By Rosa Caporicci, Program Coordinator, Kids Can!

It’s a very striking number: 24.8%. That number represents the percentage of high school students on the Island of Montreal who drop out.The good news is that that number can change with the right strategies in place.In the spirit of Hooked on School Days taking place between February 11-15, Ometz would like to acknowledge the efforts of community partners who are endeavouring to bring that number down to zero.

Studies have shown that one of the protective factors in school perseverance and success is lifestyle habits, such as little or no use of certain harmful substances like tobacco, alcohol and drugs. To that end, Ometz has developed a drug awareness and prevention program called Kids Can!, specifically targeting school-age children as they make that crucial transition to high school.

Now available in French and English, Kids Can! is a six-session program which aims to provide Grade 6 students with the knowledge, skills and awareness to combat peer pressure and other influences related to illicit drug use. Since tolerance to risk-taking increases once the first risk is “conquered”, it’s imperative that we talk to children before they are exposed to typical risk-taking behaviour, such as experimenting with drugs. Using information, games and activities, and encouraging a dialogue with students, Kids Can! empowers school-age children to make conscientious and informed decisions about healthy lifestyle choices and coping strategies.

Kids Can! and Ometz are doing their part to encourage youngsters and young people to persevere, earn a diploma and become an active member of their community.