McDowell News
U.S. Representative Heath Shuler delivered a very serious message to the kids at East Junior High this week. He joined The Century Council to urge the kids to "Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix" Monday morning in the school's auditorium.
The Century Council created an interactive, physical fitness activity that builds on the existing Ask, Listen, Learn program and encourages kids to “say yes" to a healthy lifestyle and "no" to underage drinking.
The initiative is based on research by Harvard Medical School’s Dr. John Ratey, showing that for a person’s brain to function at its peak, the body needs to move. The interactive activity, as well as a supporting website, encourages kids to live a healthy lifestyle. The website also provides parents with information and strategies to help jumpstart the conversation about the dangers of underage drinking.
“Encouraging kids to talk about tough topics such as underage drinking can sometimes be a challenge, yet Ask, Listen Learn’s interactive fitness game is an engaging way to teach kids about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and the health risks of underage drinking,” said Shuler.
Jennifer Curley of The Century Council added, “According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 16 percent of 12- to 14-year-olds report they have consumed alcohol in the past month. Our Ask, Listen, Learn program has the potential to further reduce these numbers, as half of 12-14-year-olds believe alcohol education has made a difference in the decision they have made regarding alcohol.”
East Principal Charles Gaffigan said he was glad to have this new way of communicating a timeless message to his students.
“We are thrilled The Century Council was able to bring their Ask, Listen, Learn program to East McDowell Junior High School. Talking about the dangers of underage drinking with our youth is incredibly important and I have a feeling after today’s event our students will be asking to play the interactive activity a lot. I believe the more enthusiasm we can build around this important issue – saying ‘no’ to underage drinking – the smarter choices our students will make,” said Gaffigan.
Developed over six years ago, Ask, Listen, Learn has already reached millions of parents, kids, and teachers around the country. Ask, Listen, Learn’s new initiatives include:
- Asklistenlearn.com encourages kids to adopt a healthy lifestyle and avoid underage drinking by offering kids interactive and educational games and videos. Any kid can become a member of the Ask, Listen, Learn Team by taking a pledge to make healthy choices.
- Ask, Listen, Learn utilizes role models such as Speed Skater Apolo Anton Ohno and professional track stars Tyson Gay and Lolo Jones. Ask, Listen, Learn team members will be encouraged to read questions and answers from role models to learn how elite athletes dealt with peer pressure as they were growing up. These "Super Stars" will encourage kids to make responsible decisions and live a healthy lifestyle.
