Superior High School Pledgemakers want to reinstate random drug testing
Student leaders for the group, whose 600 members have pledged to stay drug- and alcohol-free over their high school career, spoke to the Superior School Board on March 17.
In addition to hosting activities and events at the high school each year, Pledgemakers visited seventh graders at Superior Middle School to talk about the dangers of tobacco and vaping devices; led a Youth Voice project that asked Superior High School students to anonymously share how vaping and nicotine have impacted their lives; gave a presentation at a Youth Wellness Summit; and visited 20 tobacco retailers in the city as part of a retail shop assessment.
The retail shop assessment, which took place in December in conjunction with the American Lung Association, revealed some concerns.
"We had a lot of experiences, let's say, including getting offered wine by one of the retailers, even though we had introduced ourselves as high schoolers, as well as seeing a lot of different signage not being updated to the (federal) 21 age," said Pledgemakers Vice President Lauren Heintz, a junior.
The group impacted the community July 2 when the Superior City Council adopted
new regulations
that will prevent additional smoke shops from opening in Superior.
"It is pretty historic legislation," said Pledgemakers adviser Phil Roe. "There are two places in our state that have had some kind of an an ordinance like that. It was Milwaukee and Superior."
While councilors were divided prior to the vote, he said, the regulation was unanimously approved after students shared their personal experiences.
"This is what democracy looks like," said Pat McKone with the American Lung Association. "It is engaging in change, positive change, prevention, early prevention, so you're proud. You should be proud. It's beautiful, it really is."
Pledgemakers President Alton Morrissey, a senior, said their concerns moving forward are reinstating random drug testing at Superior High School and seeking additional funding. The group's budget was cut from $10,000 in 2023-24 to $4,000 in 2024-25.
"Drug testing was cut five years ago, which obviously leaves a big gap where our kids can be exposed to drugs and alcohol and become addicted," said Pledgemakers Vice President Aiden Pagnucci, a sophomore. "So we are here to propose drug testing being reintroduced in a way for students to be screened and receive help there. We would like this in order to build a safer school culture."
The Superior School District
launched random drug testing in 2006
to combat what administrators at the time called a drug culture. The tests were administered to students involved in co-curricular activities — athletic and academic teams — as well as students who park in the school lot and members of the Pledgemakers group, which was organized in 2007.
Activities and Athletics Director Ella Olson confirmed that the tests stopped in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not been reinstated, although the district
still has an active drug testing policy.
She couldn't give a cost estimate for resuming the testing, but she said it's great to see students leading initiatives.
"I think it's important for all students to feel valued and safe in their school. If drug testing could help kids overcome an addiction, I love it. If drug testing is simply a tool used to 'catch' students, then I feel that goes against our value and mission of making all students feel valued here at SHS," Olson said.
Morrissey said the group's advocacy is targeted at helping fellow students. Teaming up last year with Charmaine Swan, coordinator of the Northwest Wisconsin Lung Health Association boosted their efforts, Morrissey said.
"She has an immense amount of knowledge, and just with public policy, public health and just community engagement, all that knowledge was instrumental to us," Morrissey said.
The students understood and really jumped in to make changes at the local level, Swan said.
"I think I just feel really encouraged and hopeful working with this particular group of youth, because they really understand the advocacy part," she said.
School Board President Steve Olson said he was impressed with the group's powerful student voice and "them wanting to be involved in making the experience for all kids in the school to be a positive one, not afraid to step out and say, we need to do this."
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