The grant will fund the Risky Business Program, which will educate ABAC students and the community about the potential dangers of alcohol, especially with regard to highway safety.
Bernice Hughes, ABAC's Dean of Students/Director of Housing, said she was very pleased to receive the grant and credits the hard work of everyone in the Housing Office.
"Students need to have an outlet, somewhere they can turn to for information about the use of alcohol, and they need that information to be readily available to them," Hughes said. "This grant money will allow us to sponsor activities and programs for students to raise awareness of alcohol consumption, to curb underage drinking and highway fatalities, and to assist students in clarifying their knowledge and values concerning alcohol. We want to offer students alternatives to promote responsible decision making and healthy lifestyles."
One of the most important goals of the Risky Business Program is to establish a peer education organization on campus. Interested students will participate in a three-day training program and become certified as peer educators. This training is "designed to empower students with the core training to educate, confront, listen to, and help their peers make healthy lifestyle choices."
Hughes said the Housing Office has already used some of the funds for special programs on the ABAC campus.
"We set up a display at Open Campus Day last April," Hughes said. "We also conducted 15 alcohol awareness programs in the residence halls as well as information sessions at the parent/student sessions of summer orientation. We purchased alcohol sensors for ABAC's Public Safety Office to be used as teaching and demonstration tools. We also have a laptop computer for PowerPoint presentations and a digital camera to help design posters and display boards. I am really excited about the work we are doing and am looking forward to planning more activities and programs for students."
ABAC's Office of Student Life and Housing has already applied for renewal of the grant in the amount of $24,000, and Hughes hopes it will be approved for the next grant period.
For additional information about the Risky Business Program, contact ABAC's Office of Student Life and Housing at (229) 386-3233.
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