District honors Needham for community leadership

Walla Walla Public Schools Superintendent Wade Smith presented the 2017 Southeast Washington Association of School Administrators Community Leadership award to Peggy Needham June 15. Needham is the coordinator of W2 for Drug Free Youth and has been a citizen activist for three decades. Her greatest influence has been in the area of prevention. As Program Coordinator for W2 for Drug Free Youth, Peggy plays a critical role in our community as it relates to educating youth and parents about the dangers of drinking and using drugs. W2 for Drug Free Youth is a local community coalition that is part of the Washington State Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative focused on preventing alcohol and substance abuse. The program operates locally under the umbrella of Trilogy. 

Peggy organized the local version of the “Talk. They Hear You.” Underage Drinking Prevention program.  This National Media Campaign empowers parents and caregivers to talk with children early about the dangers of alcohol. Peggy explains to parents using a variety of media and meetings how research shows they are the leading influence on their child’s decisions about alcohol. The campaign stresses when parents talk about underage drinking, their children do hear them. Peggy has also helped promote a Marijuana Talk Kit for Parents, and has supported Red Ribbon Week activities in Walla Walla Schools. This program stresses the risks of alcohol and drug use and the dangers of driving under the influence.  Research is critical for school districts and results of the W2 for Drug Free Youth Community Surveys shed valuable light on issues centered on youth drug and alcohol use in our community. Peggy coordinated Parenting Wisely classes at Sharpstein Elementary in English and Spanish. These classes promote healthy lifestyles and raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol and drug use.

This spring Peggy secured a $20,000 state grant to introduce the Sources of Strength suicide prevention program to the community. This program focuses on hope, help and strength. High school students and staff were trained on increasing communication and breaking the codes of silence often associated with suicide. Sources of Strength training will continue next year as we strive to meet the social and emotional needs of our students. 

Peggy Needham is also an advocate for Concussion awareness in youth sports, a member of the WWPS Safe and Civil Schools committee, Vice Chair for the Traffic Safety Task Force and a longtime youth baseball volunteer and advocate.