Forum on Teen Drug Abuse Set for Wednesday Night at George Mason High

Parents/guardians and their middle school and high school students are invited and encouraged to attend together an upcoming “Protecting Against the Realities of Substance Abuse” program. 

The first of two forums, organized by Parents Reaching Out To Educate Communities Together (P.R.O.T.E.C.T.), a task force of the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County (UPC), will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5 at George Mason High School in Falls Church.

The program is part of UPC’s efforts to reach the community with the signs and symptoms of teenage drug abuse, what actions parents can take, and where to find supportive resources.

“Our program makes an impact on each audience because of the very personal stories of the dangers of substance abuse told by our panel of parents, young adults in recovery, and professionals working in this area,” said Jennifer Lewis-Cooper, UPC’s P.R.O.T.E.C.T. coordinator.

Panelists will include Greg Richter, parent of daughter in recovery; Tayler Gibson, young adult in recovery; Bill Fulton, school resource officer coordinator, Fairfax County Police Department; Paula King, intake officer, Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court; Desiree Gordon, clinical supervisor, Falls Church Youth & Family Services, Falls Church/Fairfax Community Services Board; and Lewis-Cooper.

The Feb. 5 program at George Mason High School, 7124 Leesburg Pike, is open to the community. A Resource Fair, sponsored by GMHS PTSA, will be held from 6:30 to 7 p.m.  (The event will be held Wednesday, Feb. 26 in case of snow.)

A second “Protecting Against the Realities of Substance Abuse” program will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4 at James Madison High School in Vienna. The school’s PTSA is sponsoring this program open to the community in its Warhawk Hall.

UPC is a nonprofit organization made up of more than 60 community partners and members, including the Fairfax County Public Schools and the Fairfax County Police Department.

For more information about this program, contact Jennifer Lewis-Cooper at jalcooper@aol.com or visit www.unifiedpreventioncoalition.org.