School Tour 2023

Last month, Turning Point Foundation in collaboration with the office of the Public Prosecutor, participated in a tour of six St. Maarten’s secondary schools, bringing awareness to the important issues of substance use, weapons, sexual crimes, bullying, and fighting.

Turning Point’s Director, Psychologists, and clinical staff, Dr. Tasheena Thomas, Tyanna Knight, and Pedro Wilson provided interactive presentations to 275+ students, reviewing the care and treatment provided at our institution, motives for teenage addiction, as well as the effects and dangers of the misuse of substance, whether street drugs or prescription drugs.

Visual aids were used in tandem with the presentations, further demonstrating the consequences of severe and/or prolonged substance use. Students asked numerous questions, providing a direct opportunity for our team to debunk many false narratives concerning the use of soft substances like marijuana, cigarettes, and vaping.

Students were given the opportunity to express their understanding of each substance before the team clarified whether statements or conceptions were accurate or not.

Our clinical staff also delved into the effects and concerns surrounding commonly-used legal substances as well.

The six secondary schools Turning Point visited are as follows:

·       St. Maarten Academy

·       St. Maarten Academy PSVE Campus

·       Charlotte Brookson Academy

·       St. Maarten Vocational Training School

·       St. Dominic High School

·       and Milton Peter’s College

Rather than following a structured lecture, the presentations made by our team were more informal, allowing for an open dialogue and increased engagement from both students and teachers.

Students approached presenters after the presentations to ask personal questions and/or seek advice.

The theoretical information presented by Psychology Intern/Assistant to the Director, Tyanna Knight was amplified by the personal experiences shared by Turning Point Social Worker and long-time recovered addict, Pedro Wilson that firmly resonated with audiences across all the institutions visited.

While we consider the tour to have been successful, we believe that with the rise of substance use on Sint Maarten, opportunities for students to be thoughtfully educated on issues such as these, should be mandatory in our secondary institutions. 

If you are struggling with addition issues or know someone who is, contact Turning Point at: info@tpfsxm.com or (721) 550-3405.