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Trenton
– Attorney General Anne Milgram and
Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director
Jerry Fischer today announced the kickoff
of the third-annual program for high school
seniors designed to increase their awareness
about the dangers of underage drinking during
the upcoming prom and graduation seasons.
Entitled
“Proms and Alcohol Don’t Mix,”
this award-winning initiative asks high
school seniors to create scripts for 30-second
television public service announcements.
Beginning this year, two winning entries
will be picked and the winning schools’
students will have a chance to appear in
the spots or assist in their production
or editing. The winning spots will be produced
and distributed to local television stations.
Students who participate in developing the
winning entries will be invited to a special
party in their honor at Drumthwacket, the
Governor’s residence, in Princeton.
“Every
student is entitled to an enjoyable and
memorable prom season. My office wants to
ensure that high school students celebrate
safely,” Attorney General Milgram
said. “We hope this project will help
save precious lives by causing our students
to focus on the dangers of underage drinking.”
“We
are grateful for the assistance of the Department
of Education and Commissioner Lucille Davy
in getting this project out to the schools,”
Milgram added.
According
to the Centers for Disease Control, using
alcohol before age 15 makes youths four
times more likely to become alcohol dependent
than adults who begin drinking at age 21.
Increased risky sexual behaviors, poor school
performance, and increased risk of suicide
and homicide are additional consequences
of youth alcohol use.
A
study conducted by Monitoring the Future,
an organization that studies the behaviors,
attitudes, and values of American students
and young adults, found that 16% of eight
graders, 29% of 10th graders, and 43% of
12th graders had consumed alcohol in the
last 30 days. The study, released in December
2008, further noted that alcohol use by
teens has declined considerably since its
most recent peak in the mid-1990’s.
ABC
Director Fischer noted that this effort
provides one more tool in the State’s
fight against underage drinking.
“The
Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control is
working to combat underage alcohol use on
many different fronts,” Director Fischer
said. “By using public education programs,
community awareness efforts and law enforcement
initiatives, we can create an environment
that keeps young people free from the tragedies
often associated with underage drinking.”
This
past June, a script developed by Kimberly
Flores, 18, of Jersey City, was selected
from approximately 50 entries as the 2008
grand-prize winner in the competition. Kimberly’s
PSA was produced by the Division and NJN,
and aired on local cable stations throughout
the state.
A
letter was recently sent to all New Jersey
high school principals, asking the schools
to have their senior students work together
on teams to develop the television scripts.
The scripts must reflect originality and
creativity, and must be easily produced.
Details of each “scene,” such
as location, time, and specific dialogue,
must be included in the entries.
Scripts
must be submitted to the Division of Alcoholic
Beverage Control no later then Friday, March
27. The winning entry will be selected in
April, and production will begin immediately.
Program criteria are available on the Division’s
website, at www.nj.gov/lps/abc.
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