AIC students observe Alcohol Awareness Week
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| Charlene Shephard (left, rear) and Diane Morra (right, front) participate in Alcohol Awareness Week |
SPRINGFIELD--If you visited the campus of American International College recently, you probably saw a number of students with white masks on. No, it wasn't an early Halloween party, but a day-long exercise called "Alcohol Affected Me." It's part of the college's observance of Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week.
"Alcohol Affected Me: A Day-Long College Exercise" was held on Tuesday, October 23. Students dressed in black for the day and wore a white mask, with blood and a tear drop painted on to the masks. The masks were full-faced masks with somber expressions – serving the purpose of maintaining a single facial expression for the entire event. Students were not be permitted to communicate with anyone not involved with the event.
Darren James, AIC Student Government vice president, said students also walked around with "Certificates of Death" hanging around their necks, stating their name, their date of birth, the cause of their death and the purpose of their participation in the project.
"The purpose of the day’s event was to be a substantial simulated visual project to have students experience what it is like to have people they know, love and care about not be here," James said.
In October, college and university students join with their peers on more than 3,000 campuses across the country to promote National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW), October 15-21, 2006. During NCAAW, students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of events designed to reinforce personal responsibility and respect for current state laws and school policies regarding the consumption of alcohol beverages.
College administrators play a vital role in educating students about alcohol. "We need to do a better job of showing college students - particularly new students - that most of their peers are not abusing alcohol and making bad decisions," said Betsy Foy, Chair of the ACHA Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs Coalition. "Students want to fit in and follow campus norms. We have a responsibility to inform students that responsible behavior is the true norm. Then, we can begin changing attitudes and behavior."
NCAAW has become the largest single event in all of academia because students take the ownership in designing and implementing this observance for their campus communities. This week gives campuses the opportunity to showcase healthy lifestyles free from the abuse or illegal use of alcohol and to combat negative stereotypes of college drinking behavior.
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