Anti-drinking program sparks interest across state of Oregon

A video shoot for a TAPS ad. photo by Jim Mitchell A Sisters-based activist group dedicated to reducing substance abuse among teens is getting attention from schools and cities across Oregon.

Think Again ParentS (TAPS) was founded in 2002. Members developed a plan to increase parent and community awareness and to provide alternative youth activities.

Now they're taking their message beyond Sisters.

The Beaverton Mayor's Youth Advisory Council has asked Judy Trego (TAPS member, Director of the Community Action Team of Sisters (CATS) and City Councilor) to make a presentation to that group.

At a recent conference in Portland, a woman told Trego, "Kids are dying in our community." She went on to relate the story of a fatal auto accident as a result of teen drinking.

"Our community is much like yours, with lots of woods for teens to party in," the woman said. "We want it to stop."

TAPS has been campaigning to stop this kind of problem since the beginning. The first step in its campaign involved six Sisters Teens Organizing Prevention (STOP) students in the recording of a radio ad that dealt with the consequences of teen drinking. The Oregon Partnership financed a schedule of 40 spots which a local station matched for a total of 80.

Next was a commercial-length video produced by Fluid Images of Sisters. The video creates several images showing the possible results of teen drinking -- hospitalization from alcohol poisoning, arrest for drunk driving, teen pregnancy, and finally a car crash scene.

The video is being aired on two television stations.

Over the last three months a series of ads in The Nugget has detailed the effects of teen drinking.

Each ad starts with a question directed at parents such as "Think your kid was on a harmless 'camping' trip?" and ends with the phrase "Think Again, Parents."

The "camping trip" ad quotes the following statistic: "24 percent of eighth- and 11th-graders in Deschutes County report riding with a drunk driver in the past 30 days."

TAPS is also promoting parenting classes, working with law enforcement and helping other organizations to promote alternative activities.

The group's primary emphasis is on awareness and education of parents.

Throughout, TAPS has enlisted the input and support of the youth of Sisters. Students have told their own stories of family addictions, abuse, and tragedy. Some have become involved in STOP and others have been involved directly in the production of the radio and television public service announcements.

TAPS member Tom Coffield has produced a Powerpoint presentation that details the goals of TAPS, the media campaign and other programs being promoted to control teen substance abuse in Sisters. That presentation can be used to help spread the model to other communities.

TAPS is open to all interested individuals. Contact CATS at 549-2287 or SOAR at 549-4177.