Alderman Bruce Desmond praised the accomplishments by SCAP in substance abuse prevention education. – Photo by Harry Kane

By Harry Kane

Somerville Cares about Prevention conducted many new initiatives this past year with the desire to save underage kids from abusing drugs and alcohol.

The 8th annual SCAP meeting, which was held on May 23 at Somerville High School, was a celebration of the prevention work in Somerville.

“I’m very proud of the work that has been done with this,” said Alderman Bruce Desmond.

Desmond has been instrumental since the creation of the program and looks at the progress as a testament of Somerville’s fine leadership by Mayor Joseph Curtatone.

“When this was first started there was great enthusiasm for this program.” Desmond’s only word of caution was directed towards the ongoing struggle to help all the youth. Desmond doesn’t want anyone to get too comfortable with the successes.

“We have to continually go and go and go. Every kid is worth saving,” said Alderman Bruce Desmond.

During the meeting the Somerville Positive Forces Youth Leaders spoke to the new initiatives that had been implemented during the year.

Among the new initiatives were Sticker Shock and Kick Butt Day.

Cory Mashburn, prevention Director at SCAP. – Photo by Harry Kane

Sticker Shock is a project where SPF Junior and SFP 100 leaders visited bars, restaurants and liquor stores with stickers that remind people about the drinking age. “We remind thousands of community members not to give alcohol to youth,” said one of the SPF leaders.

The Kick Butt project campaigned to cease smoking among youth by writing tobacco education quotes on sidewalks around Somerville High School. “Smoking, you must be joking,” was one of the slogans written to help warn youth about the risks of smoking.

Other campaigns included a bullying prevention program, and a Valentines Day campaign.

SPF leaders screened some of the PSA’s they had filmed and also had a Jeopardy contest to see what people know about the statistics of some of these issues.

Cory Mashburn, prevention Director at SCAP, said that the latest data from the high school survey would be available in early June.