News

Defending the Community Against Danger: How Enough is Enough is fighting the fentanyl crisis

Six out of every 10 illicitly-manufactured pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. That is just one of the scary truths members of the audience learned during the April 17th presentation on the dangers of fentanyl. 

Parents, students, family members, staff, and community members took the opportunity to learn more about the drug, and what they can do to help bring awareness to the issue. The presentation, organized by the district's Enough is Enough team, featured speakers from the Developing Caring Communities Committed to Action (DCCCA) and the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools Police Department. 

Those in attendance learned information about the potential warning signs of substance use, symptoms of an overdose, and life saving steps to take in the event of an overdose. A quick lesson on how to administer Naloxone commonly known as Narcan, was also shared. Naloxone is the medicine that is to be used in emergency situations and can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. At the end of the event, members in attendance were provided free naloxone if requested. 

This is the third fentanyl awareness event that the Enough is Enough Initiative has hosted. 
 

 

Taking a Stand at Wyandotte High School 

Instead of enjoying their Homecoming Football game, several students from Wyandotte High School spent their Friday night informing the community and their peers about the Enough is Enough Initiative. 

 

Award Ceremony at Kauffman Stadium 

The smell of concession stand food, the loud chant of “Let’s Go Royals” and hundreds of fans dressed in blue is what many can expect when visiting Kauffman Stadium. But for 28 KCKPS students, this trip to the ball field meant so much more. 

Enough is Enough is a call to action that was established in 2020 to bring awareness to issues such as gun violence, drug use and mental health. As members of the Enough is Enough team, these students have taken the pledge to help bring attention to the serious problems that are affecting Wyandotte County. 

For the past several months, students from Schlagle, Harmon, Sumner, Washington, Wyandotte, and Alfred Fairfax Academy have brainstormed ideas on on how they could use $1,000 dollars to their peers. Before the ballgame, students pitched their ideas on how to support their peers and help move towards resolving these issues that students and the community are facing. 

On Thursday May 11, students headed to Kauffman stadium. Baseball tees with the words “Enough is Enough Student Leader” were proudly worn as members from six different schools showed up to present their ideas. 

Before the check presentation took place Board President Randy Lopez took a moment to address the students and their advisors. 

“There is hope; this room is filled with that light of hope. You students that are here in this room, and those in the schools, you are my hope.” Said Lopez. 

An award ceremony was held to acknowledge the students hard work and present the students with a check to help put their plans into action. Each school’s plan was designed to accommodate what they believed would be the best option for their peers. 

The groups ideas included: a student advisory council, an opportunity for new student orientation, to establish a room where students can feel safe, and to implement an after-school program with different activities. 

Student Support Services Coordinator Naomi Tolentino who is also a member of the Enough is Enough Advisory Board planned this event to help our students become more involved in the campaign. “We want students to be the voice, of ‘what can we do?’ and also be part of the solution.” Said Naomi. 

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools and the Enough is Enough Campaign will continue to move towards making a change. And among many others, Randy Lopez knows the importance of working towards this change “We need you. Enough is Enough we cannot lose one more student, one more faculty member, one more staff, one more community member… we cannot lose one more.”