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Miles Wilkerson, an E.O. Smith sophomore, asked the panelists how they would respond to people who claimed that alcohol and drug abuse was a victimless crime.

E.O. Smith Hosts Forum On Underage Drinking

By: Brittany Dorn

Posted: 3/7/08

The atmosphere of the E.O. Smith High School cafeteria Thursday night was one of frustration but also of hope as community members discussed ways to decrease underage drinking.

Here high school students, concerned parents and community members came together for a two-hour presentation that combined a variety of mediums to get the point across.

During most of the presentation, a slideshow in the background showed anonymous quotations from students at the school.

"My dad is an alcoholic and he's tried to get me to drink, but I don't want to end up like him," read one. "I got raped because I got so drunk that I blacked out at a party with strangers," another said.

The quotations - like most of the event - attempted to make the dangers of underage drinking tangible and personal.

Annie Grunwald, a junior at E.O. Smith who helped organize the event, introduced the assembled crowd with optimism.

"Tonight, we're all a part of history," she said. She explained that the event - called "Take It Back" - was part of a national movement to reduce alcohol abuse. According to Grunwald, over 20 other towns in the state are holding similar community meetings this week.

Grunwald emphasized that underage drinking wasn't the responsibility of a single entity - such as parents or the school system - but instead the community as a whole.

"We're calling all community members to claim this problem and take action," she said.

As part of the presentation, six high school students performed a skit showing the way a typical drinking situation might play out.

In the skit, a college student takes her two high school friends to a college party. Despite her warnings, both friends make poor decisions: one drinks even though she's taking medicine, the other blacks out and gets sexually taken advantage of.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," one of the students laments. "I barely remember how I got home … I let some guy take me up to his room and I honestly don't remember what happened next."

After the skit, the students stayed in character and answered questions from the audience.

While most of the questions were of a serious nature, one audience member elicited laughs when she asked one of the college males who had pressured the younger girls to drink: "What's your problem?"

The lively skit and question-and-answer session seemed to be the highlight of the event for many attendees.

"The play got the point across powerfully," said Susan Westa, who came to the event with her daughter Emily, an E.O. Smith freshman. "It brought it to light."

"It was cool," said Emily, who said she appreciated that a variety of means were used to present information at the event, rather than just a lecture.

In a data presentation that followed, E.O. Smith's proximity to UConn was listed as a risk factor for underage drinking at the school. Speakers also touched upon UConn's Spring Weekend and the dangers it poses to high schoolers who attend.

"The college students don't want the high school students there," said Tom Szigethy, director of Alcohol and Other Drug Services at UConn and a panelist at the presentation.

The night ended with a call for action, and attendees seemed to leave on a positive note.

"I think it's good people are taking the initiative to come out," said Miles Wilkerson, an E.O. Smith sophomore at the event. "It's good that people care."

Contact Brittany Dorn at Brittany.Dorn@UConn.edu.