THS students have ideas for a better campus

It started with the easy stuff.

"I love Trinity Wolves who …

"Wear hats," offered one student. "Wear red," said another. "Love football," a third student said.

The 60 Trinity High School students were participating in an event called the Youth World Cafe held Nov. 20 on campus. And the exercises did get more emotionally charged as the morning went on, culminating with the "Step Into the Heart" exercise where students formed a large circle and stepped inside it if a particular prompt applied to them.

"The thing we were stunned by is how many young people stepped into the heart when we said, 'Step into the heart if you know somebody who has come to school drunk or under the influence of alcohol,'" said Scott Morris, prevention coordinator for Trinity County Behavioral Health.

"It was just about every kid in the room," he said. "It's a bigger issue than a lot of us acknowledge."

The students discussed the results of the 2009 California Healthy Kids Survey conducted at Trinity High School, which found a rising trend in the use of alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes and chewing tobacco.

The event was led by Danelle Campbell and Jeremy Wilson of Butte County Behavioral Health Services. Trinity High School was one of 10 sites statewide to be included in the grant-funded Committed program, a pilot project spearheaded by the Butte department to help students work toward a positive school culture and bring together diverse groups.

Assisting with the event were THS Friday Night Live members Keely Morris, Melissa Wirth, Agusta "Gussy" Schwartz, Boston Jones, Cassie Wykoff, Leah Groves and LeeAnna Dunham. Their adviser is Troy Geierman.

The 60 students participating were intentionally selected by their teachers to be leaders from a cross section of different groups.

After splitting up into small groups, students came forward with some issues and ideas.

Ideas included a "Wall of Fame" for teachers and students who do outstanding work, for their good deeds or other notable attributes.

The state of the bathrooms brought several comments.

"Some of the issues they identified were just the basic issues like getting closing toilet seat lids for the toilets," Scott Morris said. Also pertaining to the bathrooms, students suggested hot running water, paint and mirrors.

"They're very concerned about the overall appearance of their school," he said.

Other issues included a need for a student voice or representation at school board meetings, more advanced placement classes and scarcity of water fountains.

One fountain was removed — possibly as a reaction to students spitting chewing tobacco into it. Rather than punish everybody, Scott Morris said, the issue of chew being used on campus could be dealt with.

Another idea was to identify a "virtue of the week," each week having a virtue that the school embraces and practices.

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The Parent Committed program is to be launched at Trinity High School during its Dec. 10-12 Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament with announcements and an information booth. Parents will be asked to pledge not to provide youths with alcohol, access to alcohol, or a place to drink, and to stay connected and communicate with other parents.