April 4, 2011

Each year in the U.S., 1,900 individuals under the age of 21 die because of underage drinking and driving. During the next few months, 90% of teens believe their peers will drink and drive during Prom and Graduation. Enter Sobergrads.org, a non-profit organization that is determined to raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking and drug abuse.

Several foundations have implemented programs which are beginning to lower these statistics. While teen drunk-driving fatalities are at its lowest since the 1950s, it seems as though more teens are abusing alcohol. Approximately 75% of teenagers have had at least one drink by the time they graduate and more than 10 million high school students have consumed alcohol in the past month.

For these reasons, Sobergrads.org has begun working with high schools across the U.S. to develop strategies that will help curb this behavior. "Though many programs have been started, there are still a large number of schools that do not have alcohol awareness programs," says Sheri Oliveras, who co-founded the program last year. "Joining an organization like Sobergrads is an easy, no-cost option for schools that are looking to implement an alcohol awareness program and care about informing their students and saving lives."

The Sobergrads.org website is where students or faculty can register their schools and then fulfill a pledge to stay sober. Schools that sign up in the program have the chance to receive printed t-shirts, pens, and custom glassware as prizes from sponsors by taking part in activities, such as developing tips to keep high school events safe. The recipients of these prizes will be determined by the highest percentage of participation in relation to the total number of students at the school. The tips will also be used to create a "High School Safety Guide."

The program is funded by donations from various national sponsors. In addition, students can recruit local businesses to participate and sponsor their school. These local sponsors can team-up with the Sobergrad network to donate free promotional items for school fundraising while receiving extra advertising.

"Peer pressure is a huge problem in high school, and the increase of bullying doesn't make it any easier to say 'no'," says Oliveras. "We want to let students know that there are millions of individuals just like them." The new website has also promised to include a forum where teenagers can anonymously discuss personal issues, exchange ideas and learn from other peers.

Oliveras says that they are getting a tremendous amount of support from student leaders and school administration. "Most schools understand the concept of leading by example, and student leaders typically take things from there," says Oliveras. The founder explains that the ultimate goal is for students and especially parents to learn more about the problem, discuss the issue, and to take preventative measures. "By being proactive, parents can make a huge difference in their child's life."

Students who would like to register their school and complete the pledge can sign up at www.sobergrads.org. Local businesses looking to get involved in the campaign can also visit the site for more instructions.

About Sobergrads.org:
SoberGrads.org is a non-profit organization that was created to raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking. Our program requires students to pledge their sobriety throughout major high school events and participate in activities by collaborating with fellow classmates. As a reward for contributing ideas, you can receive personalized prizes thanks to our extensive network of national and local sponsors.




References:

1900 Dead stat - http://www.edgarsnyder.com/drunk-driving/underage-statistics.html

75% had one drink - http://www.sadd.org/stats.htm

10 million in past month - http://www.centurycouncil.org/learn-the-facts/underage-drinking-research#889

90% Survey CADCA - http://www.cadca.org/resources/detail/study-shows-90-percent-teens-admit-stronger-likelihood-drinking-and-driving-prom-ni

Drinking and driving stat - http://alcoholism.about.com/b/2010/04/07/alcohol-awareness-keeping-prom-night-safe.htm
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa67/aa67.htm