MONDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2010

RADIX

Guelph-Humber

11 EYES ON

Former drug addict tells her story

JJ De Belen A few hours after sundown, black sky coats the suburban streets of Mississauga. Small puddles pepper the sidewalks, almost invisible in the dark of the night. My interviewee, who prefers to be left anonymous, is smoking a Belmont Edge waiting for me. She politely offers me a drag before we head back onto dry carpet. She plops on the couch of the mini-library in her building, flipping through some musty old novel. Its difficult to imagine that she, a funny firecracker of a woman, was a drug addict for 12 years and a frequenter of rehab. If youre gonna go to rehab because youre forced to go, its very unlikely that youll actually stop, she says, her steely eyes unwavering. [Rehab] didnt make me stop, because I didnt want to stop. Much like any modern family, her Filipino-Canadian family is jarringly normal. They are Christ-loving, and their only son participates in pastoral duties at a Filipino community church. The eldest of four siblings, she became the family black sheep by the age of 24 when her drug use came to light. Kayla Bramer, was around 13 when her cousins drug use rumors began to surface. My mom and my sister and my aunts talked about her in hushed tones, she says over a phone interview. I remember seeing her at Christmas parties. She would have her bright red lipstick and shed be wearing promiscuous clothes. tion for exercise, so is feeling better about myself and overall health. Berroya admits to French fries and white rice, but is taking nutrition classes to improve her eating habits. Maya Ricker-Wilson, a thirdyear GH student, says she enjoys physical activities such as walking and biking three times a week. However, she says she doesnt make healthy food choices, and knows this is something to work on. Henwood-Adam says there are reasons students forget to eat well. One is budget. They havent yet learned to eat well on a tight budget and think it cant be done, Another reason is students are away from home for the first time and have not learned to prepare balanced, nutritious meals themselves. Berroya says she agrees and believes young people need to make healthier choices for the future. Unexpectedly, someone can be diagnosed with diabetes. If youre obese, its hard to lose weight. Dayana Perez coordinates a program called Running for Smokers. which helps smokers quit by motivating them to run to improve their health. She says the Humber Health Centre, where shes a nurse, offers support for good health. We have nutrition counseling, as well as diet and exercise counselors, Perez said. Henwood-Adam says she knows people are aware of the benefits of exercise and good nutrition. The real focus, she says, is on the application of knowledge of exercise and nutrition to their everyday lives. Bramer, a second-year visual Crack/cocaine were her drugs merchandising student at Sheridan of choice, drugs that make you College, says her cousins drug- awake... make you feel alive. But filled past bled into almost every once the lights were out and the conversation concerning the family. drugs were all gone, coming down Everyone knew something, ev- from that high was like hitting rock bottom... I couldnt feel. eryone had opinions or stories. Currently, shes two years clean People told me she was a teachand for the first er, but I knew she time in a long was just doing bad time, she feels things. I would [Rehab] didnt worth something. describe her to Her drug use my friends as my make me stop, damaged her body scary cousin, so badly, she could Bramer says. She because I didnt feel herself rotting looked like a Baraway. But accibie on drugs. want to stop. dental pregnancy Despite the altered what could familys attempts at sending her to rehab, she couldnt have been a very grim future. complete the 13-month program. Jayden [my youngest son] is She lasted a month and went right the love of my life. I really believe back into drug use. that God specifically got me pregI didnt care for anyone, she nant with him so I wouldnt die. says. I didnt care for myself, I just He is my everything. cared for the drugs. As she shakes off sitting for almost an hour, she pulls me into a bear hug. She leans in and whispers an unnerving observation. I can see bits and pieces of myself in you; I just want to let you know that you should never... dont even try getting into [hardcore drugs], because it ruins you. As my ex-druggie friend bids me goodbye, she gives me a telling look reinforcing her honest advice. According to the Humber Health Centre, the prevalence of drug use by post-secondary students is shocking. Experimentation is rampant in teen culture, and drug use could easily fall under that category. Students coming to the Centre are assessed for drug use. If needed, they are referred to specific agencies to help cope with addictions. Its not hard to fall into the deep end, but there is a way to climb out of that darkness. My friend is a good example of a broken life pieced together bit by bit.

Physical activity is not enough

Nutritious diet helps
Raynika awotwi When the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found 50 per cent of Canadians to be overweight, Humber Colleges Fitness Coordinator Leanne Henwood-Adam said she wasnt surprised by the news. It saddens me, Henwood-Adam said. The news makes me wonder what we as a society are doing wrong to promote good health. Fitness Coordinator for 16 years, Henwood-Adam says her fitness programs target overweight and fit students across the Humber and Guelph-Humber campuses. She believes students feel invincible when it comes to health. Some feel they can eat and drink whatever they want. Josefina Berroya, a second-year Humber Fitness and Promotion student, says she not only engages in physical activity required by her program, but trains at a program called Fitness for Less by GoodLife in Mississauga. My program alone is motiva-

Students appreciate Homework Club

High school students benefit from tutoring
leviana CoCCia The Humber College MicroSkills Math and Science Homework Club is a free weekly program for secondary school students attending North Albion and West Humber Collegiate Institutes, as well as Toronto Catholic high school, Father Henry Carr. Peer tutors, studying at GH and Humber, spend two hours a week at the club providing these students with academic assistance. Peer tutors become like mentors who can relate and play that dual role for the high school students, Michelle Tinker, Youth Program Manager at MicroSkills, says. In fall 2004, the Community MicroSkills Development Centre, a non-profit organization, teamed up with Humber and the Toronto District School Board to create the Homework Club. Within its first year, the club served as a math and science club for female high school students, and was later opened up to all high school students. With the start of this academic school year, English has been added to the program. There was a need for English because it wasnt many students first language, youth worker Sinthuja Krishnamoorthy says. The number of secondary school students wanting to attend the Homework Club is everincreasing. after early years in which the budget was sparse. Funding for the club was around $14,000 last year, Terry Kyritsis, Director of Campus Services, says. We scrounged around whatever money we had left. With only 40 spots available, MicroSkills had to eventually cap the number of students that could

Leviana Coccia

Last year, 120 secondary school students in total attended the Homework Club.

Raynika Awotwi

StatsCan says 38 per cent of adults were at a healthy weight from 2007-2009.

attend the Homework Club at a time, and introduced a waiting list. Though the majority of these students were coming from local schools, the club does not exclude all other high school students. A mother called me and said her kids wanted to attend the Homework Club even though it was not offered with their high school. So, we allowed them to come as long as they provided their own transportation, Krishnamoorthy says. Tinker calls the program unique as it really takes students out of their secondary school [environment] to Humber to inspire them about post-secondary education. A student from West Humber says she wants to go to Humber after high school and then continue her journey to university: I want to become a teacher so I can help people like peer tutors help me. To ensure students are ready to study on full stomachs, Humber Food Services prepares fruit, brownies, chips, and fluids. [The students] are a very good group. Theyre polite and never complain about anything, saysCarlos Pineda, Humber Food Services. Rumours state students who attend the Homework Club often

have their first meal of the day there but Tinker notes students attending the club come from mixed financial backgrounds. Kyritsis says the club shows others what we take for granted. I think its heart-wrenching to hear the stories [some of] these kids go through. Its not uncommon for some of these kids to know someone who [has] been shot. He adds, somebody who is coming for extra help shows that they are willing to do well. Giving help to anybody shouldnt be about judging the circumstances that have led them to needing help. High school students attending the club say they feel strongly about the clubs will to assist them academically and to better their future. I think that the Homework Club is a very good program because it helps kids who usually cant get their homework done. They feed you here [too]. Plus, the tutors are very nice, a Grade 10 student from West Humber explains. The Homework Club is held in H416 every Wednesday evening. Students at GH and Humber interested in Peer Tutoring can visit http://studentservices.humber.ca/peertutor/ to learn more.