Attorney General Luther Strange Brings Ask, Listen, Learn to Capitol Heights Middle School
Montgomery, AL — Today, Attorney General Luther Strange partnered with The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility’s Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix program to motivate 700 students at Capitol Heights 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 affect their chances for success in the future,” said Attorney General Strange. “I’m proud to be here with Ask, Listen, Learn to share this healthy message during Alcohol Awareness Month.”
Attorney General Strange cheered on students as they eagerly competed for high scores in the running competition on Ask, Listen, Learn’s interactive 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.
Capitol Heights Principal Bobby Abrams commended The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility’s efforts to reach his students on this key issue. “We’re delighted to have Ask, Listen, Learn at Capitol Heights. Our students love learning about healthy lifestyle choices on the game in the classroom, but the best part is that they bring what they learn home to their families to start collaborative conversations about underage drinking.”
“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. “Our “#JointheConvo” goal for Alcohol Awareness Month is to start 1 million conversations about alcohol, and what better place to jumpstart key dialogs on underage drinking than with 700 middle schoolers here today!”
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. On the site 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.
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.