McKinney ISD Students, MADD and State Farm Celebrate Protecting You/Protecting Me’s Impact on Reducing Underage Drinking
3/24/2009
Contact Information
Kelley Tway, MADD, 469-420-4558
Cody Cunningham, MISD, 469-742-4095
Linda Middleton, State Farm, 972-732-5447
DALLAS (March 24, 2009) – State Farm Insurance Companies® and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) hosted a community celebration today in honor of McKinney ISD’s commitment to Protecting You/Protecting Me (PY/PM). PY/PM is MADD’s underage alcohol use prevention program taught by trained high school students, called Peer Helpers, counselors and nurses in MISD elementary schools. State Farm is the national sponsor of this groundbreaking program.
The latest year-to-year study of PY/PM Peer Helper students revealed significant behavioral changes after joining the PY/PM program. Peer Helpers reported a drastic reduction in binge drinking rates, and an overall drop in alcohol consumption over the previous 30 days. Peer Helpers are also less likely to ride with a driver who has been drinking, due to increased perceptions of the risks associated with alcohol consumption. The 2008 evaluation showed that Peer Helpers:
Reduced their past 30-day alcohol consumption by 10 percent
Increased their intention not to use alcohol in the future, and
Increased their knowledge of the negative effects of alcohol on the brain
“Protecting You/Protecting Me reaches out to kids early about the dangers of drinking before 21,” said Mary Kardell, MADD North Texas executive director. “We already knew the program is very effective among the elementary students, so the positive results on the high school leaders is powerful.”
PY/PM is the only program of its kind that engages trained high school students, called Peer Helpers, to teach elementary kids the ABC’s of alcohol: Alcohol’s effects, Brain development and Car safety, including how to stay safe if riding with an alcohol-impaired driver. Research shows that teenagers can have a positive impact on the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of children and that children have a tendency to look up to older youth. As a result, teens themselves learn to be role models, listen to their own advice and make more responsible choices.
“Protecting You/Protecting Me addresses components of our health curriculum, our science curriculum, and our language arts curriculum,” said Tom Crowe, Superintendent of Schools for the McKinney Independent School District. “It’s important to note that this program is not an add-on; it’s a complement to what we are already doing. We believe this is one of the reasons it has proven to be such an impactful program."
“State Farm makes it a priority to promote teen driver safety in our communities through programs like MADD’s PY/PM,” said Dennis Baker, State Farm Agent in McKinney.” Motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of teens in the United States, and this is an alarming statistic we are working to change.”
PY/PM is included in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), as a proven, evidence-based program. SAMHSA has also designated PY/PM as a Model Program. Only 65 programs throughout the country have achieved this status. For more information, please visit www.madd.org, www.statefarm.com, or www.mckinneyisd.net.
Protecting Me/Protecting You (PYPM) Press Kit – March 24, 2009
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