Pubdate: Mon, 24 Sep 2001
Source: Herald-Mail, The (MD)
Copyright: 2001 The Herald-Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.herald-mail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1537
Author: Stacey Danzuso
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

TRUCE OFFERS DISCOUNTS FOR DRUG-FREE BEHAVIOR BY TEENS

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Chambersburg-area students who agree to voluntary drug 
testing can get big discounts on cars, pizza and clothing.

TRUCE, Teens Resisting Unhealthy Choices Everyday, urges students in grades 
7 through 12 in the Chambersburg Area School District to stay drug free by 
offering them a card that entitles them to 10 percent to 20 percent 
discounts and free items at more than 60 area merchants.

TRUCE is sponsored by the Greater Chambersburg Chamber Foundation and 
modeled after a program in Little Rock, Ark.

The incentives from area business are what makes it work, said TRUCE 
Coordinator Pat Massa.

Participating students will get a tamper-proof photo ID card good until 
they graduate, refuse to take a test, or test positive for marijuana, 
cocaine, amphetamines, opiates or alcohol.

About 1,400 students have signed up for the program, which is still in the 
early stages.

Monday, more than 200 students at Chambersburg Area High School and about 
600 eighth-graders at J. Frank Faust Middle School heard what TRUCE is all 
about. Today, more than 600 Chambersburg Area Middle School seventh-graders 
will get the pitch.

This year marks the first time that middle-school students will participate.

Massa said the numbers are encouraging.

"We are very excited. When we started the first year we were told if 5 to 
10 percent sign up, that's a success," Massa said. At Faust, 25 percent of 
students signed up the first year, as did 8 percent of high school students.

Jack Chambers, a motivational speaker who operates Creative Educational 
Concepts out of Chester Springs, Pa., tried to pump up the students' 
attitudes Monday before they were sent home with information on the TRUCE 
program.

"There are four skills for your success in this building: Confidence, 
communication, cooperation and leadership," he said.

With the help of nine volunteers, Chambers demonstrated how all four 
qualities are essential by having them work together to spell out words 
with their bodies.

The eighth-graders applauded as one of the volunteers dove into the 
outstretched arms of his eight classmates and they caught him.

"What you saw by that demonstration was risk. There are two kinds of risk - 
calculated and foolish," Chambers said.

"Be smart enough to know the difference between the two. If you don't know 
the answer, than don't make the dive," he said.

Students need parental permission and have until Oct. 9 to sign up for the 
TRUCE program.

Participants are selected at random by computer for drug testing throughout 
the year.

Area businessman Charles Schlichter assured the students the drug testing 
is confidential and that results will not be turned over to school 
officials or police.

The results will only be given to the student, his or her parents and a 
specially trained counselor who does not live or work in the Chambersburg 
area," he said.
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