Press Release

PRMTXT Campaign Encourages Family and Friends to Fight Underage Drinking on Prom Night

Washington, DC —  Taking advantage of how teens prefer to communicate,
The Century Council, an organization funded by distillers dedicated to
fighting drunk driving and underage drinking, is launching its second
annual safe prom campaign using text message as a creative way to
remind teens to make smart decisions and not to drink alcohol during
prom night or throughout the year.

In order to send the text message, family members and friends only need to do the following: Visit www.prmtxt.org.
Register the teen’s cell phone number, date of prom, and zip code. On
prom night, teens will receive the message: “Have fun 2night. Stay
safe. Don't drink. Luv u.” Participants can also receive a confirmation
that evening that their message was sent.

The prom text messaging initiative is spearheaded by The Century
Council and is supported by The Wireless Foundation, the charitable
organization formed by the member companies of CTIA-The Wireless
Association, the international association of the wireless
telecommunications industry, and Teen Arrive Alive, dedicated to
addressing teen driving safety. The goal of the initiative is to remind
teens to stay safe and alcohol-free on prom night and to encourage a
dialogue between parents and teens about the dangers of underage
drinking. Additionally, the American School Counselor Association
(ASCA) and the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA)
are participating by encouraging their members to utilize this tool to
keep teens safe during prom season.

“We encourage parents to talk to their teen over and over again,
especially on prom night, and remind them that underage drinking is
illegal and unsafe,” says Susan Molinari, Chairman, The Century
Council. “Text messaging allows parents to reinforce with their teens
how serious this issue is and how much parents care. And we know
parents make a difference. But the prom text messaging initiative is
not limited to only parents. Grandparents, siblings, friends – anyone
can visit www.prmtxt.org and send
a text message to someone they care about on prom night. We were very
energized by last year’s participation in this initiative and hope to
reach even more teens with this important message.”

Studies show that 65% of teens cite parents as their leading
influence in their decision not to drink. Steve Largent, President
& CEO of CTIA-The Wireless Association® added, “It’s no secret that
kids love to text message their friends. Text messaging has increased
93 percent over the past year and is one of the primary methods of
communication for teens. So it makes perfect sense for parents to reach
out to their teens with a very important message, and do it in a way
their kids can relate to. We hope by reaching teens in a manner they’re
comfortable with, we will keep kids safe and alcohol-free this year.”

Last year during Prom and Graduation Season (April, May, June 2005),
676 youths under the age of 21 were killed in alcohol-related traffic
fatalities nationwide according to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) – stark evidence that Prom and Graduation season
is a particularly dangerous time for our nation’s youth. While there
has been a nine percent reduction in the number of our youths killed as
a result of alcohol-related traffic crashes during the months April
through June, much more must be done to address this problem.

In addition to working with partners to publicize the text messaging
campaign, the Council will encourage students to register for the safe
prom text message at events across the country during Prom season,
specifically through Brandon Silveria, a young man who missed his high
school prom as the result of a near fatal alcohol-related car crash.
Brandon and his father, Tony, travel to high schools across the country
on behalf of The Century Council to spread their lifesaving message.
After spending three months in a coma and several years in
rehabilitation, Brandon suffers the long-term effects of one bad
decision – his decision to illegally consume alcohol and drive drunk.

“This text messaging campaign is yet another tool for parents to use
to keep their kids protected,” said Jack Church, Vice President, Teen
Arrive Alive. “All too often, the joy of prom season is overshadowed by
tragedy. We want to prevent that and encourage parents to register and
send their teens a message and – most importantly – talk to teens about
the importance of making responsible decisions as they become young
adults.”

For more information, visit visit www.prmtxt.org.

CTIA - The Wireless Association
CTIA is an international organization representing all sectors of
wireless communications – cellular, personal communication services and
enhanced specialized mobile radio. As a nonprofit membership
organization founded in 1984, we represent service providers,
manufacturers, wireless data and Internet companies and other
contributors to the wireless universe. For more information, visit www.ctia.org.

CTIA – The Wireless Foundation
The Wireless Foundation is a nonprofit organization established by the
members of CTIA- The Wireless Association to initiate and oversea
philanthropic programs that utilize wireless technology to help
American communities. For more information, visit www.wirelessfoundation.org.

Teen Arrive Alive
Teen Arrive Alive helps to keep teens safe, which provides parents with
considerable peace of mind. Through the Teen Arrive Alive GPS and decal
programs parents can now receive immediate input to counsel their teens
on safe driving habits and hopefully avoid tragic accidents....or they
will be able to locate lost or missing children right away without
precious time delays. Just knowing when you need to act is what makes
Teen Arrive Alive so important in helping to keep our teens safe. For
more information, visit www.teenarrivealive.com.