In The News!
Students have courage to say
‘drugs aren’t part of the plan’
Emcee Lawrence F. Cafero, Jr., CT House Minority Leader and State Representative, holds the microphone for Zane Brown, a fourth grader at Brookside Elementary School, as he reads a letter he wrote as part of the Courage to Speak Drug Prevention Curriculum for Elementary Schools at the 7th Annual Courage to Speak Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Family Night at West Rocks Middle School in Norwalk on Tuesday, Mar. 15, 2011. Photo: Amy Mortensen / Connecticut Post/Norwalk Citizen March 16, 2011
David Hennessey, Norwalk Citizen
Ginger Katz remembers how her son Ian James Eaccarino liked to cuddle on the couch with her, his sister and his stepdad Larry Katz. She remembers how Ian became the captain of his soccer team at age 8. She remembers how, two years later, he earned a black belt in karate and, at age 11, came in second to a 14-year-old boy in a competition at Madison Square Garden. She remembers how he was voted the most popular boy in his fifth-grade class.
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Courage to Speak holds ‘Family Night’
March 15, 2011
Carol King, Hour Correspondent
The dangers of drug use were the focus of the seventh annual Courage To Speak “Empowering Youth to Be Drug Free Family Night.”
The event, which took place Tuesday night at West Rocks Middle School, welcomed an audience of about 450 people who were on hand to dissuade youngsters from using drugs. The attendees included parents, educators, government officials and business leaders.
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White House Office of National Drug Control Policy sends a Message to the Courage to Speak® Foundation On the morning of Tuesday, March 15, a DVD arrived at the Courage to Speak Foundation office. This DVD contained a special message from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy made specifically for the 7th Annual Courage to Speak Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Family Night. In January, Ginger Katz met with the Deputy Director David K. Mineta. Please click below to hear Mr. Mineta’s inspiring message, or follow the link at the bottom of this article.
The Courage to Speak® Foundation, Inc. 7th Annual Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Family Night” hspace=”0″ width=”327″ />The Courage to Speak® Foundation 7th Annual Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Family Night Click here to listen to Deputy Director Mineta’s message for the Courage to Speak Foundation.
Courage to Speak® Foundation Hosts 7th Annual Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Family Night
Parents and students sit down to dinner in the cafeteria of West Rocks Middle School at the7th Annual Courage to Speak Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Family Night. Photo: Rich Bonenfant, Photographer
Common Council Member & Chairmain of the Health, Welfare & Public Safety Committee
On Tuesday, March 15, over 450 guests gathered at West Rocks Middle School for the 7th Annual Courage to Speak Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Family Night. Attendees enjoyed a complimentary dinner and cafeteria program featuring many state representatives, senators, police officers, DEA agents and a host of other speakers.
A few of the posters created by Nathan Hale Middle School students on display at the7th Annual Courage to Speak Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Family Night. Photo: Rich Bonenfant
In the cafeteria, guests also viewed the outstanding artwork and letters created by 4th and 7th graders who had participated in the Courage to Speak Drug Prevention Curricula during the school year. The Foundation also hosted a Sunny’s Story poster contest, based on the drug prevention book by Ginger Katz, and displayed the 13 winning posters.
Lawrence F. Cafero, Jr., CT House Minority Leader and State Representative, introduces two students from Side by Side Community School to read their letters to Mrs. Katz.Photo: Rich Bonenfant Lawrence F. Cafero, Jr., CT House Minority Leader and State Representative, served as Emcee for the evening’s program (photo above). Several students from Brookside Elementary School, Nathan Hale Middle School, Ponus Ridge Middle School, Roton Middle School, Side by Side Community School and West Rocks Middle School took the mic and read their vows to remain drug-free to a packed auditorium. They were introduced by Mayor Moccia, who presented the Courage to Speak Foundation with a Proclamation declaring March 15 “Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Day” in Norwalk, Chief of Police Harry Rilling and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Susan Marks.
CT House Minority Leader and State Representative Lawrence F. Cafero, Jr., Ginger Katz, Patricia Rehmer, MSN, Commissioner of the CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Larry Katz gather for our cafeteria program.Photo: Rich Bonenfant
Mayor Richard Moccia presents Ginger and Larry Katz with a Proclamation declaring March 15 “Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Day” in Norwalk. Photo: Rich Bonenfant
Special guest speaker Patricia Rehmer, MSN, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, spoke a few words in support of the Courage to Speak Foundation. The evening concluded with the Courage to Speak Presentation by Ginger Katz, as well as a chat and booksigning in the lobby of West Rocks Middle School.
Our program cover for the 7th Annual Courage to Speak EmpoweringYouth to be Drug Free Family Night. Click here to view full program.
Our dedicated volunteers gather for a picture.Thank you to all who helped to make our event such an enormous success! Photo: Rich Bonenfant
Click here to view the entire photo gallery from the 7th Annual Courage to Speak Empowering Youth to be Drug Free Family Night.
Thank you to our wonderful Sponsorswho made this event possible!
Ginger Katz is Taking Action ! …in the News!
April 5, 2011 by
