U.S. Departments of Justice and Education Receive 2018 Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Award

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are pleased to announce that their publication, "Growing Up Drug Free: A Parent's Guide to Prevention," has received a 2018 Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Award from the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC). The NAGC announced the winners at the Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Awards Reception held during the 2018 NAGC Communications School in Fort Myers, Florida. This annual international awards program recognizes superior government communication products and those who produce them. The federal team that helped produce the award-winning publication includes Richard Lucey (DOJ/DEA), Norris Dickard (ED/OESE), Denise Otts (DOJ/DEA) and Jacquelyn Zimmermann (ED/OCO).

The DEA and ED updated this booklet to help parents and other caregivers raise drug-free children. This publication provides parents and other caregivers current information on substance use among youth. The booklet provides descriptions of substances young people use; suggestions for how to talk to youth about drugs, regardless of their age; and tips on what to do if they suspect their children are using drugs.

"Growing Up Drug Free: A Parent's Guide to Prevention" is available at no charge to download and is also available in print at ED Pubs. Additional information is available at DEA's website for parents, educators and caregivers. Parents and schools may also request printed copies of the publication by contacting their local DEA Community Outreach Coordinator, who can be found on DEA's website here. The U.S. Department of Education also provides information for students, teachers, parents and guardians on combating the opioid crisis here.

 

Featured

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • S4L Announces 2026 Education Design Showcase Winners

    Spaces4Learning is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Education Design Showcase! Now in its 27th year, the annual awards program honors innovative solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction across K–12 and higher education.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • Minnesota District Starts Construction on Early Childhood Learning Center

    Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools in Sauk Rapids, Minn., recently announced that construction has begun on a new early childhood learning center and a new outdoor activities complex, according to a news release.