Some students refuse to brush anything under the rug when it comes to the borough's drug epidemic. NY1's Shannan Ferry tells us about a new awareness campaign from a school in St. George.
Luis Bartell understands the stress a drug problem can put a family under all too well.
The ninth-grade student says his biological mother has struggled with addiction for years.
"Just seeing somebody that you love, being not themselves, you know, it's really hard to go through," Bartell said.
Bartell tells us he hopes to help curb the borough's growing drug epidemic.
He's involved in a new awareness campaign organized by the Key Club here at Ralph McKee CTE High School.
It's called "Lift the Rug."
"Cause when people have problems a lot of times they like to sweep it under the rug and say shhh, you know, don't say anything about it but the whole point of the lift the rug is to start talking about it," explained Michael Duffy, who is in the ninth grade.
English teacher Lisa Curcio oversees the club, and approached members about starting the campaign in February.
They officially launched it this month, and have hung up signs, newspaper articles and addiction facts all over the school.
They also distributed these bracelets.
"At this stage of the game, it's just as important as telling a kid to look both ways before crossing the street, you can't ignore it anymore, this is Staten Island, people are dying," said Curcio.
Earlier this week, guest speakers from Camelot Counseling came to McKee to speak about addiction.
"If we could just help one person become aware, and think twice, then, you know it's worth all the while," said Emily Orengo, who is in the 11th grade.
As for Bartell he says "lifting the rug" has helped him cope with his own experience.
"Now I'm in a pretty positive place, adopted by a new family, and you know, I'm spreading the awareness," he said.
Curcio and her students hope the campaign will eventually spreads to all schools across the borough.