Johnstown, PA (June 18, 2015) – Beginning in fall of 2015, high school students in Cambria and Somerset Counties will question everything they thought they knew about the “benefits” of drinking alcohol. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) this week awarded The Learning Lamp a nearly $40,000 grant to deliver the evidence-based program Alcohol Literacy Challenge™ to students in grades 9-12 in the two-county area.
PLCB received 103 applications from organizations in 38 counties. The Learning Lamp was one of 65 applicants from across Pennsylvania awarded a combined $2.3 million through PLCB’s Alcohol Education Grant Program.
“We are very pleased to be able to provide this financial support to law enforcement and community- and school-based programs that combat underage and dangerous drinking. We know these grants will make a difference in people’s lives,” said PLCB Chairman Tim Holden.
Alcohol Literacy Challenge™ (ALC) is listed in SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices. The curriculum, which can be delivered in two 45-minute sessions, combines Alcohol Expectancy Theory with Media Literacy Education to challenge teens’ beliefs about the “benefits” of drinking alcohol.
“By the time young people are in high school, they think they know all about why people drink alcohol and the perceived benefits of drinking,” explained Lisa Stofko, Prevention Programs Manager at The Learning Lamp. “Alcohol Literacy Challenge takes an entirely different approach to prevention. The kids analyze a dozen multi-media examples of alcohol advertising, dissect the messages and come up with their own conclusions about whether drinking alcohol actually delivers what advertisers are selling.”
Additionally, as students learn about the impact of alcohol on the brain and the mental and physical effects of drinking, many come to redefine their view of alcohol. Studies of high school students who have completed ALC found decreased positive attitudes toward drinking based on pre- and post-program surveys and follow-up surveys found reduced quantity and incidence of regular alcohol use among participants.
The Learning Lamp is currently scheduling sessions of Alcohol Literacy Challenge™ for the 2015-16 school year. For more information, call Lisa Stofko at 814.262.0732.
The Learning Lamp is a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage all children in the support they need to succeed. We deliver high quality programs that are affordable and accessible to families of all income levels. The Learning Lamp served 19,748 children from 88 school districts and 46 non-public and private schools and other organizations in 18 Pennsylvania counties and two counties in Maryland in 2014.
Our programs include: one-to-one tutoring; before/after school programs; portable classrooms aimed at building math and science skills; alternative education programs for at-risk students; evidence-based prevention programs; online learning and credit recovery; SAT preparation; educationally-focused child care; literacy-based preschool programs; and grant writing and project consulting for schools.
@thelearninglamp:Ready to make a positive impact in the classroom? Ignite Education Solutions is hiring a part-time Substitute Personal Care Aide to work in the Greater Johnstown Area School District. Benefits include training and development opportunities and more! When school is off, you're off! Candidates must have a high school diploma and the ability to pass clearances. Apply online today at http://tiny.cc/4v3avz
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