The Black and White

by Jillian Mastrastefano

Every year around Spring the VAASA (Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse) group of students, along with their advisor Mrs. Ferretti, take a trip to the Veterans Memorial Middle School. On this trip they teach younger students about the effects and consequences of substance abuse through several fun games, trivia, and prizes. These vocal athletes advocating substance use alternatives reached major success at this year’s 2025 educational event. 

While at the middle school, the VAASA members were split into groups where each group hosts a separate activity with a different and unique way of learning. Mrs. Ferretti explains, “The main goal is to spread awareness, knowledge, and insight on substances, teamwork, and inclusion in a fun way to the 8th grade, while also building leadership skills with the VAASA members.”

One of the groups was a basketball game where the middle schoolers had to put a pair of drunk goggles on and manage to make a shot. This taught the students the effects and consequences of alcohol, and what it’s like when it’s abused. It was an effective and fun way to educate the young students about bad drinking habits. 

Another group was a jeopardy-themed game where the students chose an area on the board depending on the difficulty and the type of prize, and had to answer a trivia question about drugs and substance facts. With this they learned new details about substance abuse while winning fun prizes to keep them engaged. 

There was also a trivia game to help the younger students with any questions they have about their upcoming high school experience and career. This varied from the high school’s social, academic, and general aspects, including questions about sports and other extracurriculars, classes, and the everyday community. The students would ask their question, receive answers from VAASA members, and get to spin a wheel for different types of prizes. This group helped ease 8th graders of any worries or uncertainties they had, the members educating more than just substance abuse.

 
These were just a few of the groups set up at Vets, VAASA members were spread across the gym with several methods of education. They successfully educated younger students about various topics while keeping it fun and entertaining. The head of Vet’s PE department, Mr. Durand, allows this group of students to return every year, finding this day a huge success year after year. He even says, “After talking with most of the 8th grade students, many of them really enjoy the VAASA experience. They like meeting the Pilgrim students and are genuinely interested in their interactive activities and topics of discussion; even if they seem like they don’t care. Some 8th graders were just there for the free candy, but most really got something out of the presentation; a true glimpse of what high school life could look like for them with the right decisions.”