By Cate Lecuyer
BEVERLY — Northshore Recovery High School junior Cassandra Almy knows some people make fun of those "Above the Influence" commercials.
There's one where a girl tells her friends she's sorry she ditched them at the mall, but it was because she was high. It seems like a scene crafted for television — designed with a positive message, but unlikely to happen in real life. Except one of Almy's friends has said that exact thing to her.
"They're corny, but so true," she said.
It's the paradox of strong anti-drug statements, combined with contrasting actions — like decriminalizing the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana — that prompted Recovery High School to co-organize a Substance Abuse Coalition Summit and Recovery Celebration that took place Saturday.
"This is about bringing awareness," said Michelle Lipinski, director of Recovery High School, which is part of the Northshore Education Consortium.
With the efforts of the consortium, awareness was raised. Organizers hoped for maybe a couple of hundred people to attend the event, which was held at Memorial Hall in Melrose, but — as of Friday — more than 1,000 planned to attend. Attendees were expected to include substance abuse organizations from around the state, representatives from the District Attorney's Office, members of the co-host organization Breaking the Cycle, plus many parents, educators, counselors, and teenagers. The fundraising event also featured a raffle, dinner, and a comedy show.
But despite the celebratory atmosphere, students hope people see the seriousness of substance abuse issues.
"I feel like people are really going to listen now," Almy said.
Senior Pat Jamieson agreed that bringing so many different organizations together would be an effective way to get more people talking about drug and alcohol abuse. He hopes people start looking not only at preventative measures, but the recovery process as well.
"I hope people see that this is an opportunity for everybody," he said about overcoming abuse. "You don't have to get high."
He said he hopes it also starts to change the way other people see those who are in recovery. Someone who attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, for example, is often looked down upon by society, when they should be respected.
"It's a life-changing experience," he said. "A recovering addict is a really beautiful thing."
With the money raised from the event, Lipinski said Recovery High School wants to plan awareness events around the North Shore. They're brainstorming ideas for community nights, cookouts, more coalitions, and a walk in September.
"Just to pull people in," Lipinski said. It's a message Recovery High School has always made an effort to spread, but now their taking it up a notch.
"We're done whispering it," she said.
