06.25.03

Cantwell Congratulates Award-Winning Student Author

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) met today with Amanda Robertson, a nine-year-old student from Lakewood, Washington, and congratulated her on winning the national Drug-Free Marshals 10th Anniversary Contest, "Helping My Community Be Drug Free."

"Drug abuse is a serious problem for youth," Cantwell said. "Positive peer role models and community involvement are among the most effective deterrents to drug use by children. Amanda's hard work provides both. I'm proud of her for taking the initiative to address this issue, and for setting a terrific example for both children and adults."

Amanda responded to the challenge of the Drug-Free Marshals contest by organizing a series of community beach and park cleanups with her 4-H Club, Pawprints. She also wrote an essay on the perils of drug use. Amanda has also promoted food drives in her neighborhood. When she is older, she plans to work in the field of drug rehabilitation.

Why It Is Good to Be Drug-Free By Amanda Robertson

Hello, I am Amanda Robertson. Some people started drugs at young ages.

My mother started smoking at eleven years of age. They didn't know very much about smoking then. They do now.

When my mother was a teenager, her father was saying that it was all right to do drugs. So of course, she wasn't going to listen when others said that they were bad for you. My mother did cocaine and it almost killed her. My grandmother was an alcoholic. "Did it help you, I mean when you stopped drinking?" I asked her. "Oh yes. I would not have met you or your sister and I wouldn't have gotten close to your mother. We didn't talk to each other when I was drinking." "Were you mad at each other for some reason?" "No, we just didn't talk to each other. I was always mad when I was drinking. Always getting mad at things, you would not have liked me. I was not a nice person." "Would I have gotten to see you if you were still drinking at this time?" "No, probably not because I would have already passed away. Another person I would not have ever met was your Grandpa Al. He was a recovered alcoholic for twenty years before he passed away."

You could do drugs, but think about all the other people you would be letting down. Think about your mother and father. If they have passed away, think about the people who took you in. My mother almost died. I would have never been born to write this.

We should build more drug-free drug rehabilitation and prevention places and make this a better world by doing more about drug education.

Also, clean up your environment and have a neighborhood watch.

Being drug-free makes you a better person.

Let's do this!!!