P.A.R.T.Y. program educates teens on alcohol-related risks

“There’s a lot of peer pressure to go out and try new and different things, and some of the decisions that these young people can make can result in bad consequences,” he said. “It’s teaching them that these consequences are out there and have real impacts.”

Participants were led through five sessions with the RCMP, EMS, emergency room, addiction therapy and physical therapy staff.

“Basically it’s the path of an injury survivor,” Pollock said. “We’ll discuss what happens when someone is injured or ill. Any type of risky behaviour is open for discussion here, from impaired driving to sexually transmitted infections. One thing we tell them right up front is that no one during these session is going to tell them not do something. That is their decision. We’re here to show them what the outcomes can be.”

He said that while the day deals with serious subject matter, the students are an integral part of the collaborative process, by practicing what the various medical professionals do to aid those in need of care.

“You can see the kids are thinking throughout all these scenarios,” Pollock said. “In the beginning they act like typical teenagers: laughing and joking. But by the time they get back from the funeral home, they’re a much more thoughtful group. Here, we talk with – and not at – the students and involve them in the process. We don’t over exaggerate, but we don’t hide things from them either.”

Delia Bourassa is the wellness coordinator at Ernie Studer School in Loon Lake and escorted a dozen Grade 12 students to this year’s session. She said it is an important day and students learn positive lessons. “They gain awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving, and that it affects everyone around them,” she said. “They’ve seem to enjoy the interactive activities and really learn. I’ve been bringing our students for quite a few years and they always give good feedback about it.

Grade 10 Carpenter High students Jenna Baragar and Keelie Selinger said that they found the day incredibly informative.

“It’s an eye opener in how alcohol can impair you in your decision making,” Baragar said. “It’s really helped us learn and want to pass the knowledge on to our peers.”

Selinger concurred by saying it was good to know and be aware of the risks.

“The EMT session was interesting because we got to role play and practice what would happen in those situations,” she said.

“We got to use the neck brace and find out how they strap you to a (spine) board really shows how much work EMS puts into helping people when they’re injured,” Barager added.

Both agreed that all students should go through the program as it is a positive learning experience.

“It’s taught us that it’s not that you can’t have fun, but just to be safe about it,” Barager said.

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath

by meadowlakeNOW

P.A.R.T.Y. program educates teens on alcohol-related risks

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