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Annual Freshmen Forum Focuses On The Dangers Of Alcohol

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Annual Freshmen Forum Focuses On The Dangers Of Alcohol

By Eliza Hallabeck

Newtown Parent Connection and Newtown High School PTSA sponsored their third annual Freshmen Forum on Underage Drinking at the high school on Wednesday, October 16. Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson told the assembled group of freshmen and their parents to listen to the speakers.

Presenters included an emergency room physician, someone who had lost a loved one due to underage drinking, and someone who had struggled with drinking in the past, and a lawyer.

Between speakers, students also read accounts, not their own, that dealt with drinking.

William Begg, an emergency medicine physician at Danbury Hospital, spoke to the consequences of risk taking. Dr Begg’s presentation focused on multiple aspects of the dangers of alcohol, including the danger of drinking and driving and the effects alcohol has on an adolescent brain.

Newtown Police Department Office William Chapman also spoke during the event, telling the students, “I really do want to see you guys grow up to be happy, healthy, and successful.”

While Officer Chapman spoke about the laws regarding underage drinking, he also spoke about other consequences of underage drinking, like lowered inhibitions when it comes to taking and texting photos. Officer Chapman told the freshmen to make decision based on where they want to go in life.

Attorney Michael S. Lynch also spoke on the laws regarding underage drinking, and focused some of his attention at parents. “People who host lose the most,” said Mr Lynch.

Near the end of the evening two speakers, who went only by their first names, spoke to their own personal experiences with alcohol.

Rachel explained it is hard to apply to college again at 27 after failing out the first time due to alcoholism.

“I didn’t think I was what an alcoholic was,” Rachel said.

She had everything she wanted growing up and parents who supported her, but, Rachel continued, no one explained to her that everyone feels alone.

“I started drinking because I didn’t want to think what I was thinking,” said Rachel. At the time she thought others were better than her.

Now, Rachel sees herself as a different person than the 14-year-old who slit her wrists and had to call her little brother to come home and call the cops. She is a different person than the girl who passed out on a friend’s lawn at 16 years old.

“I haven’t drank since I was 20,” said Rachel. “I’ve never had a legal drink.”

It took her a really long time to like herself, and said she feels it is a parent’s responsibility to explain to their children that everyone feels alone and looks down on themselves at some point in their lives.

Nick spoke next, and he displayed a photo of his stepbrother David on the screen for everyone in the audience to see.

Nick said he grew up with David, “but he got into a car with someone he shouldn’t have trusted.”

The difficult part for Nick, he explained, was not telling everyone that he has lost his stepbrother, but that, “I was the one driving the car.”

It was Christmas night and Nick was legally allowed to drink at the time. After staying up drinking Nick and David decided they wanted to listen to music, but did not want to wake their parents, asleep in the house. They got into a car and drove.

“I woke up in Danbury Hospital, not knowing what had brought me there,” said Nick.

He learned later that David did not survive. Nick later spent time in prison as a consequence of that night.

Now, roughly ten years later, Nick said he wants to live life. He also asked the parents and students in attendance during the event to make a pact that if the student calls home in need of a ride, no questions will be asked that night. The parent or parents have a right to ask later, he said, but he asked them to recognize that the students made the right choice by calling home.

Parents and students in attendance were also given folders that contain several pamphlets of local resources and further information on the topic. If parents have further questions, Parent Connection can be contacted at 203-270-1600 and information is available on the organization’s website, www.newtownparentconnection.org.

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