Young leaders examine crime, addiction
On Tuesday in Butler, a group of high school students took a deeper peek into addiction and crime.
The group of 33 high school students from across the county spent a rainy day getting to know the local government system, from a tour of the Butler County Prison to the courthouse as part of the Butler County Youth Leadership program, now in its third year.
The program offers specialized training for high school juniors from each of the school districts in the county. On Tuesday, students representing 10 schools met with county leaders as part of a multiday program designed to help them develop skills for the rest of their lives.
Jason Beckwith, founder of the Action in Recovery group and a drug addiction reformer, told the group over lunch about his introduction to marijuana at age 16.“You have to have meaning and purpose in your life and the decision you make, ask yourself, will they help you get toward your goals?” Beckwith said. “Everyone has greatness in them, and smoking weed never slingshot anybody to greatness.”Also attending the luncheon were county detective Tim Fennell and Ken Clowes, the driving force behind the Hope is Dope initiative.The youth program was developed by the Butler County Chamber of Commerce's 2017 Leadership class through a collaboration between local education, nonprofit and business leaders. The mission is to provide students with exposure to issues, resources and service opportunities throughout the county.The students began with breakfast with county commissioners, and by late morning the teens were taking a tour of the jail. By lunch, the students were with Beckwith and the others discussing, among other things, the possible legalization of marijuana, psychedelic drugs and how to confront a friend who is slipping into drug habits.
Afterward, the students walked to the government building, where they sat in the courtroom of Common Pleas Judge Michael Yeager and listened to stories of accidental overdoses and embalming bodies from the county coroner, William Young.Sheriff Michael Slupe described his office's work, and Yeager chatted with the students about the court system.One student, Sarah Fiorina of Karns City School, asked Young, “Isn't your job depressing?”Young conceded the point, but explained that he comes from a long line of family members in the same line of work. He also noted that he is training the next, and fifth, generation.The program is a student version of the chamber's Leadership Butler County program for adults. Students submit applications through their school administrator to be considered for the program.Two or three students from each of the school districts are selected each spring for the class, which begins in the fall semester of their junior year. The class consists of two sessions held each semester during regular school hours. There is no cost to the school district.The program began Oct. 1 with an introductory session. There, students were introduced to each other, engaged in team building exercises and other activities, and learned different aspects of leadership.Stan Kosciuszko, president of the chamber, said in the essay questions, they are looking to learn about the students' personalities to create a cross section of students who will create bonds and bridges with one another.
