Miami Student

Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Community

In an effort to curb drinking among high school students during prom and graduation season, Talawanda High School has put together several initiatives to encourage abstinence from substance abuse.

With prom taking place May 12 and graduation soon after, Talawanda High health and wellness coordinator Amy Macechko said the high school is looking to provide as much education and resources to students and parents as possible regarding underage drinking.

"It is important to get the message out that the majority of students don't drink," Macechko said. "When it seems like everyone's doing it, that's not the reality."

She said Talawanda has taken the stance of wanting to be proactive to avoid the consequences that come with teen drinking, such as drunk driving.

One of the bigger initiatives Talawanda is taking to curb drinking before and after prom is use of the newly acquired Breathalyzer device, the Passive Alcohol Sensor.

Vicki Brunn, principal of Talawanda High School, said the device, described as being as small as a transistor radio, will be used to check students' breaths for alcohol as they enter the prom.

Brunn said there is an opening on the end of the device through which students will state their name. This will confirm that the student is on a list of students allowed into the dance, while also checking that no alcohol was consumed prior to prom.

Should a student be found with alcohol on their breath, Brunn said parents will be called and the student could face up to a 10-day suspension from school.

Brunn however points out that the device is very sensitive and could be set off by any recent use of mouthwash. She said should this happen, the student will have the option of sitting for 15 minutes outside of the dance before being tested again to ensure that no alcohol was consumed.

Another effort to prevent teen drinking is the Youth Initiative Team, coordinated by Miami University's Coalition for a Healthy Community, a part of Miami's Office of Health Education, created to promote health and wellness among Miami students. This group consists of Talawanda 10-12 graders looking to provide alternative activities to high-risk behaviors of teens.

The group is responsible for producing the Prom Planner. According the Macechko, this booklet is given to all juniors and seniors at Talawanda High School and consists of details about prom such as hair, dresses and tuxedos, while also offering tips on what not to do at prom in the form of prevention messages.

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