TIRUCHY: In a heartfelt and symbolic gesture during the state-wide Drug Abuse Awareness Week, 237 students of the Government High School in Samuthiram, Manaparai pooled Rs 2,500, collected from their families, and sent it via money order to a de-addiction centre in Pirattiyur.
Moving beyond the usual posters and speeches, the school revived the now-rare tradition of sending money order, making the campaign not only more personal but also impactful. The donation will go to a local de-addiction centre in Pirattiyur where over 15 individuals are currently undergoing treatment.
“This method forces a conversation at home. When students ask their parents for money, they also explain where it’s going and why,” said Headmaster T Rajasekaran, who has been anchoring such socially conscious efforts at the school for the past two years. “It’s not about how much they give, it’s about what they talk about,” he added.
Teachers guided students through the process of filling out forms, making the campaign an educational exercise in both empathy and civic participation. For many students, the initiative hit close to home, as several come from families affected by alcoholism.
The school’s earlier efforts in 2024 included urging children to write heartfelt letters to addicted family members, particularly fathers, appealing to them to quit drinking for the child’s sake. Teachers say several men gave up drinking after reading those letters.
“I told my father the money is for people trying to stop drinking. He didn’t say much, but I saw he was thinking about it,” said a Class 9 student.
Parents too, were visibly moved. “My son explained what the school was doing. It was the first time I really thought about how my habits might affect him,” admitted one father.