Deputy Monique Barnes takes the LEAD, teaching kids about drugs and violence at Tavares High

Life didn't always come easy to Lake County Sheriff's Deputy Monique Barnes growing up, but some changes worked out for the better, such as having her family circle widen after her father remarried.

Having new siblings opened her up to meeting new people, she shared.

"I wasn't very into meeting new people in that way, but my new siblings were very open to taking me and my brother in and really throwing us into their family," Barnes said. "So it just helped me open up."

How we view and deal with change has a lot to do with the choices we make, she teaches kids in the LEAD program.

Barnes shared stories about her own struggles as a teen attending Tavares High School in a Law Enforcement Against Drugs (LEAD) talk at her alma mater.

Being honest, she said, listening and sharing her own experiences with the students helped her break through the most resistant attitudes.

Sometimes, she has to fall on her law enforcement experience too. While making arrests, she's seen that the drug world of today is vastly different from even a decade ago.

"We have a problem in a lot of the schools where the kids are smoking vapes," Barnes lamented. "They have flavors. They're colorful, you know; it's very appeasing to kids."

The vape manufacturers and other companies show the fun side of drugs. "I give them the facts," said asserted.

"I give them the medical problems that come with using them, and I give them a sense of what their future's going to look like if they become addicted to that type of stuff."

Through example and interactive exercises, Barnes taught the Tavares young adults that how we overcome struggles shapes our lives more than what happens to us.

“We’re thrilled that Deputy Barnes is part of our family and commend her for helping us to continue accomplishing our goal of bettering the relationship between police officers and communities,” Nick DeMauro, CEO of LEAD, proclaimed in a press release. Mauro congratulated the 80 high school students who recently completed the LEAD program in Lake County.

“Our curriculum not only helps students to understand why avoiding drugs and violence is vital," he said, "but it teaches them how to set attainable goals, manage their emotions and make wise decisions as well. We look forward to seeing how the kids use the newfound knowledge that they’ve gained throughout the rest of their school careers and beyond.”

The “In The Classroom” program is taught by more than 4,700 trained instructors in 45 states. It's geared for K-12 students.

In one LEAD class, Barnes demonstrates how drinking too much can forever alter the picture of life we aspire to create — sending the message home in a tactile and metaphorical way.

"We play games all the time," she explained. "With one, we talk about alcohol and the effects of alcohol and the consequences. I had them draw a picture on the board. A bucket of balls represent consequences. So, every time we would say a consequence in the class, I would hand them a ball. They would have to hold it.

"So, eventually they'll be holding two handfuls of balls. And then I would ask them at the end, 'Hey, draw that same picture that you just drew, drew on the board,' and because they're holding all those consequences in their hands, they can't draw the picture again."

Before beginning the program, the students often struggled with making well thought out choices, she added.

“LEAD has allowed the students to practice problem solving and making healthy choices," she said. "I’ve already seen them improve in this area, and I look forward to seeing how they continue to use the new skills that they’ve developed.”

Barnes has been with the sheriff's office for 3 1/2 years. After graduating from Tavares High School in 2012, she enlisted in the Navy for a four-year tour (stationed in Virginia, working as a jet engine mechanic). After leaving military life, she became a mom and attended Lake-Sumter State College.

She earned her bachelor's degree in strategic leadership with an emphasis on organizational management. Last year, she gave the commencement address for the college's 2023 graduating class.

After joining the LCSO, Barnes helped keep kids in line as resource deputy for Tavares High School this school year, a job she enjoyed until just this month.

She shared with the Daily Commercial that she's going back on patrol and is looking forward to it.

That said, teaching and providing guidance for young people is something she'll continue to do when she's not on patrol. Barnes says that the activities and games that follow each of the lessons are one of her favorite aspects about the curriculum implemented by LEAD

When asked what she felt was the biggest problem facing kids today, she expressed concern about how "embedded" technology is in kids' lives.

“It brought me nothing but joy when I got to observe the students interacting with one another in a positive manner when they participated in activities,” she said.

For more information on the nonprofit LEAD program, visit leadrugs.org.

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Tavares grad/sheriff's Deputy Monique Barnes takes on a LEAD role