Students mentor students to keep them drug and alcohol free - KOTA Territory News

How well students do in school, often has a lot to do with what they're doing outside of school.  Parents and students offer local youth a unique experience to keep them drug and alcohol free.

About 15 high school students helped mentor 90 middle school students Friday as part of a Youth to Youth conference at the Duke Corning Armory at Camp Rapid in Rapid City.

"We equip these kids to go out into their communities, their schools, to basically do what we're doing so they can show other people how drugs and alcohol affect you, and not just you but other people, too," staff member Cassandra Stratmeyer said.

Youth to Youth is an international program that works to harness the power of peer pressure, turning it into a positive force. 

Students heard from speakers and participated in energy exercises.  But most importantly, the students broke off into "family" groups.  These are smaller discussion groups with about eight to ten people.  It's a safe space for students to be themselves, express their viewpoints, and learn more about others to go beyond stereotypes or first impressions.

Some of the leaders of this conference will also lead a town-hall-style meeting Monday at 6:30 in the Surbeck Center on the campus of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.