Drug Education Success Stories
June 17, 2002
Dear Gerry:
On behalf of the Rancho Vista High School students and staff I want to thank you for spending the day with us on May 29th. I.ve spoken to a number of teachers and students who attended your presentations. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Both teachers and students thought they had learned some things about the harmful effects of marijuana and other drugs mentioned that they had not heard before. They also found the talks to be both informative and entertaining.
We would very much like to have you back on campus again next year to speak to our students. It would be great if you could come out once each month to address new students at Rancho Vista who would be attending our Orientation program.
Again, thanks for taking the time to address our entire student body and we will be in contact with you shortly to set up additional presentations.
Sincerely,
D.L.
Counselor
August 12, 2002
Dear Mr. Bylsma;
I sincerely want to thank you for coming to Los Angeles Mission College and speaking to my Health class about drug education. The students loved the presentation and felt very comfortable asking questions.
I want to also thank Mr. Gillham of Conquest International for sponsoring such a valuable program. On the community college level, our students vary in age, race, socio-economic backgrounds, some are parents, and some are still in high school. By comin to Mission College and educating these students about drugs, we are not only reaching the ones who might be using drugs but also those who have children and uneducated to the effects of drugs.
I look forward to your next presentation.
Sincerely,
D.T.
Health Instructor
The presentation was given by Tony. He was excellent! The students were super attentive and really into it. I.ve been teaching Health for 25 years and have had hundreds of speakers. 
.s are great! I know that Tony.s talk has helped re-inforce the students value system; .To Not Take Drugs..
Thanks for your support!!
F.R.
7/17/02
Dear Mr. Bylsma,
Thank you very much for visiting Euclid Learning Center and sharing your extensive knowledge and experience with us. You provided invaluable information to what we refer as .at risk. students - those at risk of not graduating. Many of these students - although more familiar with drugs than they should be - are not familiar with the effects and consequences of drug use on the mind and body. You did an excellent job of keeping them interested, engaged, and managed. I took notes that I will use the next time I give my own lesson about the hazards of drugs.
I also want to express my sincere gratitude to he who made your visit possible: Mr. Fred Leeds of Fred Leeds Property Management. My Principal, Barbara Conniff, was heart-broken when she explained that funds were simply not in the budget for this presentation. She was pleasantly surprised when I said that had found a sponsor and the presentation was still scheduled. Thank you. You can be sure your investment was valuable and appreciated.
Sincerely,
S. G.
Teacher-Site Liaison
July 6, 2002
Dear Mr. Rosemblatt:
On behalf of the fifth graders and their parents, I want to thank you for sponsoring the drug education presentations at Roosevelt School in June. I.m sure you.ll agree that getting this information to children is critical. Tony from gave his presentation to the children in a manner that was age-appropriate, authentic, and at times humorous.
At the end of the presentation, the children completed surveys which reflected the impact of Tony.s message.
Without your sponsorship, the school would not have been able to afford the program. Your generous support made a difference in the lives of these children. Again, thank you!
Sincerely,
S. M.
Grade 5 Teacher
We recently had the pleasure to hear Gerry speak in our Health class here at Dana Hills High School in Dana Point. His talk was very well done, bringing in many important facts regarding drugs and narcotics and how it brings your life down. He was very knowledgeable about the different types of drugs and their effects on the body and didn.t mind sharing his story of how became a part of his life.
His talk was very indentifiable with many students and generated a great deal of discussion. Gerry was terrific in tackling many of the personal questions directed at him.
I have enclosed a few essays written to and about Gerry.s performance in our class. His presentation was very well received and we hope to have him back in the future. The information he has to share is invaluable.
Sincerely,
D. D.
Health & Physical Education Department Chair
6/2001
Mr. Marshall
Drug Education and Prevention
For your knowledge, experience, example and contributions to our students, parents, and staff. Thank you for your support and participation in our First Annual Resiliency Week.
Awarded this 7th day of February, 2002
Principal Assistant Principal Nurse ASB President
April 6, 2001
Thank you very much for coming to our school and educating our 8th graders regarding drugs and alcohol. Your speech was very informative and was geared directly towards middle school students. It held their attention and created a comfortable environment for questions and answers.
I would definitely recommend , and specifically, you, to any school or organization desiring drug education. I look forward to having you back on campus to educate next year.s 8th graders regarding drugs.
Sincerely,
J. S.
Middle School Teacher
Dear Gerry,
Thank you so much for coming to our school and speaking to our students about living a drug-free life. Our students were interested in hearing this message from someone who had been through rehabilitation first-hand.
They appeared to gain an understanding of what is required to make the decision to be drug-free. We are looking forward to having you visit our school again.
Sincerely,
Cambridge Elementary School 4th-6th grade teachers
May 21, 2001
Dear ,
I would like to express my appreciation for the recent drug education presentation provided by your organization. Gerry did a wonderful job of providing our students with valuable information about the dangers of drug and alcohol use. He presented the information to the children on a level they could relate to, while expanding their awareness of the truth about drugs. Many of the student evaluations following the program expressed, in the children.s own words, the importance and impact of the information they received. This educational service is invaluable in the day and age in which we live.
Thank you for offering this educational opportunity to our students and we welcome your assistance in the future !
Sincerely,
H. D.
Resource Teacher
Dear Gerry,
Thank you very much for coming to talk with my Health classes today. Your presentation was excellent. I felt that the students were attentive and willing to listen to what you had to say. As you know, this is a tough audience. Many of my students are substance abusers and very much in denial about the possible consequences of their continued abuse. They hear lots of misinformation about drugs and choose to believe that their involvement will not affect them adversely. They are leery about speakers on .drugs. because they.ve heard it all before.
You have a balanced presentation. Kids can relate to you as a person and as a former user (as someone they would consider .cool.), yet they recognize that you know what you are talking about. By sticking to the facts, keeping the tone comfortable (entertaining, yet appropriately serious) and using language at their level, your message comes across as informative and non-judgmental. Thus kids listen. Even the more hard-core kids (kids who admit to drug use) felt they learned something. The information on how our brain stores and retrieves information was interesting. Many kids could see themselves or their friends in your examples. For many of these kids, your information will give them food for thought. They may not change today or tomorrow, yet they might recognize themselves as they find themselves on that roller coaster of substance highs and lows. They may be more realistic about where they are headed. For the non-users in the group, this confirms and validates why they shouldn.t start.
I would gladly recommend your presentation to fellow educators. Please use me as a reference as you contact other schools. I look forward to having you return to Valley Vista next semester and speak with students again. You are an excellent resource.
Sincerely,
B.C
Health Teacher
March 14, 2001
Dear Mr. Marshall,
I just wanted to take this time to thank you so much for coming and speaking to the Project Success students in my groups at Irvine High School. Your presentation was dynamic and energetic and you seemed to really have an impact on the students that attended.
Several students after the presentation stated that they felt inspired to move towards ceasing their own use of drugs and want to help encourage other students to do so as well.
Please continue with your efforts in promoting the anti-use of drugs in youths and inspiring adolescents to want to become more knowledgeable about the truth about drugs. You play a powerful role in encouraging and empowering students to take an active role in their own decision making as well as their own lives.
It was a pleasure meeting you. Best of luck in your career as a youth educator as well as all of your future endeavors.
Thank you,
M.C.
Dear Gerry,
I wanted to write a letter expressing how impressed I was with your presentation about the physical and emotional consequences of drug abuse. The students really seemed to appreciate your honesty as well as your personality. Judging from the comments and discussion following your visit, your presentation had a lasting impact on our students.
It is very encouraging to see how you have used your personal experience to provide such a needed service to our students. Your stories, as funny as they were, really appeared to have an impact on our students. Thank you very much for visiting our classrooms and we look forward to having you back to our school as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
K.C.
June 5, 2001
To Whom It May Concern;
Our school recently had the privilege of hosting Gerry Marshall from . The purpose of his visit was to educate our fifth and sixth grade students regarding the dangers of drugs and the effects they have on the body.
Gerry was a knowledgeable speaker. He was organized and informative while giving his presentation. The information shared was grade appropriate and easily applicable to life experiences. His professionalism and attitude were greatly appreciated.
Our staff wholeheartedly recommends Gerry for other presentations of this nature.
Sincerely,
E.S.
E.T.
Principal Grade Level Representative (6th)
January 8, 2002
Dear Gerry,
Please accept my apology for not having written to you sooner. I wanted to tell you how much the students enjoyed your talk at our school. Thank you for the outstanding presentation.
One for one, they felt like this was the first seminar regarding drugs where they weren.t being talked down to by an adult. You really connected with them. The information was interesting, as well as educational.
I look forward to next school year, when I hope you will be able to enlighten more of our students. Please keep up the good work. This world would certainly be better place for our youth with more people like you.
Sincerely,
P.A.
Education Director
May 30, 2001
Dear Gerry,
Thank you for your presentation. It was very informative and presented in a way that held the interest of all our students. They need to listen to more of this and realize what can happen to them when taking and dealing with drugs.
Again, thank you for sharing your experiences with Ocean View School.
Sincerely,
S.P.
SED Teacher
June 25, 2001
To Whom It May Concern:
In February, 2001, I contracted with of Southern California to provide a drug education speaker for the students of Rancho del Mar High School. Gerry spoke to my entire student body in three one hour sessions on March 22, 2001.
Gerry did a terrific job addressing the issues related to drugs, youth, and society. He was able to raise our students. level of awareness regarding the potential impact of drugs on their personal lives, without preaching. Because Gerry has overcome his own addiction to drugs, high school students see him as credible.
I plan to ask to provide a speaker for the Rancho del Mar students again next year. I would be pleased if Gerry Marshall is again the presenter. He is an excellent spokesman for drug education.
Sincerely yours,
W. E. H.
May 3, 2001
Dear Mr. Marshall:
On behalf of the students and staff at Rio Contiguo School, I would like to thank you for the very meaningful presentation you made on Friday, April 29, 2001. Your discussion on drugs and their effects was very thorough. The students were most impressed with the very comforatable and open manner in which you presented the materials. As you are aware, the students that were in attendance are in a special residential program, Addiction Substance Abuse Education Recognition and Treatment Program (ASERT). The students indicated that they could identify with you due to your past experience.
Your successful recovery not only made the students reevaluate their decisions to use drugs, but also gave them a sign of hope that they too can recover from the many negative challenges they have encountered due to their drug experiences. The ASERT program prides itself in assisting the students with their drug issues. Accepting the invitation to speak at Rio Contiguo School supported our efforts and we truly appreciate the very enlightening information you provided. During the course of your discussion, you made many profound statements that will leave a lasting impression in the mind of our students. Again, thank you for addressing the students at Rio Contiguo School and I look forward to a continued relationship with .
Sincerely,
G. J
June 4, 2001
Dear Gerry:
I want to thank you for your time and the wonderful presentation that you gave to our second through sixth grade students. The students and the teachers truly enjoyed your presentation. The students were actively engaged throughout and asked numerous questions after your thought provoking presentation.
The service that you provide to students in Orange County is necessary and much appreciated. I look forward to having you come back to the Anaheim Elementary Opportunity School again in the near future. Thanks again for such an outstanding presentation.
Sincerely,
D.G.
Administrator
June 13, 2001
Dear Gerry:
Thank you for coming to Bolsa Grande High School to talk to the students about drug abuse. The students seemed to benefit from your experiences. They really seemed to enjoy your presentation. The students have learned about substance abuse, but it is nice to have the students receive a different perspective on the information. This helps to reinforce what they have already learned.
I have enclosed thank you letters from the students. I hope that you enjoy reading them.
Again, thank you for your time and concern toward the youth of today.
Sincerely,
D.L.
February 7, 2001
Dear Mr. Marshall:
We the staff and students of the Firestone Community Education Center would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your outstanding presentation that you made to the center on February 2, 2001.
As you are aware, drugs and drug addiction is an ever-present danger in our society that prey upon the young. It is vitally important when one can speak from the knowledge of experience in addressing the needs of young people at-risk.
Again, Thank You for Sharing and Caring. Time spent with youth is an investment that will pay dividends tomorrow, making the world a better place for all to live.
Sincerely,
T.D.
C.L.
April 16, 2001
Dear Mr. Marshall:
Rialto Adult School CalWORKs and I sincerely appreciate your presence on Thursday, April 12, 2001 in regards to the Drug Education Seminar. The presentation you delivered was genuine, educational, and in addition entertaining.
I believe our students at Rialto Adult School have benefited tremendously from your lecture. Many were able to relate to your experience and have an awareness on how crucial it is to talk to their children about drugs in making it clear that substance abuse is harmful and has lethal consequences. One student in particular informed me that your presentation had definitely changed her mind in staying away from drugs.
I especially enjoyed your focus on goals and in order to meet those goals, one requires a clear mind to jump over obstacles and accomplish one.s objective. Drug abuse on the contrary, slows and damages the brain, and diminishes any desire to progress.
Sincerely,
B.G.
June 5, 2001
Dear Gerry,
We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting our site, Orange Academy on Thursday the 17th of May. It was a great way to educate our students on the dangers of drugs. The students enjoyed your visit, and said that the information given was helpful. We admire your efforts in helping children to make smarter choices. We wish you continual success, and again thank you for taking the time to speak with our class.
Sincerely,
S.K.
July 2002
Dear and Sponsor:
On May 24 and 28, 2002, my 7th grade Health classes were fortunate to have presentations as part of their alcohol, tobacco, and drug education. I am very selective with my guest presentations and I found to be an incredibly valuable complement to my substance abuse instruction. As pleased as I was with the content and delivery of the material, I was more impressed by the positive feedback from my students. I owe much appreciation to Theta Art for sponsoring these presentations. Without their contributions my students would not have benefited from the good work that does. I look forward to furthering my students. education with these excellent presentations in the future.
Thank you for helping my students to make healthier decisions with their lives.
Sincerely,
Kent Monteleone
7th grade Health Science, JMS
August 20, 2002
To Whom It May Concern:
In June of this year, Tony of was a guest speaker in my 9th grade health class. He presented an informative discussion on the dangers of drugs. The students were given honest and current information on the harmful effects of drugs. Tony related well to the students and they were very receptive to what he had to say. They now have a better understanding of how drugs effect the body and they can pass that information on to others.
This valuable presentation would not have been possible without the sponsorship of Red Wolf Traders. Your support does make a difference and is greatly appreciated. Thank You.
Sincerely,
D. W.
August 9, 2002
Dear Staff of Beautiful Artwork,
We greatly appreciate the help your organization has given to Bassett Elementary by providing funding for the drug education presentation. Without help and support from organizations like yours, we would not be able to adequately educate our students and community about the dangers of drugs and drug abuse. Drug education is an important topic for children of all ages. Therefore funding from companies such as yours enable us to educate children by providing them with the knowledge to assist them in making difficult choices as they grow.
Tony, the presenter from , was very knowledgeable, informative, and friendly. Our teachers and students were very pleased with the presentation. Feedback from teachers and students was quite positive. Both groups reported learning a great deal about drugs and drug abuse.
Our school is always working on educating our staff, students, and parents about many of today.s social issues, especially drugs and drug abuse, so the presentation was very timely. Thank you again for helping our school educate our children. We look forward to having the staff come out again in the future.
Sincerely,
C.G.
Coordinator
December 14, 2001
The speaker, Tony, did an excellent job presenting information on drugs and its effects on the mind and body to the students at Bravo Medical Magnet High School. He presented each period for 55 minutes for a total of 6 presentations. His talent at presenting was evidenced by his wide repertoire of information. Every period he took a new approach and not only entertained and informed but held the rapt attention of about 60 students each period. In 19 years of teaching I truly have not heard a better presentation on drugs than this one. Thanks to the program Drug Free Children and for allowing our students to become better informed and thus able to make better positive choices for their health and well-being.
Dear Tony,
Thank you for your presentations to my Health classes on November 28th and 29th, 2001. My students obviously learned many new things about drugs and their effects on people who take them. I was surprised to find that I even learned new things from you and your associates about drugs. Especially informative for me was the information you provided on your sauna treatment programs to rid the body of the various fat-soluble drugs.
Please convey my special thanks to your sponsor, Project Drug Free Children for their support of a worthwhile outreach education program such as yours. I will most certainly be calling you soon for scheduling for my next semester classes.
I will even pass on a copy of this letter to my supervisor, Dr. England, Assistant Principal, for his consideration in possible donations from our school fund to your extremely worthwhile organization. Thanks again.
Sincerely,
G.S.
Dear Sponsor,
I am writing on behalf of the students at Sonora High School. The four health classes thoroughly enjoyed the presentations by . The guest speaker Tony, had a lasting effect on over 300 students. We appreciate your generosity in supporting the guest speaker program. Your company is doing its part to help win the war on drugs.
Sincerely,
T.J.R.
June 24, 2002
Dear Ms. Adini:
I would like to extend my gratitude to Tony for coming and giving a speech on Drug Education to the students of AGBU Marie Manoogian School.
The students truly were educated on the topic. Tony did a great job in discussing all aspects of the LSD drug.
Additionally, I would like to thank the sponsor, RUGS NOT DRUGS, for funding this event. Once again, thank-you for coming.
Sincerely,
E.T.
June 12, 2002
Beautiful Artwork
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing this letter on behalf of , on their most recent drug presentation in three of my health classes here at Wilson High School in East L.A.
The presenter did a terrific job on relating the long term harmful effects of continued drug usage. My students gained enormous knowledge on the facts in regards to substance abuse. The facts were broken down into simple terms as they might relate to a student who may become vulnerable to peer pressure to experiment with illicit drug use.
I believe that my students may be better equipped now to resist using drugs in an abusive manner. .s presentation gave simple logistic reasons why drugs can harm the body and a young persons future life. The presentation went beyond the simple .Just Say No. response.
I highly recommend this presentation to any school and group of students that may be invited to visit.
I strongly urge that your company continue to financially support .s efforts to reduce drug abuse in every local community.
Thank you in advance for your continual support.
Sincerely,
D.K.
June 11, 2002
Dear Beautiful Artworks;
This letter is in regard to the presentation made to the students at Valley Alternative Magnet School for grades 6 to 12. Four presentations were presented to the physical education classes. The students were very interested and the information was well received.
On behalf of our school I would like to thank Beautiful Artworks for their generous donation enabling us to present this vital drug information to our students. The speaker from was well informed and related very well with the students. He had first hand knowledge and experience about all types of drugs, as well as treatment methods. Because of this direct experience, our students responded better to the speaker than to a health teacher just telling them about drugs.
Knowledge is power. Through this drug prevention program we hope that we can give our students the power to say no through their knowledge. Your sponsorship of is a giant step in helping the schools achieve this goal.
We thank you, Beautiful Artworks, and for being our partners in drug prevention.
Sincerely,
R.F.