Honea Path, S.C. - Belton-Honea Path High School has implemented a new program to address vaping at school.
According to guidance counselor, Andrew Hirak, nearly 70 high school students were caught vaping during the 2023-2024 school year and more than half of those students were written up more than once.
Heading into the 2024-2025 school year, Hirak, and other school leaders, aimed to reduce the number of repeat offenders. The school implemented a program based on the American Lung Association’s ‘INDEPTH’ program.
Students who get caught vaping meet during non-instructional time for 30-45 minutes for 3-4 weeks. During this time, Hirak and the students discuss the facts and dangers of vaping, alternatives to tobacco product use, how to move forward, and other related topics.
During the first semester of this school year, Hirak said the school saw a decrease in repetitiveness with only 20 write-ups for vaping and zero repeat offenders.
“So far, we are seeing the results,” said Hirak.
After seeing the program's effectiveness, Hirak said the school will continue this initiative.
Building on these efforts, Anderson School District Two will host a free community-wide event with Officer Jermaine Galloway, a Texan known nationally as the Tall Cop, this July. Officer Galloway has worked in substance abuse prevention and education for more than 20 years. In 2007, he started the company, “Tall Cop Says Stop.”
Officer Galloway tailors his sessions to each community he visits and continually updates his training based on current trends. Through this event, Officer Galloway will equip parents, community members, and law enforcement with the ability, knowledge, and confidence to quickly identify trends, indicators, or possible at-risk individuals, products, stash compartments, lingo, etc.
This event will be held on July 31, 2025, in the BHP High School Auditorium. It is paid for through the Stronger Connections Grant.