Septembre Russell
Copy editor

The Drug Use in the U.S. Project Education Fair was held in Fred Meyer Lounge on May 5. The fair was presented by the Drug Use in the U.S. class taught by Susan Chambers, adjunct professor of health and human performance, and was open to the public.
“This is the first year I’ve done this for this class,” Chambers said. “Usually the students do presentations in the classroom, and I just thought it would be an opportunity to get the information out because it’s some great information.”
The fair featured 20 displays, each with reports about different forms of drugs or drug-related subjects ranging from alcohol and marijuana to eating and exercise addictions. Chambers said she encouraged her students to focus on topics that weren’t covered extensively during class time. Some exhibits consisted of games or had elements of myth and fact, she said.
“I encouraged the students to make their displays as interactive as possible,” Chambers said.
Instead of enlightening students by dispersing important information, Chambers, along with Christina Ries, coordinator of health promotion and student wellness, students can receive information during the semester.
The Spring Health and Wellness Survey is conducted each year to collect information on students’ behaviors from alcohol to drug abuse to sleep
habits and some of their emotional feelings, Chambers said. The information is used to determine if there are any trends developing during the years in terms of student behaviors to identify changes in trends that might require more education, she said.
“We’re always trying to get a representative sample that matches the college,” Ries said.
The more people that take the survey, the more relatable the sample size is, which is more representative, Chambers said. The Spring 2009 Health and Wellness Survey closes May 15, and students can access it through e-mail. Students who participate in the survey could possibly win a Nintendo Wii.