Alcohol Education for At-Risk Continuation High School Students

The "Tackling Alcohol Together" program aims to prevent alcohol use by educating at-risk students at six continuation high schools in California, the North County Times reported on January 13.

Continuation school students receive high school diplomas in a more flexible environment than those at mainstream high schools. They also begin drinking at a younger age than other high school students and have higher rates of binge drinking and drunkenness, according to the recent Continuation Schools Report by WestEd, a nonprofit research agency.

The 3 year program, funded by a $47,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, includes mandatory training, reference materials and a "Reconnecting Youth" class, which addresses self-esteem, peer pressure, myths and facts about alcohol and other drug abuse.

So far, students have responded positively to the new curriculum, said marriage and family therapist Tom Lynch, who teaches the "Reconnecting Youth" course.

"[The new class is] a good place to evaluate ourselves and the things we do," said one student. "It's helped me more than I thought."

The grant will also help fund community events to raise alcohol awareness among parents, said Joyce Ernest, drug and violence prevention coordinator for San Marcos Unified.

"Hopefully, we will be able to save them from the No. 1 killer of teens," said Ernest.