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By Tenley Woodman
December 20, 2004
The "scared straight'' approach to teaching teens about alcohol is getting a makeover. Instead of showing grisly footage of car crashes to students, Newton-based Outside the Classroom's AlcoholEdu survey is using a more personal touch. Students take a computerized survey and test, which quizzes them on their knowledge of alcohol use and abuse.
"A smaller percentage of students will get in a drunk-driving accident than those who will experience a blackout,'' said Brandon Busteed, Outside the Classroom AlcoholEdu CEO and founder. "It's much more relevant to a teenager. If you can build the case they might have a blackout, (it hits home more).''
Busteed's motivation for creating the program came from his college experiences. "It (alcohol) was such a huge part of college life that some people couldn't socialize without it. To me it just stuck out as a message that no one was addressing,'' said the 27-year-old.
The AlcoholEdu program is used in nearly 400 colleges nationwide. Now it is being implemented at the high school level. So far 85 high schools in 20 states have adopted the program, including Milton High School.
"Hopefully what we are trying to spark is this introspective type of thinking that they will then share with their friends,'' Busteed said.
Milton High School uses the program in the freshman health and physical education curriculum. The first class finished the survey two weeks ago.
What did they learn?
Julia Hannah, 14, said that prior to taking the course she thought it would take three beers to make a person drunk.
And now? "It really depends on who you are and how much you weigh,'' she said.
Hannah, and fellow classmates Shane Setalsingh, 13, and Tabitha, 16, who asked that her last name not be used, said that drinking is popular among their peers.
"I think they (underage drinkers) would learn something, but it won't stop them,'' Hannah said of the test. "If they already know it's bad and they're doing it, it won't change.''
"Teenagers don't think about the long run,'' Tabitha said.
Hannah, Setalsingh and Tabitha said they learned some facts that gave them pause.
"It can damage your brain,'' Tabitha said.
"It takes your body 1 hours to digest alcohol,'' Setalsingh said. "And the lighter you are the faster you get drunk.''
"That alcohol is considered a drug,'' Hannah said.
The program also taught them how to handle a peer who has a drinking problem.
"Don't approach them when they are under the influence,'' Tabitha said.
"If they have a secret stash, get them away from the alcohol. Don't lecture them. Get an adult they trust to talk to them,'' Hannah said.
"The things we are teaching kids here can be applied to other lifestyle choices,'' Busteed said.
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