Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Contents
This campaign kit provides your chapter with some useful components and helpful
guidelines. Follow this index to find out about the tools included in this kit and
how to put them to work for your chapter.
General Information
Introduction & Campaign Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Campaign Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Case Studies
Letter from Lawrence Academy SADD Advisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Lawrence Academy Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Letter from Homestead High School SADD Advisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Homestead High School Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
“How To” Guide
Meeting with Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Sharing Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Working with Law Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Booklet – Organizing an Assembly
Media Templates
Media Advisory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Press Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Letter to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Op-Ed Article . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Drop-in News Article . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Radio Public Service Announcement Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Overview
We are pleased to present Think About It … Prom & Graduation Season, the a campaign
created through a partnership between SADD and the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA). We hope this campaign will be an exciting way for your chapter to establish
dialogue among school administrators, teachers, and students, create a safer and more positive
environment in your school, and increase visibility and awareness in your community about the
dangers of alcohol, other drugs, and impaired driving, especially during prom and graduation season.
At the same time, this campaign will highlight the power of positive action by youth leaders in
your SADD chapter.
This campaign will guide you and your peers through steps to meet with school administrators
and create dialogue about important alcohol and drug use policies. This kit will also give you tools
to create an educational event in advance of prom or graduation events. We encourage your SADD
chapter to build coalitions with community members such as law enforcement officials, businesses,
civic organizations, health care professionals, insurance providers, judges, and prosecutors.
Automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for teens. Approximately 36% of traffic deaths
of 15- to 20-year-olds are alcohol-related. The potential for young people to be involved in crashes
caused by alcohol and other drugs increases in the warm weather, especially during times when
proms and graduations are celebrated. And while alcohol and other drug use can be linked to crash
statistics, the use of alcohol is also frequently coupled with risky and potentially destructive behaviors,
such as physical and emotional violence, sexual mistakes or misjudgments, unintentional injuries
such as drownings and falls, and, of course, alcohol overdose.
Heavy drinking is especially dangerous for teenagers, whose brains are still developing, and alcoholrelated damage incurred at a young age can have long-term effects. A study by the National
Institutes of Health suggests that the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior is not fully
formed until age 25. This information serves as a wakeup call to parents, physicians, elected officials,
law enforcement officials, purveyors of alcohol – including the alcohol industry – and teens
themselves. Many people believe that underage drinking is an inevitable “rite of passage” that
adolescents can easily recover from because their bodies are more resilient, but the opposite
is true.
Continued on next page
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Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Campaign Overview
This campaign has both policy and education components. The first part of the campaign involves
the SADD chapter taking the lead in promoting development and dissemination of and commitment
to your school policies regarding alcohol and drug use. In this section of the campaign, your
chapter should work with the school administration and other important parties to accomplish
the following:
• Review the school’s alcohol and drug use policy,
• Make any improvements necessary to ensure all parties “buy in.”
• Publicize the policy and the school’s commitment to enforcing it, and
• Work to make sure the policy is enforced around prom and grad time.
The second part of the campaign involves an education and outreach effort to make sure your
friends and peers understand the risks of underage drinking, drug use and impaired driving.
This campaign kit offers another valuable planning tool for developing a program or assembly that
can be held at your school prior to prom and graduation season. We have included a booklet that
instructs your chapter in assembling a group of adult professionals in your community to respond
to the topics you decide to discuss at your program or assembly. Local judges, prosecutors, defense
attorneys, law enforcement officers, and health care professionals can accurately portray the real-life
and legal consequences that might follow a night of drinking and partying at your prom or
graduation and respond to the questions you and your peers have about underage drinking and
the law. Your chapter should also utilize the program or assembly you develop as an event that can
be covered by local media or even a student reporter from your school newspaper. Getting media
coverage for your event will reach beyond a limited audience and provide a broader audience for
your messages.
The pages that follow will give you detailed guidelines for carrying out many of the campaign tasks
you should aim to accomplish. Please be sure to look carefully at each section of this manual
before your chapter members meet to discuss this campaign.
Begin by convening a chapter meeting to discuss the campaign’s purpose and goal and to devise
your own plan of action for carrying out the campaign. We’ve even included a few case studies
from SADD chapters who have been successful in putting together a pre-prom and graduation
program or assembly at their school. Be sure to check them out!
Continued on next page
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Campaign Goals
• Create dialogue among school administrators, student leaders, and other important parties
about your school’s alcohol and drug use policy.
• Broadcast the policy to make sure all parties (students, teachers, and parents) know the rules
and understand the consequences.
• Educate students, parents, and your community members about the dangers of alcohol, other
drugs, and impaired driving especially during prom and graduation season.
• Build coalitions with community members such as law enforcement officials, businesses, civic
organizations, health care professionals, insurance providers, judges, prosecutors, and the
media to provide accurate and detailed information to your peers about alcohol and drug use.
• Strengthen ties to local law enforcement agencies and other community leaders to encourage
future cooperative efforts.
• Provide information to parents about current prevention strategies for underage drinking and
drug use especially during prom and graduation season.
Your chapter members should read through the entire contents of this kit and proceed by forming
committees to carry out the different responsibilities. Work closely with your advisor and school
administration to make sure you have the best chance for success. One important step to consider
is setting up a Youth Alcohol and Drug Policy Task Force that will assure participation from all
important parties: administration, teachers, parents, law enforcement officials, and students.
Your end goal is to promote safe behavior at this important time of year, but it is also possible to
create awareness that will last longer than this season.
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Dear SADD Advisors and School Administrators:
I am writing you today to tell you about a successful Pre-Prom Health Day Program that has been
instituted at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts. With the assistance of our Health
Services Department, the SADD students at Lawrence Academy stepped up to organize a two-hour,
pre-prom program that takes place on the day of the prom for all of our seniors. The idea of the
program was to involve community members and administrators from our school to create
dialogue among us and a way to talk about the potential harm that can result when students
make a choice to include alcohol, other drugs, or impaired driving as a part of any celebration.
The day begins with all of the seniors having a Senior Breakfast together. Students then head
toward the auditorium, walking past various signs and posters posted by SADD over to the next
building. A hearse sits outside on the footpath with its doors open – a Lawrence Academy school
flag is draped on top of the casket inside. Our students enter our assembly hall, where they will
hear from a series of speakers: first a member of our District Attorney’s office, followed by an officer
from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. Our local coroner speaks next and takes time to
explain, in detail, how a body is retrieved from a car crash scene and prepared for display at a funeral.
Our final speaker, from a local emergency medical services department, shows a graphic
PowerPoint presentation that typically results in several students’ leaving the auditorium due to
the graphic nature of some of the images of crash victims. The various speakers gathered together
for a question and answer session at the end of the program and this is the piece of the program
that usually takes up the largest amount of time.
This year, our parents association worked with our student body to organize a post-prom party at
a local health club for all prom-goers. The party comes with lots of food, activities and hourly
prizes. SADD underclassmen are very involved and are on hand to assist at the event.
What is our goal? Our SADD students want to remind our seniors the day of the prom about the
dangers of drugs and alcohol. Their goal is to give students that needed short-term memory jolt to
think about what they are going to do and to make good choices … the choices that may affect
them, and others, for a lifetime.
If you have any questions about our program, please contact me at [email protected]. We
hope that by sharing our programming ideas we can help others start similar programs in their
schools across the nation. Our wishes go out to everyone for a safe and healthy prom season.
Sincerely,
Frank Mastrangelo
Frank Mastrangelo
Director of Student Life, Dean of Students
Lawrence Academy
Groton, Massachusetts
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SADD Chapters Working With
School Administrators:
A Case Study
Who:
Lawrence Academy SADD Chapter
Where:
Groton, MA
What:
Pre-Prom Health Program. Students from LA work with local law enforcement, health
educators, faculty, and peers to present and explain the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
Their goal is to “get the message across” in many ways with timely reminders.
This includes our catch phrase banner and car display on our main road into town and
our Health Day Pre-Prom Program.
Who was involved:
Our Health Services Department, speakers from the Attorney General’s office, Alcohol
Beverage Control Commission, Badger Funeral Home and a Paramedic from Boston
Medical Center along with our SADD student organization.
Quotes from participants:
“Okay, okay … I get the message!”
– LA STUDENT
“What a powerful presentation. It hit home with a lot of students.”
– HEALTH EDUCATOR
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Dear SADD Advisors and School Administrators:
We are writing you today to tell you about a program our SADD chapter at Homestead High School
in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, organized with our local community task force, No Alcohol, No Drugs
(NAND). The program we implemented was a panel discussion called Advice from the Real Experts.
The goal of our program was to open lines of communication between groups of students and also
between parents and students. We gathered 10 high school students to participate in a panel
discussion with people throughout the high school and the community. Parents were invited to the
panel discussion and were allowed to ask questions of panel members if they wished. Each student
met with our district social worker beforehand to discuss his or her role. The panel was split into
three groups of students: one had students who have used drugs and alcohol, another had
students who have stayed away from the party scene, and the third group of students identified with
both of the other groups.
We consider the program a success. Approximately sixty people attended the panel last year (the
inaugural year), and we hope to have even greater attendance this year. The parents and students we
consulted to assess the effectiveness of the program had only positive comments about their
experience with the panel discussion.
Our SADD chapter continues to work closely with NAND, which was created to mobilize efforts by
the school, parents, and the community to eliminate drug and alcohol use by our students. The
task force has held educational events (such as our Advice from the Real Experts) along with
recreational events, such as YMCA game nights and concerts held at local establishments. NAND
has also instituted a random drug testing policy for all students involved in any extracurricular
activity in our school.
We hope that by sharing information about our work we can help others involved with SADD
chapters in their schools across the nation. Our wishes go out to everyone for a safe and healthy
prom season.
Sincerely,
Shawn Harkness and Laura Johnson
Shawn Harkness and Laura Johnson
SADD Coordinators
Homestead High School
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
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SADD Chapters Working to
Educate Parents:
A Case Study
Who:
Homestead High School, Indiana
Where:
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
What:
During prom and graduation season, students from Homestead High School SADD
worked with a local task force to educate parents and shed light on how teens are
exposed to drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. Their goal was to let parents know about the
risks and consequences young people face and to remind them that they are the greatest
influence in the decisions their children make.
The SADD chapter held a panel discussion entitled “Advice from the Real Experts.”
Student leaders and former drug and alcohol users spoke about their experiences to an
audience of parents, students, teachers, and administrators and answered questions.
Who got involved?:
The task force the SADD chapter worked with included school representatives, parents,
and business leaders from the county as well as representatives from the Allen County
Sheriff’s Department and Drug and Alcohol Consortium of Allen County.
Quotes from participants:
“I don’t think parents know how accessible alcohol and other drugs are to students.”
– STUDENT PARTICIPANT
“I liked working as a part of a task force.”
– SADD STUDENT
“The whole point of the panel discussion was to educate the parents and to show them the great
influence they have on their kids.”
– TASK FORCE CHAIRPERSON
“It was eye-opening to hear what the students had to say.”
– PARENT
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Meeting With School Administrators
Your school’s alcohol and drug use policy is likely to be very relevant during prom and graduation
season. Your SADD chapter is interested in ensuring that the policy is the best it can be and that it
is advertised, understood, and enforced.
The weeks prior to prom and graduation season are a perfect time for student leaders and school
administrators to sit down together and discuss the school’s alcohol and drug use policy and how it
can be used to promote a super prom and graduation season. The tips listed below will help you
organize a meeting and share the important information you discuss about your school’s alcohol
and drug policy with other students, teachers, parents, and community members.
Preparing for Your Meeting
Most schools have rules and policies about consumption of alcohol and drugs with consequences
for failure to comply with the rules. Students, teachers, parents, and administrators should understand the reasons for having established rules and that when it comes to alcohol use, the rule is
also the law: use by people under 21 is illegal.
To discuss school rules and policies in an effective way, you should bring many representatives to
the table. Include everyone affected by the policy or rule. This same group of people should also be
a part in promoting enforcement.
The following are some questions your chapter members should discuss in preparation for your
meeting. You may want to think about these questions and brainstorm to consider more questions
to bring with you to your meeting.
Questions:
Policy Development Questions
• Does your school have a drug and alcohol policy?
• Do you think the existing policy is strong, fair, and realistic?
• How can you improve the existing policy?
• If you do not have a policy, can you create one that everyone agrees to abide by?
Policy Communication Questions
• Do all of the members of your school community (administration, teachers, coaches, students,
and parents) know about the policy?
• Do they all understand the consequences of violating the policy?
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Policy Enforcement Questions
• Is the policy taken seriously?
• Is it credible? If not, why not?
• Are sufficient resources devoted to implementing the policy, both giving notice about the policy
and enforcing compliance?
• Is the policy uniformly, fairly and consistently enforced?
• How does your school interact with local law enforcement when alcohol or drug use is
discovered?
• Can you work more closely to ensure a safe and drug-free prom and graduation season?
• Do parents understand and reinforce the alcohol and drug use policy?
Setting up Your Meeting
1. Talk with your SADD advisor about the meeting you would like to propose. Together you can
brainstorm to compile a list of administrators and others you would like to invite to the meeting.
Here are some people to consider.
Administrators and Teachers
Students and Parents
• School principal
• Student council representative
• School nurse
• Class presidents
• School resource officer (SRO)
• Peer leaders
• Head of the guidance department
• Prom and graduation planning committee
• Teachers involved in prom and
• Parents
• graduation planning
• PTA representatives
2. Have your SADD advisor check with the school schedule to find an appropriate date for your
meeting, and send an invitation to each person on your list.
3. Seek out a copy of the school’s most current alcohol and drug use policy from a student handbook
or other document.
Continued on next page
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4. Brainstorm ideas for what you would like to discuss in your meeting and plan an agenda for
your meeting. Below is a sample agenda that you may use or you can alter it to fit the needs
of your meeting.
SAM PLE AG EN DA
Introductions
Purpose of the meeting
• Promote a safe prom and graduatio
n season
• Reinforce your school’s alcohol and
drug use policy
Discuss your school policy regarding
drug and alcohol use and how it
pertains to prom and graduation even
ts. If you need help getting the
conversation started, consider the three
sets of questions listed above.
Devise a strategy for sharing the
important information you have
discussed with the entire school com
munity and parents.
• Choose someone to draft a notice
to prom goers, parents, etc.
(Use as a guide the templates inclu
ded in this kit or download
them at www.sadd.org.)
• Set up a time when you can meet
again to discuss the drafted
notices and get approval to send them
out.
• Discuss the idea of scheduling ongo
ing meetings to talk about
other important issues.
Consider the idea of organizing a
program or an assembly to share
information with the entire school abou
t the consequences of drug and
alcohol use and impaired driving. (Ref
er to the “how to” section of this
manual, where you will find a spec
ial booklet about organizing a
program or assembly.)
5. Be sure that someone from your SADD chapter is taking notes at your meeting and that all
participants are clear about necessary next steps.
6. Thank all attendees for being present and participating in the meeting.
7.
If you are scheduling a follow-up meeting, try to choose the date, time, and location of your next
meeting before you adjourn so that everyone is aware of when you will be meeting next.
Continued on next page
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Communicating School Rules
There are many ways to communicate rules before and during prom and graduation season. Here
are a few suggestions.
Written Methods
Publishing policies, including tough policies for using alcohol and drugs, in a handbook is a routine
method of conveying the rules. These handbooks are usually distributed at the beginning of the
school year. The expectation is that students and parents will read, understand, and agree with the
contents of the handbooks. Some school activity programs also publish handbooks that include
their codes of conduct. Rules may also be published in a school or community newspaper. The
problem with these communication methods is that often parents and students fail to read and
consider these rules annually. Requiring signed statements is one way of encouraging that rules
are reviewed and understood by students and their parents. These statements acknowledge that the
parents and participants have received, read, and understood the policy. With these statements on file,
it is also easier for the school administration to hold parents and students accountable for awareness
of the contents.
Around prom and graduation time, some schools may go further and suggest parents and participants
abide by the conditions set forth in a written contract. Many schools use the SADD Contract for Life
or the SADD Prom Pledge, which asks students to agree that they will not use tobacco, alcohol, and
other drugs and states that they will not ride with someone who has been drinking or using drugs.
It is important when using a contract that the two parties have a real discussion about the costs
of each party’s abiding by the contract and the consequences if either of the parties does not
comply.
Visual Reminders
Knowing that people often forget what they have read only once, some school officials print
posters of the rules and at prom and graduation time post them in visible places, such as the hallways,
gymnasium, or auditorium. Reading Public Service Announcements (PSAs) over the PA system at the
beginning or end of the day can serve as a reminder of what is expected of students.
Formal Meetings
Meetings held prior to prom and graduation are yet another way to communicate rules and their
rationale to students and their parents on an ongoing basis. Other meetings, held throughout the
year, should also be used to discuss alcohol and drug use, because underage use is not isolated
to one time of the year.
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Sharing Information
Use the following templates to create a letter to send to students or parents. You can download the
templates at www.sadd.org.
Letter from School
Administrator to Students
Template:
Dear Juniors and Seniors:
Congratulations on all you have achieved to make it to this exciting time of year. The end of this
school year signals excitement and great anticipation at [enter school name]. For seniors it means
that graduation and year-end parties are just around the corner. For juniors, you are realizing that
finally next year will be your year. These are memorable times for all of us at [enter school name],
and we are committed to making this time of year as safe as possible. In this important mission, it
is critical that we have the full cooperation of our students.
Our school administration members have been meeting with a group of students to discuss
important issues, such as our school’s alcohol and drug use policy. These discussions are important
in creating a safe and fun prom and/or graduation experience for everyone.
We will be doing everything possible to encourage you to enjoy and celebrate the end of this school
year safely and responsibly – without the use of alcohol or other drugs. We need every student to
take a few minutes to sit down with his/her parent(s) and openly discuss the dangers associated
with illegal underage drinking and drug use.
[INSERT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL POLICY AND CONSEQUENCES HERE.]
Alcohol-related crashes remain a leading cause of death in this country, especially for teens. The
use of alcohol is frequently coupled with risky and potentially destructive behaviors, such as physical
and emotional violence, sexual mistakes or misjudgments, unintentional injuries (drownings
and falls), and, of course, alcohol overdose. Administrators at our school have set clear and realistic
expectations regarding underage drinking: it is dangerous, it is against the law, and it should not
take place.
Continued on next page
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Heavy drinking is especially dangerous for your adolescent brain because it is still developing, and
alcohol-related damage incurred at your age can have long-term effects. A study by the National
Institutes of Health suggests that the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior is not fully
formed until age 25. This information serves as a wakeup call. Many people believe that underage
drinking is an inevitable “rite of passage” that adolescents can easily recover from because
their bodies are more resilient, but the opposite is true.
Listed below are some tips for you to consider in preparing for prom and graduation. We believe
that together we can work to safeguard these exciting times and make them truly memorable
for everyone.
Tips:
• Discuss plans with your friends and date ahead of time.
• Know your agenda and provide the information to your parents.
• Plan ahead what you will say or do if someone offers you alcohol or another illegal drug.
Phrases such as, “No thanks,” “Are you kidding? I want to remember this night!” or “Actually, I’d
rather have a soda. Do you have one?” often work, even if you think they won’t.
• Know your date before you go. If your date is someone you do not know well, spend a little time
together in advance. Take a walk at a park or go for an ice cream before the big night. You and
your parents will feel better about your staying out late with someone you know.
• Find out what your curfew is, and tell your date and/or friends before prom night.
• Discuss with your parents any after-curfew possibilities (the party
at your friend’s house or early morning breakfast at your place).
• Ask a trusted adult to be near a phone and available on
prom night in case you need to call.
• If you have a cell phone, make sure it is fully charged,
or carry a phone card or enough change to make
several phone calls from a pay phone if necessary.
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Letter from School
Administrator to Parents
Template:
Dear Parents:
At [school’s name], members of the school administration have been meeting with student leaders
to discuss important issues, such as the school’s alcohol and drug use policy. These discussions
are important in creating a safe and fun prom and graduation experience for your children.
The end of another school year signals the beginning of excitement and great anticipation for our
juniors and seniors at [enter school name]. For seniors it means that graduation and year-end parties
are just around the corner. For juniors, there is the realization that finally next year will be their
year. These are memorable times for students, and we are committed to making this chapter
of their lives as safe as possible. In this important mission, it is critical that we have the full
participation and support of parents.
Working together with students, parents, and community members, we will be doing everything
possible to encourage our students to enjoy and celebrate the end of this school year safely and
responsibly – without the use of alcohol or other drugs. We need every parent to take a few minutes
to sit down with your student(s) and openly discuss the dangers associated with illegal underage
drinking and drug use.
[INSERT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL POLICY AND CONSEQUENCES HERE.]
Our students must understand that alcohol-related crashes remain a leading cause of death in this
country, especially for teens. The use of alcohol is frequently coupled with risky and potentially
destructive behaviors, such as physical and emotional violence, sexual mistakes or misjudgments,
unintentional injuries (drownings and falls), and, of course, alcohol overdose. They must also
understand that teens die every year from alcohol poisoning. We need parents to continue to set
clear and realistic expectations regarding underage drinking: it is dangerous, it is against the law,
and it should not take place.
Heavy drinking is especially dangerous for teenagers, whose brains are still developing, and alcoholrelated damage incurred at a young age can have long-term effects. A study by the National
Institutes of Health suggests that the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior is not fully
formed until age 25. This information serves as a wakeup call to parents, physicians, elected officials,
law enforcement officials, purveyors of alcohol – including the alcohol industry – and teens themselves. Many people believe that underage drinking is an inevitable “rite of passage” that adolescents
can easily recover from because their bodies are more resilient, but the opposite is true.
Continued on next page
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The increased popularity of house parties where alcoholic beverages are served to minors raises
increased concerns for school officials, law enforcement officials, and concerned parents. Studies
show that the major source of alcohol for youth is friends and families. Please remember that, as a
parent, you cannot give alcohol to your child’s friends who are under the age of 21 under any
circumstances, even in your own residence, even with their parents’ permission. You may also
be held responsible if underage drinking occurs at your house.
The bottom line is that we all need to openly and clearly express our disapproval of underage drinking,
drug use, and impaired driving. Together we can work to safeguard these exciting times and make
them truly memorable for our students.
Sincerely,
[insert signature]
Tips for Parents:
• SADD/Liberty Mutual Teens Today research shows that good communication between parents
and teenagers can have a positive influence on risk-taking behavior by teens. Teens who
report regular, open communication with their parents about important issues say they are
more likely to try to live up to their parents’ expectations and less likely to drink, use drugs, or
engage in early sexual behavior.
• Discuss rules for the prom: your own rules, the school rules, and the consequences for violating
the rules.
• Communicate with your student ahead of time about the agenda for the evening.
• Discuss the evening’s curfew and what acceptable after-curfew possibilities there might be
(an alcohol- and drug-free post-prom party, inviting friends back home to spend the night
under your supervision, etc.)
• Know who is driving. If a teen is riding in a limo, the parent should be involved in checking out
the company’s policy on allowing alcohol in the vehicle. On prom night when the limo arrives,
a parent should be the first person in the limo to check out what has been stocked in the
beverage containers inside the limo and also to speak with the limo driver about the expectations
involving alcohol for the evening.
• Encourage seat belt use.
• Do not rent hotel rooms for prom-goers.
• Communicate with other parents about prom plans.
• Stay up for prom-goers’ return home.
For more information about SADD/Liberty Mutual Teens Today research, log onto www.sadd.org. There is a link to information
under the “Media” heading in the upper right corner of the website.
3-8
Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Working with Law Enforcement
An important component of our “SADD and the Law” campaign is partnering to work with your
local law enforcement officials. The weeks prior to prom and graduation season are a perfect time
for your SADD chapter to contact your local law enforcement officials to work together on an
enforcement initiative. For information and instructions about working with law enforcement
officials, we encourage SADD chapters to visit www.sadd.org to download the “SADD and the Law:
SADD Mobilizes” campaign materials. You will find the downloadable materials under the heading
“For SADD Chapters” and the materials are listed under “Campaigns & Activities.”
The following is a story of a SADD chapter that worked closely with local law enforcement officials.
SADD Chapters Working With
Law Enforcement:
A Case Study
Who:
Landon School, MD, SADD Chapter
Where:
Bethesda, MD
What:
Members of Landon School’s SADD chapter and faculty advisor David Dummer helped
to spot impaired drivers from 7:00 PM until 3:00 AM as participants in Montgomery
County’s Enhanced Impaired Driving Task Force. They also helped launch a safe driving
campaign that was kicked off with a press conference at a local hotel on a Friday
evening.
Landon students teamed up with police officers to patrol the Bethesda area in force
along four major traffic routes. The students tracked speeding motorists with lasers,
monitored vehicle stops, recorded violations for the official police log, manned sobriety
checkpoints, and witnessed multiple arrests for impaired driving.
Continued on next page
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Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Results:
The event produced the following results, as reported by the Montgomery County
Police Department:
19 impaired driving arrests
149 speeding citations
62 speeding warnings
31 equipment repair orders
3 miscellaneous traffic citations
1 criminal citation for possession of drug paraphernalia
1 criminal citation for possession of an open container of alcohol
What Law Enforcement Officials Had to Say:
Lt. David Falcinelli and Officer Bill Morrison of the Montgomery County Department of
Police in Maryland made notes while observing officers working with SADD students.
They noted a significant change in attitude among officers from the first to the second
and subsequent operations.
Officer (first operation) – “I don’t want a high school kid riding with me.”
Same officer (second operation) – “I want _____________ to ride with me tonight.
Have you seen him/her do paperwork?”
What SADD chapters have to offer law enforcement officials:
• A group of teens committed to addressing the issues of impaired driving
• Student appearances at press events publicizing safe driving
• Assistance with presentations in the community about law enforcement and
prevention of impaired driving
• Assistance at a sobriety checkpoint, crackdown, or other enforcement event
• Assistance in handling paperwork and forms
• Assistance collecting statistical data during a crackdown event
• Assistance handing out material to cars waiting at a sobriety checkpoint
• Extra sets of eyes in a ride-along with a police officer
• Assistance with activities as deemed appropriate by your enforcement officials
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Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Template type:
Media Advisory
Use this media advisory to alert the media about the events your chapter is planning. Print it on your
letterhead. This template is available at www.sadd.org.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT [LOCAL CONTACT INFORMATION]
SADD ORGANIZES MEETING WITH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
TOPIC: PROMOTING A SAFE AND HEALTHY PROM AND
GRADUATION SEASON
WHO:
The Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter at [NAME OF SCHOOL] will
meet with school administrators to talk about the school’s drug and alcohol use policy.
Later this group will invite local professionals, such as [name those that apply: law
enforcement officials, prosecutors, attorneys, doctors, nurses, EMTs, businesses], and
other organizations, including [NAME OF BUSINESS or ORGANIZATION], to the school to
participate in an assembly aimed at raising awareness about the consequences of
underage drinking, other drug use, and impaired driving, especially during this exciting
time of year.
WHAT:
[NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD is participating in this campaign created in partnership with
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The campaign is entitled Think
About It … Prom & Graduation Season. Underage drinking is the nation’s number-one
youth drug problem, killing 6.5 times more young people than do all other illicit drugs
combined. Our goal is to raise awareness about the risks involved with underage drinking
and to have adult professionals from the school and community available prior to prom
and graduation season to respond to questions today’s youth have about underage
drinking and the law.
[ADD DETAILS OF EVENT.]
WHEN:
Activities will begin [DATE] and continue through [DATE].
WHERE: [NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD will conduct various activities throughout this campaign.
We encourage area media to participate by sending camera crews and reporters to
cover activities. In some cases, school administrators will be on hand to congratulate
participants for their involvement in the campaign efforts. For more information
about specific locations and times, please contact [LOCAL CONTACT NAME] at [LOCAL
CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER].
###
4-1
Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Template type:
Press Release
Use this release template when writing a press release to be sent to media outlets. Print it on your
letterhead. This template is available at www.sadd.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[DATE]
CONTACT: [NAME]
[PHONE]
STATE/COMMUNITY [CHOOSE ONE OR MORE: JUDGE, PROSECUTOR, ATTORNEY, DOCTOR, NURSE,
EMT, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS] TEAM UP WITH SADD TO TALK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES
OF UNDERAGE DRINKING
[NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD will join local professionals, such as [name those that apply: law
enforcement officials, prosecutors, attorneys, doctors, nurses, EMTs, businesses], and other
organizations, including [NAME OF BUSINESS or ORGANIZATION], to organize an assembly
aimed at raising awareness about the consequences of underage drinking, other drug use, and
impaired driving, especially during this exciting time of year.
Between [DATE] and [DATE], [NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD is joining in a campaign created in partnership
with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The campaign is entitled Think
About It … Prom & Graduation Season. Underage drinking is the nation’s number one youth drug
problem, killing 6.5 times more young people than do all other illicit drugs combined. SADD chapter
members will work closely with [NAME OF LOCAL JUDGE, PROSECUTOR, ETC.] in presenting an
assembly at school. The assembly will address issues involving underage drinking.
The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness about the risks involved with underage drinking
especially during this celebratory time of year and to have adult professionals available to respond
to questions today’s youth have about underage drinking and the law.
“[NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD wants to get the word out that underage drinking is against the law
and is a crime that results in serious consequences,” said [NAME, TITLE OF CHAPTER SPOKESPERSON].
“It is imperative that our community members work together prior to prom and graduation season
to educate youth and adults in the community about the consequences.”
Heavy drinking is especially dangerous for teenagers, whose brains are still developing, and alcoholrelated damage incurred at a young age can have long-term effects. A study by the National
Institutes of Health suggests that the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior is not fully
formed until age 25. This information serves as a wakeup call to parents, physicians, elected officials,
law enforcement officials, purveyors of alcohol – including the alcohol industry – and teens themselves. Many people believe that underage drinking is an inevitable “rite of passage” that adolescents
can easily recover from because their bodies are more resilient, but the opposite is true.
By working with its partner NHTSA and other youth safety organizations, [NAME OF SCHOOL]
SADD hopes to save lives in [CITY/STATE] and reduce incidents of underage drinking.
[INSERT LOCAL STATISTICS AND/OR LOCAL RELEVANT STORY.]
This campaign serves as valuable opportunity to heighten [NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD’s commitment
and efforts to reduce the occurrence of underage drinking.
###
4-2
Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Template type:
Letter to the Editor
Use this template when sending information about your events to a publication. Adapt this letter to
reflect local data, and print it on your letterhead. This template is available at www.sadd.org.
[DATE]
Dear Editor:
The end of another school year signals great anticipation for juniors and seniors at [NAME OF
SCHOOL]. Prom and graduation are memorable times for students, and we are committed to making
these times as safe as possible. [NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD will join local professionals, such as law
enforcement officials, prosecutors, attorneys, businesses, and other organizations, including
[NAME OF BUSINESS or ORGANIZATION], in an effort to raise awareness about the real-life and
legal consequences of underage drinking.
Between [DATE] and [DATE], [NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD is participating in a campaign created in
partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The campaign is
entitled Think About It … Prom & Graduation Season. The goal of the campaign is to raise
awareness about the risks involved with underage drinking and to have adult professionals in
the community available to respond to questions today’s youth have about underage drinking and
the law.
“[NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD wants to get the word out that underage drinking is against the law
and is a crime that results in serious consequences, even at this festive time of year,” said [NAME,
TITLE OF CHAPTER SPOKESPERSON]. “It is imperative that our community members work together
to educate youth and adults in the community about the consequences.” Underage drinking is the
nation’s number-one youth drug problem, killing 6.5 times more young people than do all other
illicit drugs combined.
Heavy drinking is especially dangerous for teenagers, whose brains are still developing, and alcoholrelated damage incurred at a young age can have long-term effects. A study by the National
Institutes of Health suggests that the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior is not fully
formed until age 25. This information serves as a wakeup call to parents, physicians, elected officials,
law enforcement officials, purveyors of alcohol – including the alcohol industry – and teens themselves. Many people believe that underage drinking is an inevitable “rite of passage” that adolescents
can easily recover from because their bodies are more resilient, but the opposite is true.
By working with its partner NHTSA and other youth safety organizations, [NAME OF SCHOOL]
SADD hopes to save lives in [CITY/STATE] and reduce incidents of underage drinking.
[INSERT LOCAL STATISTICS AND/OR LOCAL RELEVANT STORY.]
This campaign serves as a valuable opportunity to heighten [NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD’s commitment
and efforts to reduce the occurrence of underage drinking.
[CONTACT]
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Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Template type:
Op-Ed Article
Use this article to share your opinion about this subject and to send information about your events
to a publication. Find out about the publication’s policy regarding format and length, adapt this
template to reflect local data, and print it on your letterhead. This template is available at
www.sadd.org.
SADD PROMOTES A SAFE AND HEALTHY
PROM AND GRADUATION SEASON
[NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD wants adults and teens alike to know that if teens choose to drink
alcohol while under the age of 21, they are breaking the law and risk suffering consequences even
during a special time of year such as prom and graduation season.
[NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD will meet with school administrators to talk about the school’s drug and
alcohol use policy. Later this group will invite local professionals, such as [name those that apply:
law enforcement officials, prosecutors, attorneys, doctors, nurses, EMTs, businesses], and other
organizations, including [NAME OF BUSINESS or ORGANIZATION], to the school to participate in an
assembly aimed at raising awareness about the consequences of underage drinking, other drug
use, and impaired driving.
Between [DATE] and [DATE], [NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD is participating in a campaign created in
partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The campaign is
entitled Think About It … Prom & Graduation Season. Underage drinking is the nation’s number
one youth drug problem, killing 6.5 times more young people than do all other illicit drugs combined.
The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness about the risks involved with underage drinking and
to have adult professionals in the community available to respond to questions today’s youth have
about underage drinking and the law. Unfortunately, automobile crashes are the leading cause
of death for teens. Heavy drinking is especially dangerous for teenagers, whose brains are still
developing, and alcohol-related damage incurred at a young age can have long-term effects. A
study by the National Institutes of Health suggests that the region of the brain that inhibits risky
behavior is not fully formed until age 25. This information serves as a wakeup call to parents, physicians,
elected officials, law enforcement officials, purveyors of alcohol – including the alcohol industry –
and teens themselves. Many people believe that underage drinking is an inevitable “rite of passage”
that adolescents can easily recover from because their bodies are more resilient, but the opposite
is true.
By working with its partner NHTSA and other youth safety organizations, [NAME OF SCHOOL]
SADD hopes to save lives in [CITY/STATE] and reduce the incidents of underage drinking. Our message
to our community is this: Think About It … it is against the law to drink when you are under the
age of 21, and doing so can result in serious consequences.
SPOKESPERSON, TITLE
SPONSORING ORGANIZATION
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Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Template type:
Drop-In News Article
Use this article when sending information about your events to the media. Adapt it to reflect local data,
and print it on your letterhead. This template is available at www.sadd.org.
STUDENTS WORK TO HELP THEIR PEERS “THINK ABOUT IT …”
[NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD will meet with school administrators to talk about the school’s drug and
alcohol use policy. Later this group will invite local professionals, such as [name those that apply:
law enforcement officials, prosecutors, attorneys, doctors, nurses, EMTs, businesses], and other
organizations, including [NAME OF BUSINESS or ORGANIZATION], to the school to participate in an
assembly aimed at raising awareness about the consequences of underage drinking, other drug
use, and impaired driving. SADD chapters around the nation are mobilizing as part of the Think
About It … Prom & Graduation Season campaign, and our SADD chapter is excited to be a part of
this important effort.
Heavy drinking is especially dangerous for teenagers, whose brains are still developing, and alcoholrelated damage incurred at a young age can have long-term effects. A study by the National
Institutes of Health suggests that the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior is not fully formed
until age 25. This information serves as a wakeup call to parents, physicians, elected officials, law
enforcement officials, purveyors of alcohol – including the alcohol industry – and teens themselves.
Many people believe that underage drinking is an inevitable “rite of passage” that adolescents can
easily recover from because their bodies are more resilient, but the opposite is true.
[INSERT LOCAL STATISTICS AND/OR LOCAL RELEVANT STORY AND QUOTE FROM LOCAL
SPONSOR/SPOKESPERSON.]
Between [DATE] and [DATE], [NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD will launch its campaign efforts. The goal
of the campaign is to raise awareness about the risks involved with underage drinking and to have
adult professionals in the community available to respond to questions today’s youth have about
underage drinking and the law. Unfortunately, the majority of adolescents still report using alcohol
before it is legal for them to do so. We must support local law enforcement efforts and refuse to
accept preventable deaths caused by underage drinking.
To foster a greater understanding of the widespread issue of underage drinking and how it affects
our community especially during prom and graduation season, [NAME OF SCHOOL] SADD is asking
those in the community to continue supporting all efforts to stop friends or relatives who are
over 21 from providing alcohol to minors and to remind those under 21 that the message is clear:
purchase and possession of alcohol are against the law.
What Adults in the Community Can Do
• Endorse alcohol education programs in your community, schools, and businesses.
• Support your local police and licensed beverage outlets by obeying the law.
• Remind your friends and family: for those under 21, purchase and possession are against the
law.
• Support this and other SADD sponsored initiatives in your community.
For more information, please contact [CONTACT].
4-5
Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
Radio Public Service
Announcement Scripts
Template type:
The following are announcer-read PSA scripts. Print them on your letterhead. This template is
available at www.sadd.org.
:30-second General Station Read – Consequences
Spring – the season of prom and graduation parties – can be a dangerous time for students.
Alcohol-related traffic fatalities rise during these months, according to the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration. Students Against Destructive Decisions is working with community
members on a campaign entitled Think About It … Prom & Graduation Season. [INSERT STATION
NAME/CALL LETTERS] and SADD are asking you to Think About It … Underage drinking is against
the law, and the consequences that can result from the choice to drink are serious. Do your part to
spread the “think about it” message (a possible criminal record, losing your license, effects on your
entire family) – underage drinking just isn’t worth it.
:15-second General Station Read – Underage Drinking
Underage drinking makes our highways less safe, our schools less effective, and our future less certain,
especially during prom and graduation season. For these reasons and more, it is illegal. [INSERT
STATION NAME/CALL LETTERS] and Students Against Destructive Decisions remind the community
that underage drinking is against the law, and the consequences that can result from the choice
to drink are serious. Do your part to spread the message – underage drinking isn’t worth it.
:30-second General PSA/Station Read
Every 49 minutes a precious young life is lost in an alcohol-related car crash. You, your family, or
your friends could be affected next. Most teens think alcohol doesn’t affect them, and most parents
think their teens aren’t drinking. Think again. [INSERT STATION NAME/CALL LETTERS] and
Students Against Destructive Decisions want to remind the community that underage drinking is
against the law, and the consequences that can result from the choice to drink are serious. This
spring, during the season of prom and graduation parties, do your part to spread the message –
underage drinking isn’t worth it.
Continued on next page
4-6
Think About It . . .
Prom & Graduation
Season
:30-second PSA/Station Read
[INSERT STATION NAME/CALL LETTERS] and Students Against Destructive Decisions want you to
know that spring can be a dangerous time for students. Alcohol-related traffic fatalities rise during
these months, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, especially during
the time when prom and graduation parties occur. If you’re a parent, that’s something to think
about. We’re asking parents to do their part when it comes to underage drinking: do not host teen
parties where alcohol is served, keep track of alcohol in your home, and talk with your kids early
and often about the dangers of underage drinking. It’s against the law, and the consequences that
can result from a teen’s choice to drink are serious. Do your part to spread the message – underage
drinking isn’t worth it.
:60-second PSA/Station Read
[INSERT STATION NAME/CALL LETTERS] and Students Against Destructive Decisions want to alert
the community to the facts about underage drinking. Spring, the season of prom and graduation
parties, can be a dangerous time for students. Alcohol-related traffic fatalities rise during these
months, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Every 49 minutes a
precious young life is lost in an alcohol-related car crash. You, your family, or your friends could be
affected next. Most teens think alcohol doesn’t affect them, and most parents think their teens
aren’t drinking. Think again. Heavy drinking is especially dangerous for teenagers, whose brains are
still developing, and alcohol-related damage incurred at a young age can have long-term effects. A
study by the National Institutes of Health suggests that the region of the brain that inhibits risky
behavior is not fully formed until age 25. This information serves as a wakeup call to parents,
physicians, elected officials, law enforcement officials, purveyors of alcohol – including the alcohol
industry – and teens themselves. Many people believe that underage drinking is an inevitable “rite of
passage” that adolescents can easily recover from because their bodies are more resilient, but the
opposite is true. We’re working to alert our community: underage drinking is against the law, and
the consequences that can result from the choice to drink are serious. Do your part to spread the
“think about it” message (a possible criminal record, losing your license, effects on your entire family)
– underage drinking just isn’t worth it. Celebrate a safe prom and graduation season this year.
4-7