Students Working for Alcohol Truths

the problem:

Students Working for Alcohol Truths, or SWAT, is a peer led group focused on changing the community view of alcohol advertising and its impact on young people.

In July 2006, 11 youth and 5 advisors from Madison County Schools were trained in Media Literacy. Over the summer these youth assessed their community for alcohol advertising that they felt targeted the underage. They created video or power point presentations and educated local leaders in their school and community on their findings.

Since the beginning of the project, SWAT has been featured on WCNY television, multiple newspaper articles, radio interviews, PSA announcements, and done multiple community and school based presentations.

For 2007, the group was featured on Teen Talk out of Syracuse, NY, reaching adults and youth in over 23 counties.

SWAT also partnered with Price Chopper in Oneida and P&C in Cazenovia to conduct Sticker Shock, the placing of warning labels onto alcohol or alcohol related products. The warning labels were targeted at adults over 21 that might purchase alcohol for minors.They successfully placed over 1,000 warning stickers in Madison County.

For this 2007-2008, SWAT students are working on getting alcohol ads out of school libraries, social norms messaging and working with local retailers to reduce alcohol advertising in their establishments.
For more information regarding SWAT and to view photos of projects visit www.bridges-mccasa.org

vital stats:

people impacted:

people involved: