Sober Graduation Events Save Lives
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism “Underage drinking in The United States remains an urgent public health problem contributing to a host of immediate and long-term detrimental consequences.” Additionally according to a 1993 Student News publication of the Johnson Institute, when school-age youth are allowed to drink alcohol at home, they are not only more likely to use alcohol and other drugs outside the home, they are more likely to develop serious behavioral and health problems related to their use of alcohol and other drugs. In addition, when parents ''bargain'' with youth -- allow them to drink as long as they promise to not drink and drive -- the youth are more likely to drive after drinking or be in a vehicle driven by someone who has been drinking (Fresno Bee, 1999).
To help combat teen substance abuse, Sober Grad events have been created across the United States. Amador County is no different. Amador County Sober Grad is a nonprofit organization that holds an event every year for all high school students in Amador County to help students avoid the dangers of substance abuse while giving them a safe and fun night of celebration on graduation night. Things like cash, laptops, televisions, DVD players, dorm-size refrigerators and other college dorm essentials, movie passes, health club memberships, and even a brand new car are given away to bring students in and make their graduation night a memorable one. Our Sober Grad event is in danger.
The Amador County Sober Grad event is put on to help save the lives of our local high school students. In recent years, a growing trend of prominent families, having their own graduation parties at their homes, where teen substance abuse may be allowed, has created a huge problem not only for the future of the annual Sober Graduation Event, but the safety of high school students and those they may potentially come into contact with on the road.
Amador County students feel their Sober Grad event is not enticing enough to attend. Sober Grad Committee members asked students why they don’t want to come to the Sober Grad event, they simply said, “It’s boring.” They feel putting on a party at home is more exciting than going to Sober Grad. Amador County Sober Grad and the Italian Benevolent Society want to address this issue, but we need our communities help.
In past years Sober Grad was held at the Italian Picnic Grounds because the Italian Picnic and Sober Grad fell on consecutive weekends. This allowed for full use of the Italian Picnic’s carnival for the Sober Grad event as well as lots of great games and other entertainment, and a host of outstanding prizes. During this period of Sober Grad’s history, student attendance was substantial; averaging 1650 students. Student attendance dropped by 375 students the first year Sober Grad was not at the Italian Picnic Grounds.
Because of the change in the school calendar, Sober Grad and the Italian Picnic fell on the same weekend causing Sober Grad to move its venue to Gold Country Lanes. While the Sober Grad Committee, students and community are very grateful Gold County Lanes stepped up to allow use of their facility, Sober Grad was in a much smaller area, thus the number of things to do was limited. We added bowling but the large carnival rides were not an option for such a small area. Student attendance continued to diminish averaging 250 per year.
Sober Grad is put on by donations and by entrance fees from underclassmen. With low attendance, businesses wonder if their donation is really “worth it”. Add this to lower ticket sales and it creates a smaller and smaller budget each year, and now the event is in danger of not happening for future students. If the event is not there for future students, there is a high probability that large graduation night parties and substance abuse will increase and a greater likelihood of accidents or even death will occur for high school students on graduation night.
This year Sober Grad was fortunate enough to be back at the Italian Picnic Grounds because of the way the school calendar fell. Student attendance grew to over 400. This proves if Sober Grad could get back to the Italian Picnic Grounds, attendance numbers would increase and more lives could be positively impacted on graduation night. This is where we need your help. If we can get the community to go with the Sober Grad Committee and the Italian Benevolence Society members, to the School Board to help make graduation night once again fall on consecutive weekends to the Italian Picnic, the Sober Grad event can be back at the Italian Picnic Grounds, student attendance will rise, and fewer students will be engaging in risky behaviors that may cause harm to them or someone else. So, if you are as concerned about teenage substance abuse as the members of the Sober Grad Committee and the Italian Benevolence Society are, please attend the Amador Unified School District Board meeting on TBD 2019.
