THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 22, 1994 TAG: 9412200129
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: John Glass
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
The Southeast Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities has recognized Norfolk Public Schools' ``Say No'' Games for its outstanding efforts to spread the anti-drug message to elementary students.
More than 100 students in Norfolk's 13 secondary schools who are involved in drug- and alcohol-prevention programs plan and run the annual activity day in May. This past May, about 3,000 elementary children participated.
The games are financed through a schools-community partnership, said Patricia Dillard, who supervises prevention programs for Norfolk schools. Supporters for the 1994 games were Tymark/Burger King Corp., Wards Corner Lions Club, Norview Lions Club, Optimist Club of Norfolk, Virginia Power Co. and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
The local ``Say No'' day was intended to give students involved in high school and middle school drug-prevention programs a chance to use their skills to benefit younger children.
``It is an excellent example of how communities can be effective when they address the area's specific needs,'' said Nancy J. Cunningham, director of the center, a U.S. Department of Education regional training center. Students raise money for SPCA
Nine Norfolk elementary school-age children recently donated $751.46 to the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The children raised the money selling lemonade at the recent Festevents Ltd. Virginia Children's Festival at Town Point Park.
``We chose the SPCA because a lot of people get their dogs and cats from there and we thought it would be a nice place to give the money to,'' said Emmagene Worley, 9, a fourth-grader at W.H. Taylor Elementary and a coordinator of the student group.
Melissa Gregory, an SPCA spokeswoman, said the money will be used to buy blankets and towels to wash and dry animals that arrive at the group's facility.
The other children who participated were Annie Diemer, Courtney Semones, Amberly Semones, Marie Snyder, Allie Snyder, Lauren Consoli, Stephanie Warren and Bevin Padden. Bank donates computers
First Union Bank, headquartered in Roanoke, recently donated 10 IBM and Compaq computers that will benefit inner-city children.
Two churches - the First Baptist Church of Lamberts Point and the Park Place United Methodist Church - each will receive two of the computers for use in their after-school programs for elementary students who attend Larchmont, Monroe and Taylor elementary schools. The three schools also will share the computers.
``This gift by First Union Bank truly portrays what community investment should be; unsolicited and cooperative investments in human capital and our future, our children,'' said W.L. ``Bill'' Thomas Jr., an economist and president of Norfolk Center for Strategic Urban Policy, which helped identify the need for the computers. by CNB