Salineville, Ohio doesn鈥檛 have a Chipotle or a Chick-Fil-A. The closest McDonald鈥檚 is 20 minutes away.
People here feel lucky to have a gas station eatery, says local Bill Watson.
About 40 miles south of Youngstown, this tiny town is the type of place that .
鈥淢y wife and I, we often joke that of the people that we graduated with that went to college, we're the only ones that live here,鈥� Watson said.
The place was built up by thriving . But over time, those industries faltered, big businesses .
鈥淲hen they left, there was nothing else,鈥� Watson said.
Between 1980 and 2020, fled the area.
Then came .
鈥淚 would definitely say that in our region, it's really been an epidemic,鈥� Watson said. 鈥淭o find a household in southern Columbiana County that hasn't been impacted, I think would be difficult.鈥�
This is the reality that Utica Shale Academy is trying to change.
A plan to fight the opioid epidemic
The school serves at-risk, low-income teens who have left more traditional education and who, too often, find themselves at the center of this epidemic. Watson is its superintendent.
鈥淲hen we think of drug addiction and things of that nature, we think of an older demographic,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e're not realizing that it has trickled itself down to young teens.鈥�
Watson says some teens at the school battle addiction themselves. Others are impacted by friends or family members dealing with the disease. Many have lost loved ones to opioids.
In the face of such odds, the school came up with an action plan.
"Our long-term vision was not only, how do we give people a step up, but how do we make this step up impactful for our area?"Bill Watson, Utica Shale Academy Superintendent
It applied for and received one of the state鈥檚 first through a program meant to bolster the economies and health infrastructure of Ohio鈥檚 32 Appalachian counties.
It used the money to build up its job training program, with a focus on trades like heavy equipment operation, welding and industrial maintenance.
Despite the county鈥檚 declining population, instructor Matt Gates believes there鈥檚 still demand for this type of work.
鈥淎 lot of the people who make up these factories are dying, retiring, and there's no longer younger kids or younger adults to fill in for that,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat's why we came up with these skilled trades to get the younger generation trained.鈥�
How job training can help
As a result of the Appalachian Community Grant, Utica Shale Academy now has a brand new outdoor welding lab and high-tech equipment, like robotic arms, a mechanical drive and hydraulic cylinder.
Rebecca Fleischman, a student at the school, fiddled with the cylinder to make it operate. She likes going to school here.
鈥淚t's fun,鈥� she said 鈥渂ecause it's hands-on.鈥�
Her peer Brandon Eastek agrees.
鈥淚 have ADHD, so it helps me so that I can do it at my own pace,鈥� he said.
When these kids graduate, they won鈥檛 just have a high school diploma, they鈥檒l have technical certifications in fields that interest them 鈥� and, in turn, more job opportunities.
Watson is hopeful those opportunities will help these young adults stay away from opioids.
鈥淧eople typically gravitate to either success or shortcomings,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd when you start creating success, it is an addictive thing in itself.鈥�
Watson hopes that success will boost not just his students but his local economy.
Recovery from addiction is possible. For help, please call the free and confidential treatment referral hotline (1-800-662-HELP), or visit .