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High School Students Work to Curb Underage Drinking

Prevention Efforts Funded by the Office of Traffic Safety

California Friday Night Live Partnership logotype

Chapters of the California Friday Night Live (FNL) Partnership—which builds leadership skills and helps prevent teen alcohol and drug use—are participating in a statewide underage drinking prevention effort. Students across California are engaging in vital discussions with their communities to help change the social norms surrounding underage drinking. The effort is made possible due to funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Projects at Schools in Sacramento County

Local stores are often the first way teens are able to acquire alcohol, so students from Del Campo High School (San Juan USD) have been conducting store assessments and meeting with merchants to make recommendations that could reduce teen access and alcohol exposure. Students also implemented a campaign called “Not on My Watch,” and are publishing social media content highlighting the efforts of their retail partners. Special thanks to Fair Oaks merchants Express Food & Liquor and Sidhu Food & Liquor for their participation. The Del Campo FNL chapter hopes to involve additional businesses in the future.

Inderkum High School (Natomas USD) students are working on a year-long campaign that seeks to tackle the social norms around underage drinking. They are promoting a positive narrative around not using alcohol before age 21. The Inderkum FNL chapter is developing youth-targeted posters, adult-targeted educational materials, and a public service announcement to change misperceptions and support young people’s healthy choices. The campaign is part of a larger, statewide effort involving 35 FNL chapters.

About Friday Night Live

The California Friday Night Live Partnership is a statewide youth development program launched in 1984. It promotes healthy lifestyles for youth, free of alcohol, tobacco, and other substance use. FNL builds partnerships for positive and healthy youth development, engaging students as active leaders and resources in their community.

The Prevention & Early Intervention Department at the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) provides support to local Friday Night Live and Club Live chapters through community service opportunities, training and support for students/advisors, and special events.