The Toll Gate chapter of Vocal Athletes Advocating for Substance Abuse Alternatives, or VAASA, spoke to students at Holliman Elementary School in early March. The visit marked the first time the group, which traditionally presents only to Winman Middle School, spread their message to Warwick’s youngest students.
VAASA’s mission is to display the dangers of substances while promoting healthy choices, with student-athlete ambassadors who serve as role models for younger students. Yet for the presentation to Holliman, some content had to be tweaked, according to William Goodine, a junior who is on VAASA for the first time this year. “Our presentation is for middle schoolers, so we definitely had to focus more on fun, team building, and making good decisions in general.”
The high schoolers began the presentation to the attentive, if jittery, elementary schoolers with an introduction that included their name, grade, and sports. “One of the great things about our group this year is that we have so many sports represented, from tennis to basketball to track, and it gives the younger kids a lot of different options to look up to,” noted John Maynard, a senior who has been a member of VAASA for three years.
The presentation was held at the former Gorton Junior High School, which closed in 2016, where Holliman is currently holding classes while the Pilgrim Park school undergoes an HVAC renovation. After introductions, the Toll Gate VAASA members led the students in four different activities, which ranged from an intense rock-paper-scissors relay to a “four corners” games that merged fun icebreakers with questions that revolved around making smart choices.
VAASA returned to its regular presentation with a visit to Winman on March 24. At the middle school level, members discuss the dangers of substance abuse through personal stories, while also presenting facts and figures about addiction and prevention through interactive activities. The Winman visit was a success, but the highlight of this year’s programming was the introduction to the elementary schoolers. According to Amanda Morris, the VAASA advisor, the group is looking to visit more Warwick elementary schools next year. As for the rest of this school year, the group has plans to focus its resources on fellow high schoolers, especially when prom season rolls around in May and June.
