CARNAHAN ENROLLS STUDENTS IN ANTI-METH CAMPAIGN

Seventh-grade students from Cape Girardeau, Sikeston and Poplar Bluff were recruited by Gov. Mel Carnahan Thursday to aid in Missouri's newest anti-methamphetamine campaign.

Louis J. Schultz School was Carnahan's first stop in Southeast Missouri to unveil a billboard campaign which aims to expose the production of methamphetamine drugs, commonly known as meth. Fifty students at Schultz were selected at random to submit anti-meth drawings for a billboard design contest over the next two weeks. The drawings will include a hotline telephone number for the public to call when they suspect meth production is taking place.

Each of the three schools will submit 10 entries to the competition, and the winning entry will be developed into a billboard that will be displayed throughout the state.

"This is one of the greatest ways we an make a dent in this problem," said Carnahan. "We want the drawings to tell the message of how deadly meth really is, along with advertise the hotline number."

The campaign is possible because the Missouri Outdoor Advertising Association donated production and advertising space at 20 sites across the state. The winning billboard drawing will be developed by Jeff Bohnert of Drury Southwest Signs in Cape Girardeau. Drury Southwest and Robinson Displays of Perryville will display the billboards.

"We definitely want to keep it local so the kids in the surrounding area can see their drawing," said Ronnie Gadberry of Robinson Displays. "This was something the Missouri Outdoor Advertising Association was glad to get involved in."

Carnahan said he chose seventh-graders to design the billboard because meth is quickly becoming the "drug of choice" for young people. Teen-agers believe meth is easier to buy and use, safer than other drugs and an energy-producer and weight-loss enhancer, he said. In fact, meth causes loss of energy and concentration, brain damage, heart failure, strokes, convulsions and hypertension, he said.

"The plain truth is meth kills its users," said Carnahan.

Art teacher Saundra Fidler said she expects Schultz students will have 100 percent participation in the contest. "Everyone has been involved in the art program, so it will be very stiff competition here," she said. "We're just very flattered and complimented to be chosen to take part in this."