Pubdate: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 Source: Commercial Dispatch, The (MS) Copyright: C 2006 The Commercial Dispatch Contact: http://www.cdispatch.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3350 DRUG OFFENDER, STUDENTS SHARE A STAY-CLEAN MESSAGE STARKVILLE - Students at Henderson Intermediate School in Starkville got the drug-free message loud and clear Friday, not only from their own classmates, but from a convicted and rehabilitated drug offender as well. "I think the worst thing that happened was watching my mom cry in court," said Heath Kleinke, 31, from Hattiesburg, and a trustee with the Oktibbeha County Jail, who is serving six years into a 12-year sentence for multiple drug-related crimes, including drug possession and selling. Since his conviction Kleinke has completed drug and alcohol rehabilitation and illustrated a children's book titled "But Why." Kleinke was the guest speaker at Henderson's Red Ribbon Week activities Friday, which are a national campaign to teach drug and alcohol prevention in schools across the country. "The 12 years didn't really phase me. But seeing my mom cry on the stand was the only time I cried the whole time," Kleinke told the students, as he recounted his descent into drug use through college which resulted in several arrests ranging from DUI to drug-possession with intent to distribute. But it wasn't just Kleinke who had a stay-clean message. The school's sixth-grade drama students took their message to stage in a series of skits where the students explored areas like peer-pressure, and how the need to fit in can result in making bad choices when it comes to smoking, drinking and doing drugs. "If you drink beer, you can't be clear," said one of students in a skit to discourage drinking and driving. "You have to make a decision about whether you're going to change you're life or not," said Kleinke. - --- MAP posted-by: Amy