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Mission for Marcus

Stomp • Out • Stigma

Educating students about addiction

On Wednesday, May 18, the BCHS chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) sponsored a day-long event. The purpose was to help educate students about the effects of drug and alcohol abuse. It also aimed to demonstrate the long-term impacts. Experts from the Capital Region attended. They shared addiction and mental health resources with students. Additionally, they answered questions.

Featured speakers included former NBA player Chris Herren. He spoke to the entire student body about his basketball career. He also shared his journey to sobriety. Herren spoke about the experiences that impacted his life as a teenager, athlete, and speaker. His goal was to get the BC students and staff to rethink how they look at the disease of addiction. Herren also answered questions from students as part of the presentation.

Mark and Theresa Kaplan helped to drive home the day’s message. They shared the story of their son’s long struggle with opioid addiction. Marcus Kaplan died from the disease of addiction in 2019 at the age of 33. He was a 2004 graduate of Bethlehem Central High School. The Kaplans shared their personal history. They talked about dealing with opioid addiction. This was their second presentation to students in less than a week.

To honor the memory of Marcus Kaplan, students and staff wore their best “crazy socks” on Wednesday. This gesture also showed support for the Kaplan family. Others wore the color purple in support of addiction recovery efforts. Purple is also the color used by Chris Herren’s organization, The Herren Project. His organization was established to educate and fight opioid addiction.

Community groups, counselors, and alcohol and drug addiction educators were available to students throughout the day. They offered hands-on activities that included using a crash simulator. Impairment goggles helped students better understand the effects of drug and alcohol abuse.

The BC community extends its thanks to the Kaplan family, Chris Herren, the members of BCHS SADD (and advisor Ms. Westervelt) and to the next community organization for the support of our students: