Attorney General Tim Fox brings 'Ask, Listen, Learn' to North Middle School
Great Falls, Mont — Today, Attorney General Tim Fox partnered with The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility’s Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix program to encourage 700 teens at North Middle School to “say ‘YES’ to a healthy lifestyle and ‘NO’ to underage drinking.”
“It’s important that these students understand that the choices they make today—good or bad—will have a lasting impact on their lives,” said Attorney General Fox. “I’m proud to participate in the important work the Ask, Listen, Learn program is doing to engage teachers, parents and teens in the sometimes challenging discussion about the risks of underage drinking.”
General Fox cheered on students as they tested their fast feet on 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.
“Our students have loved having the Ask, Listen, Learn program in the classroom,” said North Middle School Principal Fred Anderson, “They learn so much about living a healthy lifestyle while engaging on the game with their peers, then take what they learn home to discuss with their families.”
“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. “It’s never too early to talk to your teens about underage drinking, which is why we’re thrilled to have Attorney General Fox here today to share this message with Montana youth.”
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.