VWHS students hear 5 Minutes for Life

VW independent/Submitted information

Recently, the Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office, the Van Wert Police Department, Convoy Police Department, and the Ohio Army National Guard partnered to present the “5 Minutes for Life” presentation to area high school athletes.

The presentation centers on Ohio State troopers and Ohio National Guard members, as well as local law enforcement, talking for five minutes with student-athletes before or after a practice about responsible decision-making, leadership and encouraging those in their peer group to live a drug-free lifestyle.

The 5 Minutes for Life presentations may also include testimonials from those directly impacted by drug addiction. This new educational campaign aims to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, illegal drug use among high school students and other young adults.

Following the presentations, role model athletes are encouraged to spread the message within their school using the 5 Minutes for Life key points. High school students will be encouraged to use social media to promote these key concepts and post/send related video messages to a campaign Facebook and Twitter sites operated by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. 5 Minutes for Life represents a tangible way in which Ohio high school students and athletes can contribute to a safer Ohio. It’s only five minutes for the rest of their life.

The campaign, which began in fall of 2013, is a joint effort of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio High School Athletic Association, Ohio National Guard and Ohio Department of Public Safety, as well as local law enforcement.

Senior role model athletes that decide to become an ambassador of the program will receive a letter from Ohio Director of Public Safety John Born.