This time last year Diane Ash didn’t have any idea what the new school year would bring.
She didn’t know what kids she would help, she didn’t know clubs she would support, and she didn’t even know if she would still be a Lawrence High. All of these questions stemmed from a used-up grant and budget cuts.

Ash, the prevention specialist, supports high school students wanting to bring messages to fellow students about making good choices in high school and beyond through panels and groups.

“She really opened my views to acceptance of other people and different races,” junior Tommy Kitchen said.

Last year, Ash sponsored the FYI club and under that, five peer education group: Love Doctors, Students Teaching About Tobacco, Bullies 2 Buddies, Cultural Heritage Panel and Youth Against Drugs and Alcohol. Unfortunately, the grant supporting prevention specialists ended, and the school district couldn’t afford to keep the specialists on staff.
So, the New Tradition Coalition, a support group for parents raising teens, wrote a grant to DCCA, supporting prevention specialists in the schools. Just recently, Ash found out that the New Tradition Coalition won the grant.
Winning this grant means the prevention specialists can go back to work. Starting Sept. 30, Ash will be able to come back to Lawrence High and work with students part time.

Although it is not the same job as before, Ash is still very excited.
“Well…I’m a lion,” she said about wanting to stay at LHS.

And everyone knows it, too. Ash said students — from this year’s junior class to the graduating class of 2007 — have been supporting her and asking what they can do to help.

Some students say it’s the right thing to do for someone who always supports them.

“For me, she’s a confidence booster,” said senior Shaina Goodsen. ”She’s a giver and asks for nothing in return.”

Before Diane Ash knew she would be a prevention specialist, she worked on the National Council on Alcoholism, and on that, she worked with teen alcohol and drug addicts. That experience left Ash “sad but motivated to let young people know how to stay away from [drugs] and make healthy choices.”