By Zach Stewart
With opioid overdoses rising nationwide, Ukiah High is staying prepared. Thanks to a safety grant, the school has stocked Narcan, a life-saving drug that can reverse overdoses. While it’s never been used on campus, staff training and access to Narcan highlight growing concerns over fentanyl. UHS News sat down with staff and officials to learn more.
A report to the California State Assembly shows a steep rise in teen opioid overdoses. In 2019, fentanyl killed 81 teens ages 15 to 19. By 2021, that number nearly tripled to 230.
In late February, two teens in Santa Rosa tragically died from a fentanyl-laced overdose. A 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old guy thought they were using cocaine, but it was likely mixed with fentanyl, a deadly opioid. Later that same day, two other teens ended up in the hospital from another fentanyl overdose. These incidents show just how dangerous fentanyl is, and why it’s so important for schools like Ukiah High to be ready and protect students from these life-threatening drugs.
According to Ukiah High Assistant Principal Jonica Vice, the school obtained Narcan through a safety grant to ensure staff are prepared in case of an emergency. The type of Narcan available on campus is the nasal spray version, which is easy to administer and widely used in overdose situations.
Vice explained that staff members have the option to complete Narcan training either online or in person, depending on their role. While training is not required, it is strongly encouraged, especially for coaches and teachers who interact with students daily. Fortunately, Ukiah High has never had to use Narcan on campus.
Despite this, Vice emphasized the importance of schools carrying Narcan, given the rise in fentanyl-laced substances. “Unfortunately, we’re in a situation where kids don’t always know what they’re consuming or smoking,” she said. Having Narcan readily available could mean the difference between life and death in a crisis.
Brendan Turner, Ukiah High’s SCRUBS teacher and a former medic and firefighter, explained that Narcan works by blocking opioids from attaching to receptors in the brain. This process reverses the effects of an overdose, restoring normal breathing and potentially saving a person’s life.
Turner emphasized the importance of high schools carrying Narcan due to the growing risk of fentanyl exposure. While Ukiah High has never had to use it, he believes having Narcan on hand is a necessary precaution to keep students safe.
Ukiah High Principal Dr. Analese Alvarez sees Narcan as a crucial safety measure on campus. “The fact that we have Narcan on campus is huge,” she said, emphasizing how easily accidental exposure can happen. “Sometimes you might ask a friend for some Tylenol, and they accidentally hand you something else. Never, ever in the history of ever should you hesitate to help someone — you will never get in trouble for saving a life.”
She also stressed how the risks of drug use have changed. “Thirty years ago, when I was in high school, my friends that experimented didn’t have to worry about fentanyl-laced things,” she said. “That’s just the reality of the world we live in now — no matter how trustworthy the person who’s providing something to you, they may not know where it came from or whether it’s laced with fentanyl.”
Education can mean the difference between life and death. “We actually had a student last year who carried over-the-counter Narcan in her bag,” Alvarez said. “Because of the drug and alcohol presentations in freshman advisory, she knew what an overdose looked like and saved someone’s life outside Safeway last year.”
Zach Stewart is a sophomore at Ukiah High, who has lived in Ukiah his entire life. Zach is a fire cadet for UVFA. Zach signed up for journalism because he enjoys learning about fires across California and wanted to start writing about them. Zach likes fishing and trap shooting. He wants to be a firefighter for Cal Fire once he graduates.
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