Megan, a juvenile, was one of four (three juvenile and one adult) that went through the graduation ceremonies.

“I started to hang out with the wrong crowd,” Megan said. “I started smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol, both at the same time.”

Sensing that something was just not right, her parents purchased a drug test at Wal-Mart.

“She refused to take the test and left,” said Alesha, Megan's mother. “So, on advice, we called the police on her.”

“They took action,” Megan added. “And I was taken into custody.”

Megan attended the Scott Greening Dependency Center in Joplin both as an outpatient and as an in-patient. She also has attended the Newton County Drug Court since September 2005.

Megan and her classmates were among more than 3,500 Missouri Drug Court graduates.

“Drug courts have become a national phenomena, with over 600 drug courts all over the country and almost 100 in Missouri,” 28th Circuit Judge James Bickel, guest speaker said. His circuit covers Vernon, Barton, Cedar and Dade counties. “There are now a quarter of a million adults in drug courts.”

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