By Javier Rodriguez
Senior Reporter
Carpe Diem (Seize the day) by joining the Alcohol Abuse Initiative (AAI) today to urge students to “Seize the Keys” at 4:30 p.m. in the LSC Ballroom.
AAI continues with their Six Weeks of Alcohol Awareness Training Program (SWAAT), which started over a week ago on Jan. 19, in an attempt to decrease the number of drinking and driving accidents and fatalities.
“We want students to leave the event knowing they can save a life, prevent people from driving while intoxicated and also to learn about the mental and physical impairment that alcohol does to someone,” said AAI Coordinator, Rosanne Keathley.
“Seize the Keys” will also have a discussion about drunk driving statistics for SHSU, exploring how drunk driving affects campus and society.
“We will focus on the fact that while drunk driving is a noteworthy problem because of the numerous devastating outcomes, most students do not drink and drive,” said Health Programming Coordinator Michelle Lovering. “In fact, only 35 percent of students reported ever drinking and driving on the 2004 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study at SHSU.”
Students feel it is a good idea to have informative programs such as “Seize the Keys,” after the tragedy concerning the death of an SHSU student last year.
“Yeah, I think it’s a good idea; too often I hear about drunk driving accidents that could have been prevented,” said senior, Bianca Jackson.
Some SHSU students already practice “seizing keys” from friends who are not able to drive which is encouraged by AAI.
“Members of my sorority take the keys away from sisters who are not able to drive home, and we’ll have them spend the night or have a designated driver drop them off,” said sorority member, Margaret Moreno. She added “Yeah, without a doubt alcohol awareness is the best way to plan and educatereality struck close to home last year and hopefully students will learn from events like this.”
Events like today’s “Seize the Keys” has information that is a valuable asset for students and has reached a lot of students as well as the community of Huntsville, according to Keathley.
“It’s good for students to know about options and responsibility when going out,” said student health center assistant, Alisha Moore.
The various SWAAT activities throughout the semester will give attendees chances to earn prizes by bringing their SWAAT cards to the events for verification.
“Students who participated in SWAAT activities last semester should bring their SWAAT cards and continue to earn their free prizes,” said Lovering. “If students haven’t received a card yet, they can pick one up at a SWAAT event.”
For more information, contact Michelle Lovering at (936) 294-4347, Rosanne Keathley at (936) 294-1171 or visit [http://www.shsu.edu/aai].