Drug prevention topic at east side group

Nancy Abraham, assistant U.S. attorney with the Eastern District of Michigan, was the featured speaker at the East Side Business Association meeting on Sept. 7. She heads up Drug Education for Youth (DEFY) in Flint. The U.S. Navy's drug demand reduction task force staff developed the program that has been successful in the military.

DEFY gives kids age nine to 12 tools to resist drugs, gangs and alcohol. Participants learn to develop leadership and life skills to combat negative peer pressure.

"My dreams are big for this program," Abraham said. "Actually we have three goals — to develop relationships between youth and positive adult role models, to deliver life-skills training and to deter drug use and gang involvement."

The program starts with a weeklong residential summer camp which includes classroom instruction and physical fitness activities like a high rope course, rock climbing and archery. Volunteer mentors from law enforcement and the military mentor the children.

"Kids met a drug dog and learned how methadone labs are taken down. Secret service mentors taught internet safety and Homeland Security mentors explained how they protect our nation's borders," Abraham said.

"They also learned how to say no to peer pressure by saying they have better things to do," Abraham added.

Abraham gave credit to her former co-worker Lori Riggs for the successful summer camp where 67 kids and 40 mentors participated at Camp Copneconic in Fenton at about $350 a camper. Private individuals and local groups provided funds.

The second phase reinforces what the kids learned at camp during the school year. According to Abraham, phase two is a 10-month mentoring program in which DEFY youth are paired with adult mentors. Mentoring events are built around a curriculum module that reinforces skills, techniques and procedures taught at camp.

"Big Brothers and Big Sisters are committed to run phase two for us this year. We also work with the Boys and Girls Clubs for help in reinforcing positive behaviors like improving self-image and interpersonal skills. This helps kids resist gangs and alcohol and allows them to set high standards for themselves," Abraham explained.

Members asked if there were any follow-up studies showing that these strategies work.

"Statistics are difficult to gather because the kids move around a lot," Abraham said. "But we do have some examples of kids staying with the program and becoming junior mentors."

DEFY is an outreach of Flint's Weed and Seed program. In a memorandum of understanding between the Navy and the Department of Justice, the DEFY Program is offered to sponsoring U.S. attorneys who operate Weed and Seed programs within their jurisdictions.

Contact Abraham at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information or to sponsor a camper.

In other matters, Dale Scanlon reported that the Citizens Nuisance Task Force met with the city's assistant attorney about the rash of aluminum and copper thefts occurring on the east side.

"They are making some arrests," Scanlon said. "The city also has the ability to seize vehicles of arrested thieves that may help reduce the number of crimes."