pressofatlanticcity.com: Egg Harbor Township teen creates original drug prevention song

4/29/2019

An Egg Harbor Township High School student will perform his original song, “Wasting Time,” next month as part of a statewide drug prevention music competition.

Junior Jermaine Bethea was selected as the Atlantic County finalist for the 15th annual New Jersey Shout Down Drugs high school music competition, sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.

Click here to listen and vote

“Jermaine is an exceptionally talented young man, who is a member of our Communications Academy and has been featured in numerous musical and dramatic productions at our school,” said Egg Harbor Township High School Principal Terry Charlton. “Our community is very proud to see him recognized for an original composition focused on avoiding the dangers of drug use and wishes him the best at the state finals.”{span class=”print_trim”}(tncms-asset)01fe5190-1f55-11e9-a47b-00163ec2aa77[0](/tncms-asset)

Thirteen acts consisting of 24 students from nine counties will compete May 10 at Rutgers University’s Mastrobuono Theatre for $10,000 in music contracts.

The contest asks the students to create original music with lyrics that contain peer-to-peer substance use prevention messages.

The website ShoutDownDrugs.com features profiles of all the 2019 finalists and allows the public to vote for their favorite songs through May 9.

These results will factor into the finalists’ scores on the night of the concert.

Tickets to the concert are free and can be reserved at 

ShoutDownDrugs.com or by calling 973-467-2100, ext. 19.

In addition to the contest, Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey will host a town hall May 7 with local leaders to discuss the impact of the opioid epidemic on the community.

The event will feature a panel discussion by community experts from 6-8 p.m. at the Galloway Township Senior Center, 621 W. White Horse Pike. Doors will open at 5 p.m. for a naloxone training session by the Atlantic County Alliance.