700+ Westwood Regional Junior/Senior High School Students await an assembly like no other

Friday, March 27, 2009 – SEVEN HUNDRED Bergen County, NJ high school teens experienced an assembly like no other presented by the entertainment industry non-profit organization Road Recovery. Road Recovery’s collaborative ‘Live’ performance outreach event opened up with three sets from Westwood Regional Junior/Senior High School student bands, PlastaScene, Kick Me, and StoopKid.

Primed and ready, Road Recovery’s house band – Crazy James followed in full stride, delivering a thirty minute set of original material spawned from their life experiences, drug/alcohol addiction and other mental health issues.  After the dust settled in the auditorium, ten Crazy James members hung out for nearly an hour with approximately 50 students for more personal interactive conversations about the solutions and resources that exist for anyone looking for a better life.

Crazy James onstage in full force!

Crazy James members speak with Westwood HS students about their life experiences getting sober as a teens.

(L-R) Road Recovery’s Jack Bookbinder, Principal – Thomas A. Gorman, & high school therapist Gerald Opthof, LPC

High school therapist Gerald Opthof, LPC feeling the love from Crazy James

“As educators, we constantly try to help students make positive choices but we know they all do not listen to our message. Road Recovery offered an alternative venue to try to reach the students through music and stories of recovering students. Students and faculty reported the Road Recovery assembly was very positive!” - Thomas A. Gorman, Principal - Westwood Regional Junior/Senior High School, Washington Township, NJ

Road Recovery’s outreach event was made possible thanks to therapist, Mr. Gerald Opthof, LPC, LCADC, CSW (www.gaotherapy.com), Municipal Alliance of Westwood Township, Municipal Alliance of the Township of Washington, and Thomas A. Gorman, Principal.