DUI – Think it Through: Make a Choice
Facilitator: Linda Gingras, CAADAC
The goal of the “Think it Through – Make A Choice” Alcohol and Drug Abuse Education and Prevention Program is two-fold: the first emphasis being on “myth busting” and the second being to open up a dialogue about drugs and alcohol. Although these topics have generally been “underground” in the community -- kids get their information from each other and don’t feel comfortable discussing these issues with parents or teachers. Aleinu goes into both middle school and high school and presents age appropriate information about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. The program provides a safe place for students to ask questions and discuss topics like peer pressure, smoking, drinking, and other related issues. Students are presented with scenarios and given the tools to think it through and make a good choice. For example:
Let’s say you go to a party with a friend who is your designated driver but something comes up and he leaves without you. You have been drinking and now you are stuck. You have to find another way home, and all of your buddies who are still at the party have been drinking too. You are afraid of getting in trouble. What do you do?
This kind of food for thought gets kids involved in the process of decision making. It empowers them to take an active role and make informed choices and subsequently protects them from becoming victims of peer pressure or circumstance.