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Alcohol awareness is part of school's prom preparations
By JAMIE SHERMAN
Published April 12, 2004
While all the preparation for prom - shopping for just the right dress, hair appointments, tuxedo fittings - is part of what makes the night perfect, Clearwater Central Catholic High School adds one more thing to the check list: a mandatory meeting discussing the dangers of drinking.
"The biggest message is a responsibility not just to one's self, but also to one's family and one's friends," said Jim Deputy, the dean of student affairs. Deputy runs the meetings, which are designed to display a message of responsibility on prom night.
Unlike other school's prom promise, a pact students sign to ensure they won't drink on prom night, CCC doesn't provide a contract. Rather, the school introduces ideas each year to instill awareness that one mistake can make. If students skip the meetings, they will not be allowed to go to prom.
Last year, the prom meeting included a video showing the repercussions of drinking and driving, and also had students write a letter to their parents in case they were involved in an accident the night of the dance.
This exercise was not intended to scare promgoers but to make them aware that their decisions affect them and everyone around them. But not all students think the meetings work.
"People only go to them because they are mandatory," said senior Mary Coryn, 17. "No matter what is said or done, people are going to drink if they want to."
"CCC portrays drinking like it's a huge problem, but students walked away from last year's meeting like it was a joke," said senior Jenn Bujalski, 17. "It was really ineffective."
But some students think it is up to students to decide what to do on prom night. Senior Austin Llewellyn, 18, agrees. "I think the meeting had its initial shock, but within 10 minutes after, it's their own conscience that controls them, not the video," he said.
"It doesn't make a difference what the outcome of the prom meetings are. It's a lot easier just not drinking and having to worry about getting in trouble," said junior Stefan Scheuermann, 17. "I'll have fun without drinking no matter what."
School officials say the meetings will continue.
"Even if only half of the students who attended the meeting were favorably impressed and impacted by the contents of the meeting; even if the meeting made 10 students be more reflective about the consequences of their actions and as a result be more careful, then I think the meetings were a success," said associate principal Dulce Roman. "I would hate for even one of our students to have been involved in a serious accident and us not have taken any steps or preparation to prevent it."
Jamie Sherman, 17, is in 12th grade at Clearwater Central Catholic High.
