Caitlin Higgins ’24 created the Students Take Action for Youth (STAY) Club to promote anti-drug and anti-substance use at SHS. The STAY Club is the Scarsdale High School branch of Scarsdale Action for Youth (SAY). The message of the club is to “positively influence and encourage our peers to make healthy decisions without scaring them,” club officer Maya Regenstreif ’24 said. “Rather than having a power hierarchy between an adult and a teenager, we want to make a community where we can care about each other from teenager to teenager,” she added.
Last year, at the annual spring carnival, the STAY Club had a stand with special goggles that created impaired vision. Students would then walk on a specific path. These goggles mimicked the effects that are felt when intoxicated or high. This exposed the detrimental impacts of substance abuse on everyday life. The club paired with the Scarsdale Police Department and Light the ’Dale to run this event.
The club served free mocktails at the school that contained strawberries and mocktail mix. The point of the activity was to demonstrate that “you don’t need alcohol to have a fun time,” Regenstreif explained. Considering the event’s success, the club hopes to host the mocktail event again and hold a basketball tournament. This would include free shirts for those participating, and the money from the tickets will go to an anti-substance use organization. The club also hopes to visit Washington D.C. to meet with senators to learn more about drug laws.
“We’re a really close-knit club because our friends run it, and we just want to create a non-judgmental and activity-based community,” said Higgins. The club meets on Mondays during the 7th period in room 374—email [email protected] for more information.
