IRON COUNTY – Seven adults and six students traveled to Washington, D.C. with the Safety Solutions Coalition for a week in February and are now hoping to try to implement what they learned within the community.

The group attended the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America National Leadership Forum, and toured historical sites.

Makaley Matheson, a Parowan High School junior who traveled with the group on a scholarship from CADCA, said while there the group met with Sen. Orrin Hatch, Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Jim Matheson to discuss the problem of prescription drug abuse. The meetings were different with each legislator, but they were all productive and the group was able to communicate its concerns, she said.

The students who traveled with the coalition ranged from eighth to 12th grade.

The group had opportunities to attend a wide variety of classes and hear speakers with a lot of expertise, but probably the most helpful part of the conference for Matheson was a class where other youth spoke about what they were doing in their communities and schools to make an impact, she said.

“I got so many ideas of how I could help,” she said.

Matheson said the trip was packed with experiences and valuable information and was well planned.

She said two of the other students who went are PHS students as well and they are doing surveys among the students at the school and discussing how to implement some of their ideas next school year.