Pubdate: Sun, 07 Sep 2003 Source: Hattiesburg American (MS) Copyright: 2003 Hattiesburg American Contact: http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1646 Author: Kamenka Robbins DEPUTY WILL GIVE SCHOOLS LESSON IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE Students at Oak Grove Lower Elementary and Middle schools will receive a lesson in drug and alcohol abuse that will be anything but ordinary. "It's loud and fun and kids are very receptive to it," said Darby Shelton of his music-oriented presentation. Shelton, a veteran deputy with the Pontotoc County Sheriff's Department, has developed a presentation that showcases his musical talent on drums. "Basically, what I do is present with music, playing my drums, and for a while they forget that I'm a cop," he said. Shelton said his music helps break the stereotypical barrier between law enforcement officers and kids. "They don't expect a policeman to do anything else but put people in jail and write tickets," he said. "Once I break that barrier they see me as a person." Shelton said his presentation educates fourth and fifth graders on tobacco and alcohol prevention and middle school and high school students on specific drug abuse. "I talk to them about things that are marketed to them that are quite deadly," he said. "Kids don't know that Ecstasy looks like candy, like PEZ, and there's a reason for that." According to Shelton, parents have a difficult time talking to their children about drugs because they don't know what their children are being offered. "A lot of parents don't know about the drugs that are out today because they weren't around 10 years ago," he said. Through his life experiences, Shelton shares with the students the harsh truth about the destructive nature of drugs and alcohol. "It's a horrible way to go out," he said. "You know how you feel when you have the flu and fever of 102. Imagine your body heating up to 108 when your organs are cooking before you die. No one tells kids about that." Danny Edwards, school resource officer at Oak Grove Lower Elementary, met Shelton at a Mississippi Association of School Resource Officers conference last year. "I saw his presentation and thought it was an excellent idea and thought it would work," Edwards said. Edwards said the support of Oak Grove's elementary and middle school principals, Debbie Dabbs and Ben Burnett, has helped bring presentation's like Shelton's to the schools. Shelton feels the Oak Grove students will not only learn, but also enjoy his presentation. "If kids see that you're honest and you present yourself without a front, they'll listen," he said. Shelton's drug and alcohol prevention program will be at 8:30 a.m. Monday for grades four and five and at 8:45-11 a.m. Tuesday for grades six through eight. The event is open to the public. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake