by Rock Canyon High School and Anthonette Klinkerman

Rock Canyon High School is inviting the community to Community Awareness Night on Tuesday, April 8 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the school auditorium. This informative evening will center on the topic, “How to identify drug and alcohol abuse,” and is aimed at alerting parents to a critical subject. The evening will feature speakers who are professionals working in the Highlands Ranch community, and will be facilitated by a representative of the Highlands Ranch Homeowners Association.

The first speaker will be Sgt. Matthew Wittner, who has been with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for sixteen years, and is currently a Sergeant in the Patrol Division. During his time with the agency he has worked Detention, Patrol, and Investigations. Sergeant Wittner was with the South Metro Drug Task Force for three years. During that time he did numerous undercover buys, methamphetamine entries, and teachings.

Today, he still teaches with Rocky Mountain Hidta and has taught in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. These classes help prepare new narcotics officers for life in the drug task world. Sergeant Wittner also teaches drug recognition programs in high schools and middle schools, and meth lab awareness classes to various utility companies, and other law and fire agencies throughout the State of Colorado.

Some of the topics will include: classifications of drugs such as stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, and marijuana. Also, he will touch upon trends of drug use throughout the nation in teens, and the increase in methamphetamine use in teenagers. Wittner will address recognition clues, meth-related equipment, and the impact on the body.

The second speaker of the evening will be Annie Butler Sanchez. Sanchez is the director of the Center for High Risk Studies at Metro State College. She is also the director of the Drug Intervention Program. She has been a therapist for 17 years and has her LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor - and CAC III - Certified Addictions Counselor level 3.

Assistant Principal Gregg Sheehan is hopeful for a large turnout as the topics at hand are of crucial importance for today’s parents. He has the evening designed to allow for a question and answer session, as well as community feedback for future topics. Sheehan is well aware that informed parenting is the catalyst to student success, and is anticipating many more successful Community Awareness nights to come.

For more information, contact Gregg Sheehan at or call 303-387-3016.