Bryan’s Smile Reality Tour brings awareness to parents and their children (ages 10 to 17) about drugs, addiction and self-esteem. Three programs will be held this year: Thursday, April 21, May 19 and June 23, all at the Town Hall at Paul Revere Middle School. The doors open at 5:45 p.m. and the program runs until 8:15 p.m. The program is free, but space is limited. Participants are asked to register at: bryanssmile.com. Revere Principal Tom Iannucci plans to attend the first program.
The nonprofit Bryan’s Smile was created by Brentwood resident Dr. Melanie Gullett after losing her son to addiction. One in four families are affected by addiction and the average age of first drug use is 13.
The Reality Tour program opens up conversation, creating an opportunity for families to work together to recognize problems and hopefully avoid the disease of addiction.
The inaugural Tour was held last year and student feedback was eye-opening. After attending the program, one local 14-year-old wrote, “I am going to try to help get my friends off drugs.”
Saying “not my child” and denying that your child will not do drugs is not the answer. Rather, the Tour is about working with a child to understand the consequences of drugs and allowing him or her to make good decisions when out in their peer-pressured world.
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