Owen County Teen Alcohol Prevention Project

1
Owen County Teen Alcohol Prevention Project
2
Why We Do What We Do

• At the beginning of this project, as we
  conducted needs assessments of our community, we
  realized that in order to make lasting change
  that would extend beyond the life of the grant,
  we had to approach this effort at its roots, by
  changing the message that underage drinking is OK
  to which youth are exposed, but also by giving
  them the skills to change the community and their
  own family tree.

3
Youth Led Youth Driven

• As a result, Owen County TAPP is
• youth led and youth driven.
• Adults provide support, structure, guidance and
  encouragement but youth determine what they
  believe will work best in Owen County.

4
Examples of that Theory

• Rebel Palooza youth planned an alternative
  event to go head to head with the senior bonfire
  traditionally held after the homecoming game.
  Approximately 200 students, 1/3 of the high
  school, attended and the bonfire was cancelled.
  The bonfire sponsors were participants at the
  event. In the future all alternative events will
  be true alternatives to known drinking activities.

Rebel Palooza
5
Examples of that Theory
Ghost Out

• Ghost Out youth planned a moving marketing event
  to draw attention to the consequences of underage
  drinking in the community. Youth coordinated the
  effort and students walked around the town square
  during a community festival with signs to share
  their message.

6
Key Components

• Leadership Training youth have been empowered
  to take the lead in changing the culture of the
  community.
• Education youth have been educated on the
  consequences of underage drinking, which allows
  them to feel comfortable sharing this information
  with their friends.

Leadership Institute
7
Key Components

• Service Opportunities youth given a chance to
  serve others by seeing others who are resilient
  even in the face of adversity, they understand
  that they too can be resilient. Increases
  protective factors, reduces risk factors.
• Peer Modeling at-risk students paired with
  leadership students to create opportunities
  for discussion and modeling of
  appropriate behaviors and responses to
  situations.

Servolution 08
8
Key Components

• Community Collaboration strong group of
  community agencies wrap students to assure
  their needs are met and to enable them to
  participate in positive activities, sends message
  that they have value and leads to better decision
  making..

At-risk youth get help learning to hang drywall
during the service trip to New Orleans in June
2008
9
Results of EffortsPeer Alcohol Prevalence
Students have realized their friends are not
drinking nearly as much as they say they are.
10
Results of Efforts30-Day Alcohol Use
30-Day Use Reports show a decrease across all
grade levels
11
Results of EffortsBinge Drinking
Students at all grade levels except 8th showed a
decrease in participation in binge drinking
episodes
12
Results of EffortsEase of Accessibility
Students at all grade levels except 12th report
that alcohol is less accessible to them than it
was two years ago.
13
Results of Effort

• In 2006, 85 percent of all seniors reported
  theyd had more than a sip of alcohol.
• In 2008, that percentage fell to 61.
• In 2006, 57 of seniors said they did not drink
  regularly.
• In 2008, 63
• responded in the same
• manner.

Students working in New Orleans these are
students who would never even speak to each other
in school before this trip.
14
Results of Effort

• School officials feel empowered to hold students
  accountable
• Students no longer assume their friends are
  drinking because theyve been educated in the
  reality
• Parents educated on the
• affects of underage drinking,
• specifically damage
• to the brain
• Community groups and
• congregations have been enlisted
• to stand alongside students to offer
• support
• Marketing uses local teens adding
• emphasis to the message.
• And Parents have been empowered
• to be parents.

Student in New Orleans. Made a turnaround in
school after trip
15
The Real Results

• TAPP is important because it shows kids that
  you don't have to drink to be cool. TAPP has
  shown the youth of Owen County role models that
  they know and go to school with real-life
  examples of kids saying no to alcohol. One
  major change I've seen is the number of students
  attending fun events sponsored by TAPP instead of
  drinking. Many students, who would normally be
  out drinking have been at events sponsored by
  TAPP, such as the Rebel Palooza and bowling after
  prom.
• Emma Engelman, OCHS Freshman

16
The Real Results

• Being around positive encouragement gives you
  the strength to say no when peer pressure is at
  its best. With the help of my friends, I am not
  afraid to be myself.
• Ty Goodridge, OCHS Senior

17
The Real Results

• TAPP has given me the voice and the
  confidence needed to influence my peers and
  create real change in my community. While we are
  far from solving the problem of underage
  drinking, TAPP has made a tremendous impact on
  our community. TAPP has effectively given youth a
  positive outlet from the pressure of underage
  drinking, by uniting us, and showing us that most
  students, if given the choice, would not drink.
  We are starting to make the culture change needed
  to end underage drinking. I believe that we can,
  and we will.
• Mary Kennedy, OCHS Junior

18
The Real Results

• People used to come up to me all the time and
  asked me to go to parties and I was actually
  tempted, but after TAPP I have learned that
  drinking isnt the only way we can have fun and
  that drinking isnt always considered the cool
  thing to do. Seeing how much TAPP invests into
  its members motivates me to work hard and show
  people what we stand for, and to change peoples
  outlooks.
• Christina Johnson, OCHS Senior

Christina Johnson washing a car during
Servolution 08 in September
19
The Real Results

• TAPP for me has been reassurance that Im not
  the only teenager that doesnt engage in drinking
  and drugs. Through TAPP Ive become the student
  who feels confident in standing up for not
  drinking. This is an organization that says it
  wants to make a difference in the community and
  truly has
• Alexa Howard, OCHS Senior

20
(No Transcript)