Shawnee, it is a reality, your teens are drinking. According to the 2008 Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment (OPNA), 85 percent of 12th graders who reported drinking alcohol consumed it at a friend’s house and 78 percent drank alcohol at a party within the last year. To bring these statistics close to home, 91 percent of Shawnee 12th graders consumed alcohol at a friend’s house and 82 percent drank it at a party.
Adults over 21 and the parents of your child’s friend may be providing alcohol to your child while you are unaware of the situation. In an effort to educate parents and adults in the Shawnee community, Gateway to Prevention and Recovery along with the 2Much2Lose Initiative (2M2L) are hosting “Reality Party” this Wednesday, Nov. 18, starting at 4 p.m. This is a simulation of a house party with youth actors who are concerned about the underage drinking and its effects on their peers.
This is an educational opportunity for parents to come experience and walk through what a typical high school party might include. To register for a free tour, sign up by going to www.youthcoalition.typepad.com/realityhouse or by calling Jon Greenwood at 570-1854 or Jan Tipton at 613-9925. Along with these teens, nursing students from OBU are sharing in the efforts of this community wide event, and we look forward to seeing you there.
Kelly Scatton
Senior OBU nursing student
