In The News

Teens Make Prom Promise
Originally printed in The Westerly Sun
Monday, April 12, 2010
Author: Emily Dupuis

WESTERLY - Local high school students are being asked to promise to live, laugh, listen to great music and dance - and to stay away from alcohol and drugs on prom night.

Westerly High School officials are preparing to roll out a "Prom Promise," a challenge to abstain from alcohol and drugs during the high school rite of passage.

Students, their parents and high school principal Paula Fusco will be asked by the end of the month to sign the following pledge: "I commit to an alcohol and drug free prom night because I care about my fellow students, my community and myself."

Jessica Spencer, a student assistance counselor at the high school, said that while students who sign the pledge will have their names entered in a raffle for prizes donated by local merchants, "I hope the real incentive will be for them to be safe."

And she's looking for parent and community support.

"Have it be a talking point with parents for their kids," Spencer said. "If we can bring awareness to it as adults, I feel like I've done my job."

The junior and senior proms are scheduled for May 8 and June 5, she said. Mary Lou Serra, Westerly Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force coordinator and founder of Westerly's own Prom Promise, praised the effort, which coincides with Alcohol Awareness Month.

In the early 1990s, the task force worked with the high school and its student assistance counselors to launch local prom promise efforts, which included the pledge cards, a drawing for prizes and trolley transportation to the prom.

Today, Prom Promise continues to have one goal in mind: "To keep kids alive," Serra said. She pointed to the fact that, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2005 alone, during prom season, 676 teens were killed in alcohol-related crashes.

"We always got it," she added. "The spring, proms, graduation, was the most dangerous time and our message has always been we have to work diligently to make sure our kids enjoy the proms and grad parties, but sober, safe, alive. We've got to get over this so-called 'rite of passage' nonsense. Kids die drinking and drugging and driving. But not if we can help it."

Students who sign the pledge and follow-through with the promise deserve praise and recognition, just as students who excel on the athletic field and in the classroom, Serra said.

"The kids that do this deserve credit for taking responsibility and sharing it with their peers.," she said. "And I think it's a really important message for parents, too. Don't sponsor prom drinking parties with that attitude, 'we'll allow them to drink in our house so they're safe.' No way. Parents can't make that choice for other families." "It's illegal in this state and with our new social host liability ordinance in the town of Westerly, it's more than just a slap on the wrist. People need to wake up. Underage drinking is a problem in our town just like in towns across this country," Serra added.

Serra said she believes wholeheartedly that the prom should be a party and a great night to remember for years to come - but a party where teens remain drug and alcohol-free.

"The party's not over, it's just drug and alcohol-free. Or should be," she said.

Spencer said she's gone door to door and found that a number of local businesses are embracing the initiative and happy to donate raffle prizes. "So far the response has been fantastic," she said. "My feet are tired, but the response has been great."