The youth of Scott County did an amazing job of empowering awareness among parents and teens about the DANGERS of TEEN ALCOHOL AND DRUG CONSUMPTION through film.
This past April 25th was an exciting night at the Third Annual “STOMP Drugs Film Festival and Town Hall Meeting” held at the Mid-America Science Park Presentation Hall.
CEASe of Scott County teamed up with Communities That Care to challenge all Scott County 5th through 12th grade filmmakers to RAZZLE, DAZZLE, and leave the audience in AWE with their youth-oriented anti-alcohol and drug video creations. They did not disappoint! Seven entries were submitted in mid-April and the Coordinators from CEASe, CTC, and Rx Drug Abuse Prevention judged the original seven and narrowed them down to the four semi-finalists.
These top four videos (which can be viewed below) were then judged at the Film Premiere by Deborah Henderson, Mary Roush, and Nathan Todaro of southern Indiana.
First Place received a $500 Cash Prize–”The Lucky One”: Written and Produced by Matthew Jerrell and Tristan Gentile.
Second Place received a $250 Cash Prize–”Think, Don’t Drink”: Written and Produced by Jameson Hale, Rita Nicholson, Isaac Johanningsmeier, and Ethan Harrison.
Third Place received a $100 Cash Prize–”Drugs: You Use, You Lose”: Written and Produced by Allie Chastain.
Fourth Place received a $50 Cash Prize–”One”: Written and Produced by Lyndie Foster.
The Award Presentations were made by the CEASe Chair Lori Croasdell, Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Jason Mount, and Scott County Sheriff Dan McClain.
The Town Hall Meeting included a power point presentation by Lori Croasdell on “Parents Who Host Lose The Most: Don’t Be a Party to Teenage Drinking–It’s Against the Law” which was then followed up by Mr. Mount and Sheriff McClain talking about social hosting and what parents need to know.
The crowd of 50 youth and adults were very receptive and appreciative about all they learned. Those in attendance were reminded: As a parent, it is against the law to provide alcohol to teens under the age of 21 under any circumstances, even in your own home, even with their parents’ permission. It is illegal to knowingly provide a place for a person under 21 to consume or possess alcohol or to allow this to occur on your premises, even if you haven’t provided the alcohol itself.
CEASe and Communities That Care will be hosting this event again in the spring of 2015 with the rules coming out at the end of January 2015. For more information on CEASe, visit their website at sccease.org or email the Coordinator at lcroasdell@me.com.
CEASe strives to reduce the incidence and prevalence of substance abuse and addictions among youth and adults in Scott County and is governed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.