OSN INVESTIGATION: Hard Drugs Come to Selinsgrove High School SEE THE VIDEO

5/1/2017

By Hilde Kate Lysiak

Last week an ambulance pulled up to the entrance at Selinsgrove High School. It was another overdose. At least the sixth time a student from Selinsgrove overdosed this year, according to multiple students at the school.

As part of an ongoing investigation, the Orange Street News spoke to multiple students who are currently going to Selinsgrove High School. They see a drug problem spiraling out of control with no one doing anything to stop it.

The OSN agreed to withhold the names of the students who shared their stories and concerns about what they see happening with their classmates. They hope their information makes a difference.

“No one has any idea how bad it really is. It used to just be pot. Now everyone is using harder drugs. And it isn’t just the freaks. Its the kids no one would expect,” a student told the OSN.

“Since I started going to Selinsgrove High School the drug problem increased quite a bit with a lot of (students) getting into hard core drugs such as heroin, sometimes even meth and cocaine…,” added another student.

It isn’t just street drugs, students at Selinsgrove are also finding ways to abuse prescription pain killers. Vicadin, Xanax, and Percocet are all popular with students.

“The students will steal it from home then hand them off,” said one student.

There are some dealers in Selinsgrove, but often times students make their connections in nearby Sunbury.

“People can get their Weed and Molly and Spice here easy, but often times you need to go to Sunbury for the heavier stuff,” said one student.

“I know there are people who go over there they will buy them, bring them back, and distribute them amongst everyone in the school,” added another.

The school has preventive measures to keep drugs out of the school. A handful of times a year dogs enter the school and sniff lockers looking for drugs. However, it wasn’t long before students figured out an easy way around it.

“They (students) got smarter. They no longer keep their drugs in their lockers. They take them with them to class because they don’t bring the dogs into class.”

Drugs are popular at school events, but are also used during the school day. The bathrooms and the welding rooms are two popular spots.

“They will do them in the bathroom stalls so that the teachers don’t go into the stalls and if they go into the welding room for..it already smells like all the burnt wood and metal so the teachers may not even pick up on the other mixed scents if they do smoke in their,” said one student.

But students more commonly do drugs before and after school, according to students. Their is an intersection known in Selinsgrove as “Smoker’s Corner,” that is technically off of school property. But that is mainly just for smoking and not for hard drugs.. Another popular spot is a hidden path on the isle of Que. Others just drive around the back roads and throw their needles out the window.

The increase drug use by students would also explain the needles that have been found scattered all around Selinsgrove (See pic to right).

“They..needles are for heroin. Maybe a little bit of ah…crack,” said a student.

The students came forward to the OSN because they hope some attention will bring action. Students say that the school administration is aware of the drug problem but often look the other way. However, none of the students who spoke with the OSN believe there was much that teachers and staff can do.

“The teachers are very aware. I know they just had a meeting about it. Um. Friday. Thursday or Friday about it. And they discussed the recent overdoses and the more recent spike of hardcore drugs,” said one student.

The OSN reached out to Selinsgrove Superintendent Chad Cohrs and requested a video interview but has not heard back by the time of press. The OSN will update with his comment.

None of the overdoses have been fatal, but students fear that it is only a matter of time if things don’t change.

“The people at Selinsgrove themselves, the teachers and such, can’t do much other than calling the hospital and the police and their parents so they can just get them the help and resources they need,” added another.

If anyone has tips please email the Orange Street News at hildelysiak@gmail.com

Below is a transcript of an interview with one student:

H: Can you tell me a little bit about the drug problem that Selinsgrove high school has been facing?

S: Recently there’s been a lot of drug overdoses and I’ve noticed that since I started going to Selinsgrove High School the drug problem increased quite a bit. With a lot of getting into hard core drugs such as heroin, sometimes even meth and cocaine not even more stereotypical calm drugs such as marijuana.

H: Oh wow.

H: How did the kids get these drugs?

S: How did they get them? Most likely from Sunbury. I know there is people who go over there they will buy them, bring them back, and distribute them amongst everyone in the school.

H: People have been finding needles all over Selinsgrove. What are they for?

S:They..needles are for heroin. Maybe a little bit of ah…crack.

H: Are drugs being done in the school?

H: Where?

S: In the bathrooms, mostly. In the welding room..

H: Don’t the teachers ever go in there?

S: They will do them in the bathroom stalls so that the teachers don’t go into the stalls and if they go into the welding room for..it already smells like all the burnt wood and metal so the teachers may not even pick up on the other mixed scents if they do smoke in their.

H: So, do you think that teachers are aware that Selinsgrove has a drug problem?

S: The teachers are very aware. I know they just had a meeting about it. Um. Friday. Thursday or Friday about it. And they discussed the recent overdoses and the more recent spike of hardcore drugs.

H: Can you talk a little bit more about the overdose that happened recently?

S: I know about the most recent overdose was this past week. I don’t know who it was or anything like that I just know that the cops were called. I walked past the nurses office. I didn’t peep into it. None of my business. And just know that there was an overdose because an ambulance was there and..

H: in the school?

S: In the school, yes. I don’t know if.. it was early in the day so I don’t know if they did the drug at home and the body didn’t react until later or if they did it in the school.

H: What do you think Selinsgrove can do to prevent the drug problem?

S: I would say to get the kids the most help that they can..um.. the people at Selinsgrove themselves, the teachers and such, can’t do much other than calling the hospital and the police and their parents so they can just get them the help and resources they need.