BETHLEHEM In the aftermath of a shocking drug arrest on campus, the latest effort to combat substance abuse comes from one of Bethlehem Central’s own students.
Maya Paolasso-Martinez, a senior at BCHS, has “seen it all.” After seeing friends and classmates deal with substance abuse, their experiences were, “another reminder of the sad world you venture out there. It’s devastating when a person throws away their life like that, ” she said.
Paolasso-Martinez is host and producer “Youth United: Working for a Better Future,” a public access television program, which airs once a month on public access television, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.
Balancing the roles of producer and hosts, alongside those of being a top-student, Paolasso-Martinez is no stranger to pressure. Thus, while she herself has never dealt with drug abuse, her perspective on the issue comes from a person who deals with the same pressures that lead many to drug use.
“I strongly believe that youth today are overwhelmed with pressures of navigating a very complex world,” she explained.
With today’s teens being put under greater pressure to perform well and do more to advance in an increasingly competitive world, more teens are experimenting with drugs and alcohol at very young ages. This, stated Paolass-Martinez, “is leading to the addiction problems you see today.”
On Paolasso-Martinez’ most recent episode, drug expert John Coppola was asked for his input on the drug atmosphere at Bethlehem High School. Coppola is the executive director of the New York Association for Alcohol and Substance Abuse.
As Coppola has spent his entire career, 19 years, creating methadone clinics, Alcoholics Anonymous groups, and leading prevention programs across the Capital Region, he had much to say on the topic of teen drug use. According to Coppola, a majority of the individuals who receive help from his programs started abusing drugs as teens, who were led to substance abuse for a variety of reasons.
In 30-minute interviews such as the one she held with Coppola, Paolasso-Martinez explores topics of interest to youths. She has held the program for the past four years, since she was a freshman in high school.
Past topics include obesity and youth health, navigating career choices, and the need for youth to become more civically involved and assume leadership roles in the community.
The young student said she saw she saw the problems facing youth first-hand and knew resources existed to solve their problems, but, “most youth don’t know where to find help in a confidential setting,” said Paolasso-Martinez, of her inspiration behind the program. Bringing experts to discuss problems facing youth in a TV setting was her solution.
Her recent exploration of the drug abuse issue comes in the wake of a program held at the Bethlehem Central High School on Thursday, Nov 12. “Talking With Your Teen: An Open Conversation About Substance Use” was attended by over 200 students and parents. It was held by Bethlehem Opportunities Unlimited (BOU), a volunteer organization that promotes healthy and safe activities for youth.
Presentations were given by the Bethlehem Police Department and Bryan from Young People in Recovery. Bryan is a former heroin user who now speaks to youth on the dangers of the slippery slope that leads to addiction. Around 17 booths from various organization provided further information.
The goal of the program was to provide a setting for parents and teens to openly discuss what can be a difficult topic to bring up. Discussions, some for students and some for parents, highlighted the dangers of drugs and what teens and parents can do to prevent substance use.
“The idea is keeping kids busy, make them less likely to engage in substance abuse,” said Jayne Dean-White, BOU board president.
Though she was clear to say that the program was not a direct response to the recent drug arrest, as the event is held every year and has been in planning since the summer, the arrest “underscores how important it is that we as a community work together to help parents and teens navigate the challenges of dealing with substance abuse.”
This is the fourth year that the event has been held, each year with growing momentum and planning, with this year seeing the largest outreach efforts ever pre-event, and the largest participation ever.
For the first time, this year’s talking to your teen event invited students as well as parents, a marked change from previous year where only parents were invited. Door prizes and an Amazon gift card enticed student involvement, and many middle and elementary school students attended.
Parent Teacher Organizations from Bethlehem’s middle school, high school and all elementary schools donated door prizes. Blue Shield was the presenting sponsor and provided a significant donation and Berkshire Hathaway was another sponsor.
To view Paolass-Martinez’ past interviews, visit YouthUnitedNY.weebly.com.
