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Ah, springtime. Love is in the air (and high school hallways) as teens gear up for prom. April is also Alcohol Awareness Month — and time to address prom’s delights and dangers. The Risk is Real.
When more than 5,000 students from all 50 states submitted thoughts and essays to stageoflife.com about whether prom is a positive or negative tradition, top themes emerged. The positive? Prom is a magical milestone, a rite-of-passage. The negative? Prom’s growing expense and excessive drinking, drug use, car accidents, date rape and peer pressure.
New research provides positive news. Survey findings reported by the Century Council reveal both parents and students cite parents as the leading influence on kid’s decisions to not drink alcohol.
A national report survey on teen driving from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia measures a 47 percent decline in teen driver-related fatalities over the past six years. Still, car crashes remain the leading cause of death for U.S. teens.
Underage drinking remains a challenge for teens, educators and parents. Research shows that people who start drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol dependence at some point in their life.
This week, Connect with Kids and The Throggs Neck Community Action Partnership (TNCAP) launched The Risk Is Real campaign to help reduce underage drinking in Throggs Neck, New York. While the campaign is dedicated to increasing awareness and communication among parents and teens in that community, families everywhere can benefit from the facts, tips and real-life videos. Visit the Risk is Real today and learn how you can help promote the health and safety of kids in your community!
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