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Girl Scout senior persuades Muscogee County schools to mark a day during Red Ribbon Week for fentanyl awareness
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Summary
A Carver High senior presented a Girl Scout Gold Award project on fentanyl awareness and said the superintendent agreed to designate a day during Red Ribbon Week annually in the Muscogee County School District; the student announced an Oct. 25 kickoff event.
Kayla Green, a graduating senior at Carver High School, urged the Muscogee County School District Board on Sept. 15 to adopt sustained school-based education about fentanyl, and she said Superintendent Dr. David Lewis agreed to designate one day during Red Ribbon Week for annual fentanyl awareness and prevention.
Green said the project is her Girl Scout Gold Award service project and that she has worked on fentanyl education since ninth grade, including classroom presentations with the Department of Public Health and a Morehouse School of Medicine speaker. "Fake can be fatal when you take pills that do not come from your doctor or pharmacist," Green told the board, describing how counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl can look like candy or prescription tablets.
Green cited local overdose data in her remarks, saying Columbus recorded 23 fentanyl- or opioid-related overdose deaths from 2021 to 2022. She asked the district to pause during Red Ribbon Week to focus on fentanyl awareness starting in pre-K through 12.
The student said she is working with state Rep. Carolyn Hugley, who has sponsored annual resolutions to designate a day statewide, and that local collaborators on the project include the Columbus Police Narcotics Division, the Muscogee County School Police, the Georgia Department of Public Health and Dr. Edwards from Morehouse School of Medicine. Green invited the board and community to a Fentanyl Awareness kickoff on Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the George Washington Carver High School auditorium.
Superintendent David Lewis was thanked in Green—s remarks for designating the day; board members thanked Green and the Girl Scout troop for the presentation. Green also described past district collaborations: a video shown districtwide during Red Ribbon Week with students from Carver and Shaw and involvement by counselors across schools.
The student asked the board and community to participate in the Oct. 25 event and said she hopes the district—s annual designation will make fentanyl awareness a sustainable part of Red Ribbon Week programming.
No formal board vote was recorded on the designation during the meeting; Green said she and partners would pursue a state resolution through Rep. Hugley as well.
