Ask, Listen, Learn

CONGRESSMAN CHRIS LEE BRINGS ASK, LISTEN, LEARNTO COSGROVE MIDDLE SCHOOLProgram encourages kids to “say ‘YES’ to a healthy lifestyle and ‘NO’ to underage drinkingWHO· Congressman Chris Lee · Ned Dale, Principal, Cosgrove Middle School· Shannon Adams, The Century Council WHEN· Cosgrove Middle School Monday, April 12, 2010 – 12:45 pmWHERE· Cosgrove Middle School: 2749 Spencerport Road, Spencerport, NY 14559 WHY· 54 percent of adolescents say they have tried alcohol by the time they reached the eighth grade. (Federal Government Study: “Talking to Your Child About Alcohol”)· More than 17 percent of 12 to 14 year olds report they have consumed alcohol in the past month. (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) · 80 percent of 12-14 year olds believe alcohol education has made a difference in the decision they have made.· Only 4 percent of teens reported that it is “difficult” for someone their age to get alcohol.(TCC Research: Parents, Kids and Alcohol) WHAT· Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix is a program developed by the Century Council alongside a team of educators and psychologists specializing in middle school-aged students to educate parents and kids about the dangers of underage drinking.· In partnership with PE4Life, The Century Council created an interactive, physical fitness activity (“game”) that builds on the existing Ask, Listen, Learn program. The “game” teaches kids about the health consequences of underage drinking and encourages kids to “say ‘YES’ to a healthy lifestyle and ‘NO’ to underage drinking. · Ask, Listen, Learn’s website, www.asklistenlearn.com, gives kids the opportunity to join the Ask, Listen, Learn Team by pledging to make healthy choices. The website features “SuperStars” such as Apolo Anton Ohno, Gretchen Bleiler, and Dara Torres who send positive messages to kids about staying fit and healthy and explains why these elite athletes say “no” to underage drinking.