On Friday, March 13, 2026, I delivered a presentation to 10th graders at a 7–12 high school on Long Island, visiting four health classes throughout the day.
As I reviewed the student survey responses, I felt incredibly grateful. The students were fully engaged in what they saw and heard. Not only was the presentation very well received, but I was also struck by the emotional response it generated. Most importantly, it was clear that real learning took place.
This is why education matters. If we are going to win the battle against substance use disorder, we must continue to educate our youth—and the broader community—about the life-changing impact of this disease and how to avoid its consequences.
At the end of each class, many students came up to thank me personally. I hope they carry what they learned forward to help themselves and others.
Here are some of their responses:
“It was really great — it was more entertaining than other presentations we have had in the class. I feel this way because the story really meant something, and the main idea was actually important.”
“I think this is a very helpful and informational presentation because it can help people become more aware and educated on the different parts of the brain that drugs like opioids affect.”
“I feel that this presentation was very informative. It provided useful terminology and clear information within each topic.”
“I really liked it. It made me more aware of the dangers of drugs. It was very detailed and easy to understand.”
“It was very informative, and the speaker was amazing and really got the message across.”
“It was great and very engaging.”
“Very helpful because I know more.”
“It was a good presentation and moved me.”
“I think it was important to stop people from doing drugs.”
“I really enjoyed the presentation because it was very well presented and put together.”
“I liked this presentation because it brought awareness to teenage students about drugs.”
“I think the presentation was useful and helpful. I learned new things about how drugs affect your brain.”
Reach out to us if you’d like to schedule a visit to your school or community at large. We’d be glad to bring the conversation to you.