The Power of You(th)™ is the power you hold as a teenager, and as a generation to influence your peers, younger kids and even adults by taking a stand against underage drinking.
Join teens around the nation and use your power to take a stand during Red Ribbon Week. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Wear Red! Red Power of You(th) bracelets may be available through your local MADD office.
• Give your peers the 411 on Teen Drinking. MADD and its National Teen Influencer Group have prepared a booklet just for teens. Find it here or ask your local MADD office for hard copies to distribute in your school. A Discussion Guide is also provided online and in the booklet, ideal for you and a teacher to lead your class in discussion about underage drinking.
• Use the power of Twitter and Facebook to tell others why you don’t drink or ride with others who do.

Here are some easy things to post:

• Teen alcohol use kills ~6000 people a year, more than all illegal drugs combined. Take a stand against underage drinking #PowerofYouth
• 1 in 5 teens binge drinks...that means 4 out of 5 DON’T.  Underage drinking is not cool. #PowerofYouth
• Kids who start drinking young are 7x more likely to be in an alcohol-related crash. Take a stand against underage drinking.  #PowerofYouth
• Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, and about 1/3 of those are alcohol related. #PowerofYouth 

(Don’t forget to add #PowerofYouth to your tweets!)

• You can also visit www.facebook.com/MADDsPowerofYouth to enter to win NFL prizes through MADD Props™ by taking a pledge not to drink underage!

• Provide school announcements each day that spread the message about the dangers of underage drinking as well as what your peers can do to use their power to not drink. Here are some key messages:

• One in five teens binge drinks. That means four out of five DON’T.
• Teen alcohol use kills about 6,000 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.
• Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, and about one-third of those are alcohol related.
• Kids who start drinking young are seven times more likely to be in an alcohol-related crash. 
• High school students who use alcohol or other substances are five times more likely to drop out of school or believe good grades are not important. 
• Enter MADD’s video contest to demonstrate your power to stop underage drinking and for a chance to win an iPad. Go to madd.org/youthvideo.
• MADD and the NFL have partnered on a social media campaign during football season to encourage teens to not drink before age 21 and to not ride in a car with someone who has been drinking. Teens can take a stand by signing pledges through the Power of You(th) Facebook page, facebook.com/MADDsPowerofYouth, where they can also enter to win NFL prizes.

Be the influence. Use your power to take a stand during Red Ribbon Week.