For Immediate Release

Thursday, May 2, 2018

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net

Powerful Substance Abuse Awareness Documentary Shown at East Bridgewater Junior/Senior High School

Mandatory for Students Attending Junior and Senior Proms

EAST BRIDGEWATER — Chief Scott C. Allen and Superintendent Liz Legault are pleased to announce that an impactful substance abuse awareness event was held this week for East Bridgewater Junior/Senior High School for students who will be attending the upcoming junior prom on Friday, May 4.

The event was held at the Middle School on Monday night, April 30, and featured a showing of the video “If They Had Known”, a documentary spoken by kids to kids about the current risks of party culture.

The documentary was created by Winchester residents Geoff and Genny Soper, whose 19-year-old son Clay Soper died in 2015 after mixing alcohol and prescription drugs at a party. The documentary is about Clay’s death and the impact it has had on his family, friends and loved ones.

The event was mandatory for all East Bridgewater students and at least one parent in order for the students to be able to receive their ticket to attend the junior prom on Friday.

If a student could not attend the event, it is mandatory that they view a video of the presentation, recorded by East Bridgewater Community Access Media, along with a parent, who is required to acknowledge electronically that they viewed the presentation prior to attending tomorrow’s prom.

The showing of the documentary was organized in conjunction with the East Bridgewater Public Schools, East Bridgewater Police Department, Plymouth County District Attorney’s office and local substance abuse prevention coalitions EB HOPE and the Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative.

The event began with opening remarks by junior/senior high school Principal Brian
Duffey and was followed by speeches from District Attorney Tim Cruz and Chief
Allen.

The Soper parents were in attendance and spoke to students and parents after the film was shown and took questions from audience members. After their son’s death, they decided to share their story in the hopes of spreading awareness about mixing and ingesting dangerous substances and taking the current opioid epidemic seriously.

“This was a powerful documentary about the dangers of mixing prescription drugs and alcohol,” Chief Allen said. “Some of the parents in the audience were wiping away tears. Making this mandatory for students attending prom is an important reminder that they can have fun on their special night, but must also be safe and responsible in doing so.”

The event ended with closing remarks by Principal Duffey who spoke about resources that are available through the police department, school system and substance abuse prevention agencies in the area.

The video will be shown at the school again on May 21 as a requirement for students attending the senior prom.

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