Gov. Pence proclaims Feb. 26 Participant Recognition Day for National Drug Facts Week

45 Indiana schools participate with Sam’s Watch to get drug facts to Hoosier students  

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Governor Mike Pence issued a proclamation announcing Feb. 26 as Participant Recognition Day for National Drug Facts Week. The proclamation also recognizes the efforts to increase Indiana participation by local nonprofit Sam's Watch formed in 2014 in memory of 16-year-old Sam Motsay who was killed by a little-known synthetic drug.  

Sam’s Watch collaborated with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, to encourage Indiana schools to participate in National Drug Facts Week which took place Monday, Jan. 26 through Sunday, Feb. 1. All-told, nearly 34,000 Hoosier students were provided access to science-based information about drugs and their effects.  Connersville High School was awarded the $1,000 donation by Sam’s Watch for their participation.  Students from Carroll Sr. High School and Greencastle High School won mini-iPads for their blog/video contest entries to “Shatter the Myths” on drug use and addiction. 

The forty-five Indiana schools that participated via Sam’s Watch were:  

North Region- School City of Hobart/Ridge View Elementary, Hanover Central High School (Cedar Lake), Northfield Jr./Sr. High School (Wabash), North Side High School (Fort Wayne), Carroll Jr/Sr High School (Flora), Joan Martin Elementary School (Hobart), Career Academy South Bend, Liberty Elementary School (Hobart), Hobart High School, Hobart Middle School; 

Central Region- Wapahani RADD (Selma), North Central High School (Farmersburg), Holy Spirit Catholic School (Indy), St. Michael-St. Gabriel Archangel Elementary School (Indy), Hamilton Heights High School (Arcadia), St. Michael School (Brookville), Liberty-Perry Community Schools (Selma), Holy Cross Lutheran School (Indy), The Excel Center-Anderson, Warren Central Just Say No (Indy), Saint Lawrence Catholic School (Indy), Greencastle High School, Meadows Elementary (Terre Haute), Sugar Grove Elementary (Terre Haute), Anderson Preparatory Academy and Pre-Academy, Franklin Middle School, Westwood Elementary (Greenwood), Center Grove High School (Greenwood), Center Grove Middle School North (Greenwood), Center Grove Middle School Central (Greenwood), Decatur Central High School SADD Club (Indy), Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School (Indy), Whiteland Community High School, Southside Christian Academy (Indy), Connersville High School; 

South Region- Scottsburg Middle School, New Washington Middle/High School, Choice For Change/Washington High School, South Ripley School Corporation (Versailles), West Washington Jr./Sr. High School (Campbellsburg), Jasper Middle School ROOS group, Mitchell High School, Mitchell Junior High School, Dexter Elementary School (Evansville), New Tech Institute (Evansville).

For the full proclamation, go to samswatch.org/news