to. It stinks," Drybones said.

Joanne Townsend, another teacher at the school, said she discusses the topic with her class year-round.

"It's reinforcing the importance of the dangers of addictions and how they can affect the family," Townsend said.

Addictions are common everywhere, she said.

"In smaller communities, it becomes more obvious."