BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—With prom and graduation season fast approaching, Marion Crawford Prevention Programs is launching its annual initiative to encourage safe and healthy choices among teenagers. Christi Eckert, representing the organization, recently highlighted the “PROM-ise 2025” campaign aimed at students in Crawford County schools.
The Teen Institute (TI), a peer-led group within county schools focused on promoting drug and alcohol-free lifestyles, spearheaded the initiative. Students involved in TI developed the “PROM-ise 2025” theme and logo to encourage their peers to make responsible decisions during celebratory events.
Eckert explained that schools are implementing various activities around the prom promise. These include students signing banners to commit to healthy choices and receiving reminder items like bracelets and car air fresheners adorned with the campaign logo.
While acknowledging the persistent concern around youth alcohol use, Eckert pointed to encouraging data from the 2022-2023 Ohio Healthy Youth Survey (OHYES). The survey indicated that 79% of Crawford County youth in grades 7 through 12 reported never having used alcohol beyond a sip.
“That is a good number. It is a high number. And so we’ve continued to see that number increase over years,” Eckert said. However, she cautioned against the mindset in some smaller communities that underage drinking is a “rite of passage.”
The OHYES data also revealed a concerning trend: 60% of the youth who reported using alcohol obtained it from an adult, whether it was their own parents, friends’ parents, or an adult who purchased it for them. Eckert emphasized the legal ramifications and health risks associated with adults providing alcohol to minors.
“It’s illegal to serve alcohol to young people in your home,” Eckert stated, stressing the importance of parents reinforcing healthy choices and understanding the detrimental effects of alcohol on developing brains.
Eckert offered advice for parents seeking to prevent underage drinking and substance use, including open and honest conversations, setting clear expectations of no use, implementing consequences for breaking rules, and, importantly, setting a positive example themselves regarding alcohol consumption. She also cautioned against the gateway effect of alcohol leading to the use of other substances.
For more information and resources, Eckert encouraged community members to visit the Crawford Prevention Coalition or Drug Free Marion Facebook pages.
“It’s very important to set that standard and not be lacks on that,” Eckert concluded, urging parents to have conversations with their teenagers about making safe choices during this celebratory season.