tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47235453045255569662024-03-14T04:13:28.026-06:00Drugs Make You Un-SmarterSavanna Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17100021429277052597noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4723545304525556966.post-43279654854226570062011-10-02T11:34:00.000-06:002011-10-02T11:34:22.705-06:00Drugs Make You Un-Smarter Wins Golden Quill Award<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Drugs Make You Un-Smarter Wins Golden Quill Award from the League of <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Utah</st1:place></st1:state> Writers. This is the second award for this book. The authors also won as finalists in the Indie Excellence awards, earlier this year.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The League of Utah Writers gave out publication awards at their annual Round-up on Friday, September 16<sup>th, 2011</sup> in Logan, Utah. This group is nearly 400 members strong and offers workshops for writers of all levels from beginner to published authors. The competition is stiff for published authors. The categories include: Adult Fiction; Adult Nonfiction; Children’s/Young Adult books, and Religious books. Authors and Youth Speakers, Jill Ammon Vanderwood and Savanna Peterson received first place certificates and a Gold Quill pin, during the ceremony.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Drugs Make You Un-Smarter is written by high school student, Savanna Peterson and her grandmother, Jill Ammon Vanderwood to promote drug awareness to teens. Savanna tells her story about growing up with a father in prison for drug related crimes. Her brother had parties with drugs and alcohol, while her mother worked. This book gives facts about drugs along with stories of those who have abused them. The reader will learn about rehab, how drugs affect a family and hear from kids who, like Savanna, have made a commitment to remain drug-free. This book includes interviews with celebrities such as VH1’s Celebrity Rehab LCSW, Sherry Gaba; Actor Jason London; Actor and Author Tray Cheney; Author’s Jennifer Storm and Kristen Moller; Sheriff Tom Allmon of the Face2Face program, and Dr. Kishore from the National Library of Addictions.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Jill Ammon Vanderwood is the author of five books for children/young adults. Her book What’s It Like, Living Green? Kids Teaching Kids, by the Way They Live is the winner of three national book awards and won silver last year from the League of Utah Writers.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p>Savanna Peterson is a high school student from Utah. She enjoys having as much fun as possible without drugs and alcohol. Savanna has taken a stand against drugs and wants to teach others that drugs are not the way to a happy life.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p>Jill and Savanna have spoken at: </div><br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Boys and Girls Clubs </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">church groups </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">drug rehabs </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">school class rooms</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They have been interviewed on:</div><br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Fox 13 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good Day Utah</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>KSL News Radio</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conversations Live Radio, With Cyrus Webb</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Dresser After Dark</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">"A Moment of Change" at CBS radio http://bit.ly/or8H4T</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">The Deseret News</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Salt Lake Tribune</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Valley Journal</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Love to Know: Teen Issues—How a Teen Abstains from Drugs and Alcohol</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Savanna was featured on the Granite School District Website</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Savanna was interviewed for the Teen Nick website for the ‘Above the Influence’ campaign</li>
</ul>For an interview or to book the authors as youth speakers contact:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Jill Vanderwood</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="mailto:Jillpickle11@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue;">Jillpickle11@gmail.com</span></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">www.jillvanderwood.com</div>Savanna Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17100021429277052597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4723545304525556966.post-22093694598058380462011-04-25T09:40:00.000-06:002011-04-25T09:40:40.067-06:00Goals and a Wonderful Future<div><span class="870184519-18042011"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Dear Jill,</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">A friend told me yesterday about Savanna's interview on Fox News (which I didn't see) and about her life and book. I just went to me computer and googled it to see the interview. The reason I am so interested in her story and in Savanna, is because I was her second grade teacher. At that time, I was terribly concerned about her, her older brother (whom I also taught in his second grade year), and other family members. It was obvious that the life styIe I observed at that time was not so positive.</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"></span><span class="870184519-18042011"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Please tell Savanna how thrilled I am that she has been able to step out of that downward cycle and to turn into such a lovely young woman, with goals and a wonderful future.</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">I have been retired for six years now, but I still think of each of my former students as "my kids", and often wonder where they are and what their lives are like. Thanks to you for being so supportive of Savanna and helping make her life go in a positive direction.</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My Love</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Savanna's second grade</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">teacher</span></span></div>Savanna Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17100021429277052597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4723545304525556966.post-84931592867915129292011-04-24T20:59:00.000-06:002011-04-24T20:59:12.700-06:00Goals and a Wonderful Future<div><span class="870184519-18042011"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Dear Jill,</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">A friend told me yesterday about Savanna's interview on Fox News (which I didn't see) and about her life and book. I just went to me computer and googled it to see the interview. The reason I am so interested in her story and in Savanna, is because I was her second grade teacher. At that time, I was terribly concerned about her, her older brother (I also taught in his second grade year), and other family members. It was obvious that the lifestyle I observed at that time was not so positive.</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"></span><span class="870184519-18042011"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Please tell Savanna how thrilled I am that she has been able to step out of that downward cycle and to turn into such a lovely young woman, with goals and a wonderful future.</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">I have been retired for six years now, but I still think of each of my former students as "my kids", and often wonder where they are and what their lives are like. Thanks to you for being so supportive of Savanna and helping make her life go in a positive direction.</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My Love</span></span></div><div><span class="870184519-18042011"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Savanna's 2nd Grade Teacher</span></span></div>Savanna Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17100021429277052597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4723545304525556966.post-2786577198676213012011-04-16T22:51:00.000-06:002011-04-16T22:51:02.796-06:00TeachYALit.com - The YA Lit Review: Positive Peer Pressure (Review of DRUGS MAKE YOU UN-SMARTER | Savanna Peterson & Jill Vanderwood<a href="http://theyalitreview.blogspot.com/2011/04/positive-peer-pressure-review-of-drugs.html">TeachYALit.com - The YA Lit Review: Positive Peer Pressure (Review of DRUGS MAKE YOU UN-SMARTER Savanna Peterson & Jill Vanderwood</a>Savanna Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17100021429277052597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4723545304525556966.post-76256795585494898042011-04-04T12:17:00.000-06:002011-04-04T12:17:08.355-06:00I Won't Let Drugs and Alcohol Steal My DreamsDear Savanna,<br />
I really liked your stories and think that you are really strong and motivated not to use any form of drugs and alcohol. It really inspires me to double up on my promise to myself not to use drugs or alcohol.<br />
<br />
But through those stories I also won't hang out with the wrong people because it sounds like they are total Jerks who will steal all your stuff and ask you to make wrong decisions.<br />
<br />
I kind of know what it is like. My mom used to smoke a ton and drink also the same with my father. I have seen how hard it is to quit. It is like torture and I never want to go through that. Drugs and alcohol is one of the reasons my mom and dad split up. I haven't seen my father since the age of 5 and I am 12 now.<br />
<br />
I have seen how drugs ruin people's lives. One of my mom's old boyfriends had a bunch of dreams but he started on drugs at an early age and it wrecked his life. He wanted to be a doctor and so does my mom.<br />
<br />
I am proud of my mom for quiting drugs and alcohol and she is going to college. She is doing really well and she might have a chance to turn her life around.<br />
<br />
I have a dream of being a doctor and I'm not going to let drugs and alcohol get in the way. I figure it's like this, you are a large cube of ice. Your bad friend is a sculptor and drugs are the chisel. Together they can control and "chisel" away at your life.<br />
<br />
I am really inspired by you and hope the best for you and your family.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Gage Kowallis--12Savanna Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17100021429277052597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4723545304525556966.post-68951600929404030842011-04-04T11:51:00.000-06:002011-04-04T11:51:41.874-06:00Before He Did DrugsDear Savanna,<br />
I've heard your story and I know how you feel or felt. My brother did drugs and was constantly trying to join gangs. Well he is only my half brother. He told me that he hates my/his family. I used to look up to him and thank him before he did drugs. After seeing my brother do drugs, it taught me that I didn't want to do drugs. I don't want to be an idiot like he was.<br />
<br />
My brother, like your dad (which I'm sorry about) stole stuff. In fact when my parents went to court, there was another complaint that he had gotten high and stole things two days before court. I have seen my brother smoke drugs (in pictures) and my dad smokes and drinks.<br />
<br />
I wish things could be like when we were little. He would play Barbies with me and we would play all sort of fun games. My brother has stopped doing drugs for at least two months now.<br />
<br />
Hearing your story and watching how my brother was has inspired me to stay drug/alcohol free.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Taylor<br />
<br />
Savanna Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17100021429277052597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4723545304525556966.post-5734968729752640132011-04-04T11:29:00.000-06:002011-04-04T11:29:11.646-06:00Anyone Would Be Lucky To Be Your FriendDear Savanna,<br />
I think you're a smart young woman. You have a beautiful attitude and you have good ideas. Anyone would be lucky to be your friend. I feel bad about your brother and dad. Maybe you should talk to your dad about what you're doing and tell him and remind him no matter what that you will never ever do drugs or steal or anything to get you in prison or jail. But tell him nicely. Maybe tell your mom to harden up a little bit and say no once in awhile.<br />
<br />
You are a strong and confident girl and I can see that by your stories you wrote. You must be really proud not doing drugs and you make me want to be just like you. Because I want your looks and your attitude. Maybe if I could do the things that you do, my younger siblings (sister and brother) will want to be like me. Then, me, my sister and brother will be just like you.<br />
<br />
You are a really influential person and hopefully your sister will learn from you. Maybe you might help your brother to learn from you too. You look really nice and a little tough too. It sounds like you were born wise. It's a good thing you say <u>no</u> to drugs. I would really like to be your friend because of how nice you are and how strong.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Becky Wilkins--age 12Savanna Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17100021429277052597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4723545304525556966.post-2101316299093983762010-10-09T20:32:00.000-06:002010-10-09T20:32:29.821-06:00People Who Have Lived At My House<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">People Who Have Lived at Our House</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">by Savanna Peterson</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">My mom is very caring and doesn’t have the heart to say no to old friends from her past, her birth father, or my brother’s friends. My mom has always let someone live with us, for some odd reason. That is just something I would not do. These people have either lost their homes or got kicked out of their house for drug use. People always come to my mom for help because they see that she made it out of the ‘ghetto’ apartments where we lived when I was younger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom provides a good home for us, but it’s hard when so many people eat our food and don’t pay rent.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My mom has three kids she has to pay for, and when more and more people come to her for help, it’s hard on us kids. Mom loves to help people, but every time she does, they don’t appreciate it. I don’t think there ever was a time when it was just me, my mom, my brother, and my little sister living in our house. There has always been someone living with us who doesn’t pay rent.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">People Come and Go</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Besides my little sister’s dad, who lived with us until Autumn was three, my mom let Jerome sleep on our couch because we only had a two-bedroom apartment. He would do dishes, clean up the house, and even babysit us. My mom kicked him out when she found out he did drugs. Then there was Mario, who always brought us new clothes, but we found out he was stealing suitcases from the airport and all the clothes were stolen. When my mom had a new fiancé, Brad, we moved into a new house. She let her friend Anita live downstairs. She would show up with random guys and rarely paid rent. Next, there was Pam. She was funny and always jumpy and hyper. My mom felt sorry for her because she lost her apartment and had to live in a motel. Mom said there was always a funny smell in the house, but figured it was some kind of perfume. I went through Pam’s stuff when I was little and found a pipe. My mom found out that she was smoking meth, and that she worked for an escort service. She was kicked out. Now I hear that she’s doing well and has become a police officer.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Then there was Steve, who lost his job and lived with us for free for a long time. He would eat all of our food and would always borrow money from us and hasn’t paid any of it back, to this day. Steve would sit on his butt and smoke weed all the time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Ted Came to Live with Us</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My mom found out that her fiancé had an addiction to pain pills. He quit his job and never looked for work. When Mom broke up with him, we moved into a house two blocks away. Ted, a good friend of our family, moved in to get away from drug problems at his own home and took care of us while my mom worked. Ted was never my mom’s boyfriend. He had a job and helped out by driving us to school and buying food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to admit, I was sad when Ted left.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">All of my brother’s friends would sleep at our house a couple nights each week. None of them finished school, had jobs, or contributed to the household, but they did eat our food. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Granddad Came to Stay</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then my granddad came to stay. He hadn’t seen my mom for most of her life, but when he lost his job and driver’s license in another state, his brother gave him an airline ticket to come to Utah. Granddad is in his fifties, but he drinks all the time and sometimes acts like he’s sixteen. For a long time, he didn’t have a job, but he’s working now. He has been living with us for five years. He cleans the house and gives my mom money when he has a job.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Natalie Moved In</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before we moved into our next house, my mom’s old friend Natalie came along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was always doing laundry. It’s like she was obsessed with laundry. My mom didn’t want her to move with us, but she packed her clothes in large garbage bags and stuck them in the moving truck. She put all her stuff in one of the bedrooms, before my little sister could move in. Natalie didn’t have a bed or any furniture, so she slept on the floor. When she got a job, she still didn’t pay rent. My mom told her to pay rent by the end of the month, or move out. One day, she just didn’t come back. It’s been over a year and she never came for her things. We found out that she’s doing meth, which is no surprise.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Lisa and the Needle</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A few months ago, Lisa dumped all of her things in middle of our living room. She had a sad story about having her kids taken away from her and the last thing she remembers is waking up in a hospital and she had been beaten up. Lisa said she had a broken foot and had to take pain pills, and she’s diabetic and has to take insulin. She went into a panic, looking through her bags, trying to find her needles. My mom told her she needed to go. My granddad loaded all of her things into the car so he could drive her to her mother’s house. He got pulled over because the license plates were expired. When a cop searched the car, he found a needle under the seat. Lisa told the cop that the needle belonged to Granddad. He was about to be handcuffed and taken to jail when they found out that she had a record, and took her instead. The substance in the needle wasn’t insulin, but the cop was unsure what it was. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Amanda’s Drama</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">My mom has a friend named Amanda she’s known since junior high.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She told my mom she had nowhere to stay and asked if she could leave her things at our house for a few weeks. Her son Ryan, who is fourteen, came to stay with us for a few days, and he was in trouble because he missed a court date. Amanda showed up to get her son, but he didn’t want to go with her, because she was singing loudly and picking fights with everyone. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When Amanda went into the kitchen, my mom asked her what she was doing. “He won’t listen to me,” she said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Next thing we knew, Amanda had a knife and tried to stab my brother in the chest. He backed up and she barely broke the skin. We all thought she was trying to stab her son, and got my brother instead. My brother’s friends snuck her son Ryan out the back door and got him into a car so his mom wouldn’t hurt him. Then Mom called the cops. Amanda was loudly singing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cherokee Nation</i> while a cop handcuffed her and put her into his car. Another cop came into the house and asked us all to make a statement. I said, “Don’t you think you should give her a drug test?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The cop said, “Oh, we already know she’s on something. There’s no need to do a drug test.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When my mom went to apologize to the neighbors for the disturbance, she heard a strange story. The day before, when Amanda moved her things into our house, she went door-to-door introducing herself as their new neighbor. “Oh, you’re a friend of Katie’s then?” they asked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">“No, not really,” she told them. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">My mom is just too kind to people, and they take advantage of her. It’s not my mom’s fault they can’t keep a job and they lost their homes because of drug use. Everyone comes to my mom for help. I do my part, of course. I make them feel as unwelcome as possible. I will do anything and everything to make them feel uncomfortable. I love doing that. They don’t deserve to feel at home. </span></div>Savanna Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17100021429277052597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4723545304525556966.post-35256462072872563112010-09-13T23:24:00.000-06:002010-09-13T23:24:07.490-06:00What I Believe: Being Staight Edge<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">What I Believe:</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">Being Straight Edge</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">by Savanna Peterson—age 15</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">Do you know any teenage boy/girl who has been around drugs their whole life, and still chose to take the other direction?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to graduate, go to college, and have a great-paying job. I am also going to go on a lot of trips. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">Doing drugs runs in the family, but it stops at me. I hope my little sister will find the right sibling to look up to. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">I believe in Jesus Christ, but I’m not a girl who goes to church all the time. I have made a life commitment to be straight edge. A lot of people use straight edge as a trend or to get a boyfriend, but not me. Some kids tell their parents they are straight edge for trust, and then go to raves. My aunt even thinks that I’m straight edge for that reason. I have better things to do than waste my life and money on drugs and alcohol. That’s just not who I am. It’s hard for people to believe that you can be different from the rest. No one thinks I can survive in my family without doing drugs. I’ve been straight edge for two years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what commitment means and I know how to stick with what I plan to do. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">It’s hard to make friends with other straight-edge girls because in two weeks or so, they are selling out. They either find out the guy they wanted doesn’t like them or they are influenced by people on the outside pointing fingers and saying they aren’t going to last a week. They usually do sell out and don’t prove anyone wrong. At first, I had people taunting me, but I’ve proved those people wrong. Once I made the commitment, it wasn’t hard at all. I start my own trends and I didn’t become straight edge for any guy. People who know me personally know that I stick to my words. I stay away from drugs and out of trouble because I’m doing this for me. Going to raves is a trend in my school. I’m showing people that there are other options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">I am straight edge to stay healthy and try to be as far away from drugs as I can. I’ve been around drugs and I have always been against them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">XXX--The three X’s mean:</span></b></div><ol style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">Drug-free</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">Alcohol-free</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">No promiscuous sex</span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">To others, it’s </span></div><ol style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">Drug-free </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">Tobacco-free</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">Alcohol-free</span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">But my group includes tobacco along with drugs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">The straight edge themes are:</span></b></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">“Never Say Die”</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">“Fresh Till Death”—because drugs are dirty.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">The X symbol first began when underage band members were allowed to play in bars. They were marked with an X on their hand so the bartender wouldn’t serve them drinks. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s a group of bands and kids were tired of the self-destructive attitude of many bands. They took the X symbol to set themselves apart from members and followers of other punk rock bands. The lyrics written in 1980 by the band <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Minor Threat</i> proclaimed that youth of today don’t need to:</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">“Snort white [sh**] up my nose</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">pass out at the shows</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">I don’t even think of speed</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">That’s something I just don’t need</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">I’ve got the straight edge”</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From this song, the movement became known as straight edge. The belief is that drugs and alcohol weren’t needed and should be rejected. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 200%;">Straightedge.com * This website represents a strong opposition to drug and alcohol use while using strong language to portray their message.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">When I found out what straight edge was, I thought it was a very good idea. A lot of people think it’s dumb, but they don’t realize how good it is for your life. Many straight edge people are also vegetarian or vegan. Everyone has different thoughts about it. A lot of my old friends have started doing drugs, and that’s why I don’t have them for friends anymore. When I turned straight edge, I stopped hanging out with my friend I had since the 1<sup>st</sup> grade because she started smoking weed. I don’t even talk to her anymore. My other good friend I had since I was little is in a gang. I pretty much lost all my old friends over my choice to live drug-free, but I gained new friends who have made a commitment, like me. To me, if you turn straight edge, you have to be faithful. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">I like to hang out with people older than me. I think most kids my age are too immature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">I know kids who do drugs. When they ask me, “Savanna, how do you have fun without drugs?” Well, here’s my answer. “How did you have fun, before you did drugs? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You do not</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need drugs to have fun!</i> Honestly, I have more fun than most druggies. There are so many fun things you can do in life besides doing XTC or smoking weed every day.” <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The thing that annoys me the most is when kids at school talk about how crazy their night was when they were rolling. Or they look at something and be like, “Whoa, man, that would be so cool on shrooms!” or “Holly s***, we should do some XTC and look at that, it would be so dank!” No! When people talk like that, I get so annoyed; I want to just pull my hair out!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m seriously sorry you don’t know how to talk. It was your choice to lose your brain cells from all those drugs.” Even when they aren’t on drugs, all they talk about is drugs. There are more interesting things in life. I promise you when you quit, it will be the best feeling you will ever have! You will win!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">Is straight edge a gang? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">To me, straight edge is not a gang, but some people take it too far by slashing tires on beer trucks or waiting around outside a bar to beat people up when they come out. I don’t go around with violent people. Straight edge simply means you have the edge because you are straight. My favorite band is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sleeping Giant</i>. They even sing about the teachings of Jesus Christ in some of their songs. Because of the straight edge bands, kids are learning to be alert and aware. The bands help kids realize that they are much stronger because they don’t deal with their problems by doing drugs. The drug-free message not only comes from school and parents, but it’s coming from a cool band. Even though there are still plenty of kids doing drugs, the music and the straight edge message is helping thousands of kids stay away from drugs and stay clean until death. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 200%;">straightedgelifestyle.moonfruit.com</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My friends and I like to go to straight edge shows, hang out and listen to straight edge music, talk about stuff, watch movies, and have video game tournaments. Druggies talk about drugs; we talk about other straight edges. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">At parties, we play beer pong with orange juice or Kool-Aid. That’s a game where you try to get a ping-pong ball into the mug of the opposite team. When you do, the other team drinks the mug.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">A lot of parents think that tattoos or piercings lead to drugs. I fully disagree with that. Friends lead kids to drugs. A lot of my straight edge friends who have tattoos and piercings have never taken a drink or drugs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">Straight edge people are like a family to me and help me keep my commitment to be drug free. </span></div>Savanna Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17100021429277052597noreply@blogger.com0