Three weeks after “Gold” signs first graced the hallways, puzzling students and faculty members alike, the initiative has been revealed.
The “Gold” program is part of a “national, federally funded social norms” campaign, according to member of the Drug Control Policy Office Joe Ryan, class of ’73, who is heading the program.
At JC, the focus is on underage drinking. Current sophomores, juniors, and seniors took a survey last spring that revealed that 68 percent of the school has not had an alcoholic beverage in thirty days.
“If you’re not drinking, you’re in the majority of kids at John Carroll. We want to shrink that 32 percent to make them feel like the outsiders,” said guidance counselor Carrie Siemsen who, along with English teacher Eric Sutton, is leading the program on campus.
“The whole idea behind the program is just the truth, putting the truth out there (about how many students are drinking regularly),” said Sutton.
Ryan and Siemsen are not concerned with inaccuracies in the results. “The surveys are sent to professionals with PhDs, they know how to clean them up. It’s called ‘scrubbing’ the information to make it an accurate survey,” said Ryan.
The intent of social norms is “peer driven. We know we can come in here with gory pictures, but that’s only going to last for a day or two. Positive peer pressure will make things change. That’s how to effect change, through an internal change of a small group of student leaders,” said Ryan.
A major obstacle that the program faces is in the mindset of the population, “Our mindset is that ‘It’s just alcohol,’ but when you’re dead, you’re dead. In the first five years of the Iraq war, 4,000 soldiers were killed. 30,000 people have died during that same time because of underage drinking. I ask the simple question – Where is the outrage?”
The signs were kept a mystery because “unveiling everything in one fell swoop might have only been effective for a day or maybe a week. People are talking about it still; it hasn’t died instantly,” said Sutton.
Student driven events will take the place, with a current plan of one meeting and one activity a month. However, none have been planned as of yet.
“My goal is to put some substance behind this, something that can back up the message. We’re not a self help group. We want to provide opportunities other than partying,” said Sutton. However, Sutton said, “It’s not my program. It’s the students program. I’ll facilitate a few ideas and monitor the meetings.”
Now the initiative has been revealed, “Kids that are appropriate for this, bring yourself and your ideas,” said Siemsen.
Said junior and original campaign member Kelsey Lake, “The people involved in it now are from all different types of student demographics.”
Sophomore T’Keyah Lisbon said, “The group actually cares because people have a future and we don’t want the future limited to drinking. It’s an opportunity for students that drink to stop drinking and come into the group.”
However, Lisbon hoped to clear up misconceptions about the group, “We really don’t tell on people. We just want to make our school known for something good.”
Sophomore Allie Runk added, “We’re a positive influence. We’re not here to get you in trouble because it’s solely your choice.”
Teachers were asked to select students that were “good role models, leaders, and well respected among peers,” said Siemsen. Each nominated student was interviewed, and 15 students accepted. They were trained in early September by consultants from Colorado.
John Carroll was selected because of their partnership with the Drug Control Policy Office. Ryan submitted his plan to the federal government in the hopes of getting monetary aid for it to succeed.
Thanks to a Drug Free Communities grant, Ryan has $100,000 to use between Edgewood and John Carroll.
“This is costing John Carroll zero dollars. Tuition has nothing to do with it,” said Siemsen.
Edgewood’s focus is on respect, with the slogan, “We Run This.”
“The federal government is realizing we have to start addressing this issue in high school. Bottom line, we save one person from going down the bad path, it’s worth it,” said Ryan.
The social norms campaign has been done in “at least 40 schools around the country. It’s nationally accredited. The students receive the same training, same campaign, but with a different message. Statistics show that this works,” said Siemsen.
The program will be evaluated over the next three years. Said Ryan, “If we can show (to the federal government) that its succeeding, we’re more likely to get money.”
“Alcohol is the biggest thing that is going to affect the future of the John Carroll student. We want to solve that problem and make the John Carroll community stronger,” said Ryan.
Kate Froehlich can be reached for comment at [email protected].