Students learn effects of drugs

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Only 2.4 percent of sixth graders said they had tried marijuana.

Nearly 15 percent of 12th graders surveyed said they had taken prescription pain medication without a doctor’s prescription. For sixth graders, that number was 6 percent.

Nearly 24 percent of 12th graders had been offered, sold or given an illegal drug on school property. New survey data will be available in about a month, according to Mills.

After the presentations, Fluty talked to some of her classes to determine how impactful the event was for them. “The students thought it was relatable, the stories the paramedics shared were relatable. They shared stories about teenagers who had overdosed on painkillers. The speakers really talked to them and with them and not at them,” she said.

“They said they learned some new things about the effects of vaping and things they had not heard before.”

The Mega Brain and Mega Lungs was also displayed at Snow Hill Middle School, Snow Hill High School, Pocomoke Middle School and on Friday, will be at Pocomoke High School.

Funding for the display was provided by Worcester Goes Purple with a grant from the Maryland Operation Opioid Command Center.

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Guest Instructor

Members of Ocean City

American Legion Post 166 received instruction at the January meeting on how to use the Post’s Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) from Jordan Braniff, 3rd assistant fire chief of the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company. Braniff also is a nurse practitioner in the TidalHealth System.

Donation

Cheryl Brown, center, accepts a $2,000 check from the Ocean City-Berlin Optimist Club in support of the Kindness 365 program at Stephen Decatur Middle School. She is

Featured Artist

D’Shon McCarthy of Salisbury was the Studio E artist for February at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94th Street. A Salisbury University graduate, the artist combines traditional figures with her own personal symbols in her paintings.

School Support

There are active student leadership clubs in five Worcester County schools from elementary through high level supported by the parent Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City. Each club receives $500 a year. On Feb. 7, the check presentation was made at Berlin Intermediate School. Pictured, from left, are BIS Assistant Principal Dr. David M. Gell, Builders Club Teacher Advisors Donna Krajewski and Jane Slotter, Kiwanis Club President Bob Wolfing, Kiwanis Club Advisor to the BIS Builders Club Sue Wineke and BIS Principal Dr. Amy Gallagher.

Welcome

Margaret Mudron, president, and Jennifer Bodnar, secretary/treasurer of the Ocean City Berlin Rotary Club, visited Jessica Grimes’ kindergarten class at Buckingham Elementary School and presented the class with cookies, a book and popsicles. The Club “adopted” the class this school year.

Guest Speaker

Rosenfeld's

New Members

At a recent Ocean City Lioness Lions Club meeting, two new members were installed by Past District Governor Norman Cathell. Pictured are Cathell, sponsor Susan Mohler, Barbara Wasiakowski, Michelle Lewis, sponsor Faye Cathell and President Bev Topfer. The Lioness Lions Club is a community service organization that supports those who are in need in this area and internationally as well as giving several scholarships to local students. They meet at the Lions Den in West Ocean City on the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Call 410-289-7060 for more information.

Donation

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines - Ocean City on Feb. 8, presented a $1,000 donation to 4STEPS local Therapeutic Riding Program. Kiwanis Club President Bob Wolfing is pictured with 4STEPS Founder and Director Sandy Winter.

Installation

The Worcester County Garden Club’s 2023-2025 officers were recently installed during a meeting and luncheon in the Clubhouse at the Ocean City Golf Club. Pictured, in front is Worcester County Garden Club President Suzy Young, and in back, from left, Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland District 1 Jeanne Bernard, First Vice President Joan LaHayne, Second Vice President Jan King, Recording Secretary Mary Ellen Jefferson, Corresponding Secretary Rebecca Galyon, Treasurer Martha Bennett, and Membership Ellen Howse.

Ring Ceremony

The annual Junior Ring Ceremony took place at Worcester Preparatory School on Feb. 8. It is tradition that seniors present the juniors with their rings along with a few insightful comments as to why the recipient is special to them. Senior Caitlyn Hoen presented her brother, Baylor, with his class ring. They are joined by their father, Chris, a 1990 WPS graduate.

Local Page

Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-District 38) is pictured with William Kozma, a Senate Page and a senior of Stephen Decatur High School, on the Senate floor.

Bowen Honored

The Worcester County Commissioners present a retirement commendation to Plant Operator III Bernard Bowen to honor him for 24 years of dedicated service to the Water and Wastewater Division of Worcester County Public Works. During his career, Bowen performed the mechanical maintenance, operation, and inspection of the county’s water treatment works, wastewater treatment plants, and wastewater collection and pumping systems. His expertise and experience have been instrumental in the overall management of the Water and Wastewater Division. Pictured with Bowen, front left, is Chief Plant Operator Dominic Ross; and in back, commissioners Caryn Abbott, Jim Bunting, Joe Mitrecic, Chip Bertino, Ted Elder and Diana Purnell.

Bills in state legislature on sex ed and tipping

Dear Editor,

I am writing again to inform your readers of some pending legislation in Maryland which may be of concern. Over 1,200 bills have been filed in MD this year, most of which are at best questionable.

I wrote previously about HB119/SB199 - “Primary and Secondary Education - Health Education Framework - Established” which would require all counties in Maryland to create an “age-appropriate” curriculum that is consistent with the Comprehensive Health Education Framework.

Our county commissioners and school board, thankfully, are in unanimous opposition to this legislation, but delegates and senators in other parts of the state need to hear from their constituents also. Perhaps your readers might reach out to friends and family in central and southern Maryland to make sure they are aware of the legislation and ask them to let their legislators know how they feel about requiring 7th grade students to “identify solo, vaginal, anal, and oral sex along with possible outcomes of each.”

In addition, the Framework requires that students in kindergarten through 2nd grade “recognize” and “identify a range of ways people identify and express their gender.”

Another bill of concern is SB0460/HB0283 “Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Gender Affirming Treatment (Trans Health Equity Act).” This legislation would require that all recipients of the program be provided gender-affirming treatment if medically necessary, including transgender, non-binary, intersex, two-spirit and other gender diverse individuals.

The bill does not exclude children or teens under 21 years of age from puberty blockers, cross sex hormones or surgery to remove breasts of reproductive organs for Sexual Dysphoria or Sexual Identity.

I have to ask - on what planet would people consider a 16- or 17year-old qualified to make a life-altering, permanent decision to amputate breasts or organs or take puberty blockers, which would permanently alter their bodies?

I can’t believe that a majority of Maryland voters would agree with this, but, of course, they have to know about it. So, again, perhaps your

Wcps Board Of Education Briefs

Continued from Page 45 students relatively instead of establishing an absolute, chronological pecking order.

Within the program, 352 students were recognized as “star citizens” in the 2021-22 school year, and so far 254 students have earned the recognition this school year.

Virtual days

The Maryland State Department of readers can make sure family and friends in other parts of the state are aware of this legislation.

Legislation to support (in light of recent laws and proposed bills as above restricting parents’ knowledge, guidance or consent for minor children to make decisions for their mental or physical care of their identity) would be SB0566/HB0666”Family Law - Fundamental Parental Rights.”

This legislation would establish that a parent has the fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, care and welfare of the parent’s child, and prohibit the state or a political subdivision from infringing on these fundamental parental rights unless the state or political subdivision can demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that this infringement is necessary to achieve a compelling government interest and is narrowly tailored.

Education is allowing local education agencies to repurpose eight days as virtual learning. The days to be considered include, but are not limited to, inclement weather days, staff professional learning days and high school graduation days.

No more than three of the eight days may be used as asynchronous learning days. There will be at least four hours of synchronous learning for all students on each synchronous learning day.

Wasn’t it just a few years ago that we had a nationwide problem with young people eating laundry detergent pods, i.e. the “Tide Pod Challenge”?

Finally, there is SB0803 “Labor and Employment - Payment of Minimum Wage - Tipped Employees” which would completely change the restaurant industry and which has been shown, in states where similar legislation has been enacted, the drastically reduce the income of tipped employees.

The full text and status of these bills can be read at mgaleg.maryland.gov. You can also get the contact information for the sponsoring Delegates and Senators.

Carol Frazier Ocean Pines