“Stars of Prevention” Found in Ohio County 4th Graders

   

Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (OCSAPC) is celebrating Alcohol Awareness Month which is in April.  As part of its programming it supplies Ohio County Schools with prevention education materials and training.  For the past 6 years, we have facilitated the Keep a Clear Mind program and Choose a Clear Mind Poster Contest for all Ohio County Schools 4^th graders. The program offers take-home workbooks on alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use and urges parents to complete the workbooks with their children.  The children receive incentives if their parent signs the workbook completion form.  The posters illustrate the children’s desire to reach for the stars or activities they enjoy instead of alcohol. 

     Coalition members choose a winner from each of following 9 elementary schools: Bethlehem, West Liberty, Woodsdale, Elm Grove, Middle Creek, Steenrod, Madison, Ritchie, and Warwood.  The top 3 winners will appear on billboards in Ohio County, and in OV Parent Magazine as part of OCSAPC’s alcohol awareness campaign.  The coalition also purchases banners for the top 3 winners to hang their winning entries at their school and a mini-billboard trophy provided by Lamar.  The group will use all winning posters on our social media sites and promotional  items. 

For something new this year, the young people will appear in a commercial which shows the winners as “Stars of Prevention.”   Some people ask, “Why start with such young children?”  OCSAPC response is that the average age of first alcohol use in Ohio County is 12 years old.  We hope parents will talk to their children before they are in a position to be offered that first drink.  We also see these children as having the potential reshape county perceptions of alcohol use by taking part in programs like this.  Someday they will be the adults who choose the direction of Ohio County.  We believe lives can be saved and the community can be safer.