Attorney General Bob Ferguson partners with 'Ask, Listen, Learn' at Whitman Middle School
SEATTLE, Wash — Today, Attorney General Bob Ferguson partnered with The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility’s Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix program to encourage 300 8th graders at Whitman Middle School to “say ‘YES’ to a healthy lifestyle and ‘NO’ to underage drinking.”
“These middle schoolers are at a critical age where it’s important for them to know the decisions they make now can and will affect their chances for success in the future,” said Attorney General Ferguson. “I’m proud to be support the Ask, Listen, Learn program to share this healthy message as they get into the swing of the school year.”
The educational program included playing the interactive Ask, Listen, Learn game. The game enables youth to learn about the negative consequences of underage drinking and the benefits of making healthy decisions while they exercise. The premise 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 multimedia program includes the game and print materials, with the website presenting a pledge to live a healthy lifestyle, online games and pages featuring Ask, Listen, Learn Superstars.
“Ask, Listen, Learn presents a fresh way for youth to learn about a topic that’s sometimes hard to talk about,” said Whitman Middle School Principal Sue Kleitsch, “If we can get the conversation about underage drinking started with peers in school, the website and social media channels can provide educational backup content for parents to continue this discussion with their teens at home.”
“The availability of alcohol to underage youth has declined for more than a decade, yet 11 percent of 8th graders report they have consumed alcohol in the past month,” said Ralph Blackman, President and CEO of The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility. “We’re proud to be here with General Ferguson to present Seattle teens with facts about the dangers of underage drinking in a fun, interactive way with the Ask, Listen, Learn game.”
About Ask, Listen, Learn
Ask, Listen, Learn is the most widely distributed alcohol education program of its kind. Ask, Listen, Learn’s initiatives include Asklistenlearn.com, a website that encourages kids to “say ‘YES’ to a healthy lifestyle and ‘NO’ to underage drinking” by offering kids interactive and educational games and videos. Kids can read about positive role models and take a pledge to make healthy choices. Parents and educators are also encouraged to visit the site for tips on how to facilitate these conversations and read interviews with gymnast Aly Raisman’s parents on how they talked to their kids about underage drinking. Ask, Listen, Learn is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest constantly promoting a healthy lifestyle message.
About The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility
The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility is a national not-for-profit leader in the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking and is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.; Beam, Inc.; Brown-Forman; Constellation Brands, Inc.; DIAGEO; Hood River Distillers, Inc.; and Pernod Ricard USA. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility promotes responsible decision making regarding beverage alcohol and develops and implements innovative programs and public awareness campaigns which ignite action through strategic partnerships. Established in 1991, their initiatives are highlighted online at www.www.responsibility.org and www.asklistenlearn.org.