KUNC
Deelia Sherman, a junior at Stanley Lake High School in Westminster, sits on Jeffco’s Indian Education Student Council.
Every two years, the state conducts the Healthy Kids Colorado survey. It asks teens questions about a range of topics, from their health and home life to substance abuse. Data from the 2019 survey, taken before the pandemic, shows Indigenous teens are abusing hard drugs more than their peers. To curb use, one school district is turning to culture for its prevention efforts.
Jeffco Public Schools recently co-hosted a virtual drum-making event for Indigenous students and families living in metro Denver. District staff hand-delivered the materials to participants beforehand. The kits included the rawhide drumhead, the frame, the lace that ties it together and the drumstick.