(From time to time, I ask some of the distinguished members of our administrative staff to write a guest column for this space. This week's column was written by Dr. Jayson S. Stoller, principal of the Roslyn High School.)

Two years ago, the Nassau County Principals Association, comprising all the high schools in Nassau County, met at their annual retreat to discuss the direction that the high school principals would be taking as their challenge for the future. The Executive Board, consisting of me, Dr. Mathew Mandery from Jericho High School, Dr. Donald Robbins from Hewlett High School, Mr. Jay Lewis from Mineola High School and Mr. Bernie Kaplan and Mr. Randy Ross from the Great Neck schools, developed a strategic plan to confront the issue of drugs and alcohol use by teenagers.

Our association and Hofstra University held conferences and programs throughout 1998 for students, parents and support personnel. As part of our ongoing goal to confront this issue, we have established additional programs for the 19981999 school year. On September 24, Roslyn High School hosted the second annual support personnel drug seminar. At that meeting we hosted 50 support personnel from 26 schools. We all shared the same goal ¬ to confront the issue of drugs and alcohol use and to enhance the educational process about substance abuse in the schools and in the home.

Dr. Ron Savarese, an expert in drug prevention and education, has developed the Peer Drug Educator Training Program, which is designed to train high school students to provide drug education in their own schools. The Peer Drug Educator Training Program offers students an opportunity to observe their peers as role models who are drug free and at the same time address the major issues regarding drug and alcohol use among our youth. The program is supported by BOCES and is therefore eligible for state financial support.

Dr. Savarese's program has already begun in Roslyn High School under the direction of Barbara Hochman, our school social worker, with the support of Dr. Kevin Kearney, our school psychologist, as well as our guidance department support staff. The Peer Drug Educator Training Program pursues many avenues to reach the goal of having a drug-free school, such as problem solving, selfesteem building, listening skills and empowerment.

The overall goals of the program are to develop a drugfree environment, have role models within each school district, teach about the pharmacological aspects of alcohol and drugs, and encourage a culture of helping others through peer pressure and socialization.

Each Peer Drug Educator team will decide on the program that is best suited for its school. They will be encouraged to report their programs and experiences to other students, faculty, and PTA groups in the county. Hopefully, the program will be implemented as an ongoing, regular procedure within the school.

Our hope is that all 56 high schools in Nassau County will eventually take part in this program. This year we will be holding sessions at Hofstra University for students, parents and faculty. Through these special programs, we will become better educated about the problems of addiction in our schools and will therefore be better able to stop drugs and alcohol abuse among our youth.