T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA St. Clairsville Chick-Fil-A franchise owner Joanna Gibson hands out free lunches to St. Clairsville Middle and High School students who are members of the school’s Staying Clean Club.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – Students at St. Clairsville Middle and High schools who steered clear of drugs this school year were treated to a Chick-fil-A lunch Wednesday as a reward for their good work.

The Belmont County Staying Clean Club partnered with Chick-fil-A to provide lunch to the students who are members of the schools’ respective Staying Clean Clubs.

Club coordinator Kara Mowery added that the club has spent the past decade working with students across Belmont County. It now is in nine school districts in the county and around 1,800 students in the program.

“We seem to have positive feedback from the kids,” Mowery said. “They like it. They get snacks each time we test. We did Dunkin Donuts and fruit cups from Chick-Fil-A the first round of testing. The second round of testing, we did ice cream cups and cookies. WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital sponsored one of our test days as well as providing cookies and milk for a few of the schools.”

She added that the help from the community has been key to allowing the club to be successful for the last decade, and that Chick-Fil-A has been a great partner for the club.

“They are giving us discounted snacks and lunches today, so we’re really happy to be working with them. They’re also talking to our kids about employment opportunities. They’ve hired some of our kids, so it’s a great partnership on both ends,” Mowery said. “We’re just happy that these kids are choosing a drug-free lifestyle, and we’re rewarding them for that today.”

St. Clairsville Chick-Fil-A franchise owner Joanna Gibson added that the partnership has been successful for her location because it has hired 17 students through the Staying Clean Club.

“They’ve allowed us to actually hand out hiring flyers every time we’re handing out our products as well, so providing food, but then also trying to encourage the students to be a part of our team,” Gibson said. “It’s cool to see that they’re getting some recognition for the program that they’re doing and they’re doing really great.

“There’s a strong correlation between them being a part of this program and them being some of our strongest team members,” Gibson added.

Noah Atkinson, director of the Concentrated Conduct Adjustment Program at the Belmont County Juvenile Court, said partnerships have boosted the club’s efficacy.

“The club operates through strong partnerships with the Belmont County Juvenile Court, local school districts, and several community businesses. This year, generous support was provided by St. Clairsville Chick-Fil-A, WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital, and Morristown Dunkin’ Donuts,” he said. “We are proud to work alongside these community partners to provide meaningful incentives for students who are making positive life choices.”

St. Clairsville School Resource Officer Michael Duplaga added that the school’s club serves students from grades 7 to 12 and has roughly 370 members. He believes the club helps students resist peer pressure and drug use by offering rewards and random drug testing.

“Chick-fil-A is great to work with, as you see here, they’re here. They bring their mascot and their ownership comes. They really buy into the Staying Clean Club, and we appreciate that,” Duplaga said. “It’s just great for the kids and they love the rewards. They get tested a couple times a year, and they get treats — candy, chips, and those type things — and they really enjoy it.”