Vive18 illusionist Tom Coverly brings drug-prevention program to Jasper Feb. 24

Tom Coverly, a Vive18 illusionist and comedian who tours worldwide and has been called one of the top 10 positive people in the U.S., will lead three substance-prevention sessions at the Jasper Arts Center on Feb. 24. The countywide program, hosted by Dubois County CARES, is aimed at showing young people they can have fun and build friendships without alcohol, nicotine or other substances.

All sessions will take place at the Jasper Arts Center. The day begins with a morning program for the county’s eighth-graders, followed by an afternoon leadership workshop in which each school has been invited to select 12 to 15 student leaders to participate. At 6:30 p.m., Coverly will present a free community night intended for residents of all ages.

Vive18 frames its approach as an alternative to conventional prevention curricula. Co-founder Jake White said, “Most drug prevention programs are boring, shame-based or irrelevant for youth.” He added, “We engage students in the science of underage use so they can cope with feelings in a healthy way and protect their future.” The organization traces its origins to house parties White hosted in college that were free of drugs and alcohol; within months those events drew nationally known sponsors and hundreds of students. Vive18 says its team now educates and inspires students in kindergarten through grade 12 across the nation to stay free from alcohol, nicotine and other substances.

Local schools’ participation and the leadership workshop model are aimed at building student capacity to influence peers and normalize substance-free social life. For educators and parents in Dubois County, the program offers a combination of entertainment and science-based messaging designed to reach adolescents in ways traditional lectures often do not.

Magic and illusion have been used elsewhere as vehicles for prevention messaging. Touch of Magic staged a family-oriented “Believe in Dreams” show featuring master illusionists Richard Burr and Josette, with performances timed for early and late evening and a stated goal of conveying an anti-drug and anti-gang message while entertaining children. Similarly, magician Jerry Hart developed a “Magical No Show” that opens conversation with children by asking, “Are we having fun?” and reinforcing that “Some people think we have to take strange things like drugs or drink alcohol or smoke to have fun, but you don’t, do you?” Student reactions to that format have included simple affirmations such as “We all learned not to take drugs” and reminders from parents about health risks.

For Dubois County residents, the takeaway is practical: the Feb. 24 events at Jasper Arts Center create an opportunity to see prevention delivered in a peer-focused, engaging format and to bring community attention to adolescent decision-making. Parents, school officials and community leaders can follow up with Dubois County CARES or the Jasper Arts Center for session details, school participation and any registration or seating information ahead of the free evening presentation.