Thirty one percent of high school seniors in the Shenendehowa Central School District engage in binge drinking, well above the national average of 22 percent.
That’s according to a study conducted by the Shenendehowa Community Coalition. The study, which began lastyear and is still ongoing, is examining aspects of teen alcohol use, including where teens get and drink alcohol and the consequences of their actions. A similar, smaller study was conducted by the coalition in 2008. Last week, the group shared some of their findings thus far.
According to Evan Williamson, the Shenendehowa Community Coalition coordinator, the study is being done with the help of a Prevention First-NY! SPF-SIG (Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant) federal grant received by the coalition last year. The $800,000 grant is for three years.
“The first step was to collect data, and that was done through community surveys of adults in the area and focus groups of kids and adults,” said Williamson.
Student surveys were given in physical education classes over two days last year to approximately 500 teens at each grade level in the high school.
In addition to student surveys, approximately 1,100 community surveys were received from businesses and organizations like the YMCA. Surveys were also made available throughout the community at libraries and through the School News Notification System.
While surveys supplied data, focus groups revealed the “more anecdotal” information, according to Williamson. Focus groups mirrored information given in the surveys, most importantly calling attention to where teens are drinking.
“Kids in the focus groups reaffirmed what the survey said, that drinking in the Shenendehowa area happens at home. With parental knowledge or not,” said Williamson.
He added one of the most common ways teens get alcohol is through a friend or acquaintance over 21.
According to study results, 48 percent of juniors and seniors reported having gotten alcohol at a party, 41 percent from an acquaintance older than 21, and 33 percent obtained alcohol in a home without parental permission.
The Coalition also found 27 percent of juniors and seniors and 10 percent of freshmen and sophomores consume alcohol at public events.
Williamson said the Coalition is looking at the numbers with an eye towards improving them.
“The findings were very encouraging. We can look at our data from 2008 compared to 2011 and say that our numbers are down overall and that’s fantastic,” he said.
He added that public awareness is likely the reason for the decline.
“Public awareness especially in the school district has risen thanks in part to this collaboration. We’re lucky to experience the partnership that we do have with the school district,” Williamson said.
Some ways awareness is promoted through the school includes poster campaigns and messages to parents.
Shenendehowa High School Principal Don Flynt has been working with the Prevention Council for the last decade and said the study was important to not only to get to the cause of the issues, but also to “ameliorate the issues.”
“Knowledge is power. Hopefully we’ve given them power to make better decisions. … The coalition has done a great job in bringing groups and resources together,” he said.
Those better decisions are helped along by events like After Prom parties hosted by CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services.
Andy Gilpin, director of program services at CAPTAIN, said they have been offering the parties for 28 years that have taken many forms, including bowling parties or trips to the mall. This year, both the junior and senior parties will be held at the YMCA following the proms from midnight to 3a.m.
The parties were one of the first objectives of CAPTAIN, providing a “positive alternative” to kids for after prom.
“The parents know and the students know that from 12 to 3 that they’re going to be in a safe environment. …We’re really taking an active way to try and stop underage drinking,” said Gilpin.
“Know that you can go somewhere where there’s going to be people who are going to be having fun and who are going to be safe,” Gilpin said as a message to kids thinking about attending the party.
The Shenendehowa Community Coalition was established in 2006operates under the larger organization of The Substance Abuse Prevention Council, widely known as The Prevention Council in Saratoga Springs. Their mission is to reduce and prevent risky behaviors among youth such as substance abuse by forming community partnerships.
The coalition is made up of 50 members and includes personnel from the Shenendehowa Central School District, parents, business owners, students and CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services, among others. Similar coalitions also exist for Saratoga and are also being formed in Galway and South Glens Falls.
