issues facing their campus," says Katie Weaks, Manager
of Education and Prevention with the Virginia ABC.
Pennsylvania's Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has
created a new program this year targeting students,
known as the High School/Middle School Alcohol
Awareness Video Contest. Funded through a NABCA
grant, this new initiative takes the form of a contest for
all middle- and high-school students across the state.
The agency reached out to school superintendents
to announce the contest, and also promoted it via
press releases and social media channels. Students
were asked to create compelling 15- to 30-second
videos articulating anti-underage drinking messages
to their peers. Submissions were accepted through
mid-February, and a panel consisting of PLCB staff as
well as external individuals will judge the contest and
determine the winners. Cash prizes will be awarded to
the winning students, ranging in amounts of $100 to
$1,000. An additional $1,000 prize will be given to the
school with the most video submissions. The winners
will be recognized during an awards ceremony which
will take place during the PLBC's annual conference
in April.
In addition to generating buzz for the anti-underage
drinking campaign through the contest itself, the PLCB
hopes to use some of the video submissions to continue
promoting their messages via Facebook and other
outreach campaigns.
"We haven't engaged this age group before with
regards to asking them to provide us with the messages,"
says Jerry W. Waters, Sr., Director of the Offi ce of
Regulatory Affairs with the PLBC. "This contest gives
students the opportunity to be very creative, and to
develop messages that are relevant to each other. At that
age, you tend to hear your parents, but you listen to your
peers. We are hoping this approach proves successful and
can continue."
Depending on the success of the program and the
StateWays Q www.stateways.com Q March/April 2014 30
In 2006, the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control launched the long-running Parents
Empowered campaign, a statewide initiative targeting parents as primary infl uencers in their
children's decisions of whether to participate in underage drinking. It consists of a multi-tiered media
campaign incorporating television ads, radio spots, billboards, poster, social media pushes, and more.
It has proven to be a notable success.
