As a social worker for Van Buren County Schools, I am very privileged and thankful to be able to work with children from this community. I witness the effects addiction plays on them daily, including changes in their academic performance and emotional behaviors. I see fourth and fifth graders who often show signs of depression and sadness. From anxiety to trouble sitting still in the classroom, I can tell when they have experienced some form of trauma at home. Addiction affects both the adult and the child, and I try my best to instill with my students that the addiction impacting their loved ones is not their fault.