Caledonia Argus

Gray essay wins award

Posted: 6/8/04

By David Heiller

Argus News Editor

Codi Gray, a seventh grader at Caledonia Middle/High School, has won an essay contest and $150 from the Minnesota State Troopers Association.

The title of the essay was ìWhy to Choose Not to do Drugs.î Gray was one of two students in an 11-county area to receive the award.

Minnesota State Patrol officer Dewey Severson presented a certificate and check to Gray, who is the daughter of Jason and Sharon Gray, Caledonia. The contest was offered to students through the drug and alcohol unit of Gail McCormickís health curriculum. The essays, which were on the theme ìDrugs and Alcohol Not For Me,î could not exceed 700 words.

Severson, a sergeant in the safety education division, spoke to middle school students on June 3, the last day of school, about how alcohol changes people. The safest way to get to adulthood is without drugs and alcohol, he said.

Here is her essay:

Why to Choose Not to Do Drugs

By Codi Gray

I choose not to smoke or do drugs because I know how harmful they are to the body. I know how it would effect my decisions in the future for good college education and a nice job and other plans for my future. I want to be as healthy as possible and make good decisions. I want to live as long as I can and I know smoking a cigarette takes seven minutes off your life! Thatís a scary thought.

My older sister chooses to not to smoke because she wants to be a good role model for me. I know that a cigarette has 4,000 chemicals in them. I want to be active for sports and other activities in my life. Some effects of smoking are: lung cancer, heart disease, gum disease, tooth decay, memory loss, yellow finer nails, and death. I know if I choose to smoke I could hurt others around me by secondhand smoke and I could hurt those who care about me. I know I will be faced with peer pressure as I get older. I wonít let that get to me though. Iíll even try to convince my friends and other people that I care about not to smoke.

I want to save money that people would spend in a year on buying cigarettes for college costs. The trouble I could get into for smoking would be: with my parents and even the police. I would also lose trust from my parents. I donít want to get into trouble because I donít want to cause any problems that donít have to be made. My whole life would get messed up if I did drugs.

I think it is important to be drug informed at a young age so that people know what drugs can harm you. I also think itís good to be drug informed at a young age so people know about peer pressure. It is important for all people to know how harmful drugs are for you and how it can screw up our decisions you make.

Alcohol is another harmful drug I choose not to do. It is harmful to the brain, liver, kidneys, stomach, and blood vessels. Some effects of alcohol are: increase heart rate, heart muscle damage, enlarged blood vessels, stroke, high blood pressure, vomiting which can lead to choking and death. Alcohol affects the brain in many ways: impaired judgement, memory, and concentration, slowed reaction time, decreased coordination, slurred speech, distorted vision and hearing, alcohol poisons, and death.

The trouble I could get into if I chose to drink alcohol would be with my parents and the police. I could lose trust with my parents to stay out with my friends to not get in any trouble. I donít drink because Iíd be afraid of ending up an alcohol and having behavior problems. I know that a lot of deaths are caused by drunk drivers and I donít want to be a part of that. I donít want to risk someone elseís life by drunk driving.

I could also lose friends if I smoked and that wouldnít be worth it. If someone is an alcoholic they might: become drunk often, drink alone, acts like a different person when they are drinking, promises to quit but doesnít, refuses to admit how much he or she drinks. Like everyone, I want whatís best for my friends and me.

In the future I plan to go to college in La Crosse. I want to have a nice job. I want to be a safe driver and be healthy. I donít want to become an alcoholic. I am going to be drug free for the rest of my life!

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