BOISE — The nearly ubiquitous “just say no” campaigns of the 1980s and early ’90s and D.A.R.E drug prevention programs of the late ’90s and early 2000s have long been determined ineffective.

But amid an ongoing opioid epidemic, fueled by potent and often deadly fentanyl, there’s a strong push to get prevention and education into schools in ways that will really reach young people by discouraging drug use. This goal prompted an event Tuesday at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise during which around 140 middle schoolers discussed how they would communicate to their classmates the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs.

“This is something I’ve never seen happen this morning before, and to me, it was probably one of the most inspiring, energetic things I’ve ever seen,” Kuna School District Superintendent Kim Bekkedahl said Tuesday. “These kids were amazing and they were engaged.” 

The U.S. Attorney for Idaho collaborated with Kuna, Boise and West Ada school districts for the inaugural Youth Fentanyl Summit — an event U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Josh Hurwit hopes to reproduce around the state. The summit featured Hurwit, former members of law enforcement, and other presenters who focus on drug prevention. Media was not allowed inside the event, but speakers and organizers were made available after.

Groups of at least six students from 20 middle schools brainstormed ways they could take the information they learned and effectively communicate it to their peers. Each school got $250 in federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area funding to bring their ideas to fruition.

“I think what’s unique about this model is we’re trying to have the kids teach us what makes sense to them,” Hurwit said. “Rather than adults trying to tell them what they need to know, or what learning mechanism has been tried and true or not, but just asking kids, ‘hey, here’s some information, you use it in the way you see it most appropriate to be most effective with your friends.’ ”

There was information shared from Natural High, a nonprofit focused on drug prevention that “inspires and empowers youth to find their natural high and develop the skills and courage to live life well,” according to its website.

Bekkedahl said Kuna schools have implemented Natural High and other drug prevention efforts for the last three years. She said the schools there have not been heavily impacted by fentanyl, and she aims to keep it that way.

“We’re trying to get ahead of that,” she said. “We’re trying to be proactive so we don’t see it.”

Statewide, there were 197 reported deaths related to fentanyl in 2023, Department of Health and Welfare data shows. There were 264 deaths related to an opioid, and 386 drug overdose deaths total. 

Students on Tuesday learned that fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and that 2 milligrams can be a lethal dose. They also learned that federal Drug Enforcement Administration lab testing shows that seven out of 10 fake pills with fentanyl — which are made to look like prescription medication — contain a potentially lethal dose.

Students brainstormed ideas that included videos, posters, songs, and interactive activities and games in the classroom, Hurwit and Bekkedahl said.

Hurwit said the plan is to check back in on the students’ projects during Red Ribbon Week, which is a national drug and alcohol prevention awareness campaign that runs Oct. 23 - 31.

Beyond the project ideas, Bekkedahl said, the goal was to encourage the kids to be leaders among their friends and other peers, and model good decision-making.

“The biggest thing we wanted is, we wanted this group of kids to go back to their schools with peer-to-peer messaging on fentanyl prevention (and) drug prevention.”

Guido covers Idaho politics for the Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News and Idaho Press of Nampa. She may be contacted at lguido@idahopress.com and can be found on Twitter @EyeOnBoiseGuido.