Bloomington, CA —  In the Bloomington High School computer lab today, Delores Curry, President of the California School Counselors Association, Ignacio Cabrera, Principal of Bloomington High School, and Dennis Byas, Superintendent of Colton Joint Unified School District, joined Dana Fudurich of The Century Council to launch Alcohol 101 for High School Seniors, a new CD-ROM and companion Educator’s Guide designed to assist in educating high school seniors about the importance of making responsible decisions about alcohol. The Century Council, a national not-for-profit organization funded distillers dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking, will provide the Bloomington School community, as well as counselors across the country, with CD-ROMs for use in their alcohol education efforts among the class of 2005.

High school students, particularly seniors, are constantly facing decisions about alcohol. Recognizing this situation, The Council, and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), a worldwide nonprofit organization supporting the efforts of school counselors, partnered to create and distribute the program to assist educators in preparing students to make informed choices about alcohol.

“Bloomington High School is proud to help distribute the Educator’s Guide and CD-ROM as another tool in the fight against underage drinking among high school students. The program was developed by leading national educators with intimate knowledge of the issues facing today’s high school seniors, During pilot tests, the program was well received among students and educators alike, and I am confident that our nation’s school counselors will use Alcohol 101 for High School Seniors throughout the entire year to keep the responsibility message alive,” said Cabrera, Principal, Bloomington High School.

Delores Curry added, “While the studies show that most teens do not drink, The Century Council recently commissioned a study revealing that 65% of teens get the alcohol they drink from family and friends. That’s right, they’re getting the alcohol from right under their parents’ noses or from their friend’s parents or from older siblings — with or without permission. As any school counselor can tell you, communication between parents and teens is critical during not only the high school years, but as your teens graduate and begin their independent lives. We must do all we can to provide them with the tools necessary ‘to lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society’.”

By demonstrating the negative outcomes of bad decisions and by providing safe and healthy alternatives, Alcohol 101 for High School Seniors encourages students to maintain safety and control in situations involving alcohol. During the program, students attend a virtual party, meeting new friends, learning a little bit about some of them and discovering that each has a “People + Alcohol” decision to be made with potential consequences. Alcohol 101 for High School Seniors allows students to make a wrong choice, and see the consequences through the safety of their computer screen. Then they can replay the scenario and make a responsible decision. Before students know what hit them, they have learned a great deal about how to take care of themselves, and their friends, in situations involving alcohol.

“On behalf of The Century Council, I could not be more pleased about our partnership with the California School Counselors Association on Alcohol 101 for High School Seniors. It is critical that every single high school educator have access to this important tool designed to help their students make safe and responsible decisions about alcohol,” said Fudurich of The Century Council. “By incorporating this into school programs throughout the year via ASCA’s support, we hope to have a significant influence on students’ ability to maintain safety and control in situations involving alcohol, particularly during key times of the year such as Prom and Graduation Season.”

The Century Council, launched in 1991 and funded by distillers dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking, promotes responsible decision-making regarding beverage alcohol, and if an individual is under the age of 21, the only decision is not to drink. The Century Council is headquartered in Washington, DC and is chaired by The Honorable Susan Molinari. An independent Advisory Board made up of distinguished leaders in business, government, education, medicine, and other relevant disciplines assists The Council in development of programs and policies. For more information on the Alcohol 101 for High School Seniors program or to order a free copy of the program, log onto www.centurycouncil.org or www.Alc101forHSseniors.org.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is a nonprofit organization based in Alexandria, Va. Founded in 1952, ASCA supports school counselors' efforts to help students focus on academic, personal/social and career development so students not only achieve success in school but are prepared to lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society. The association provides professional development, publications and other resources, research and advocacy to 14,000 professional school counseling practitioners around the globe. For more information, visit www.schoolcounselor.org.