On June 9th, a group of students from Strong and Coginchaug legally entered Durham Wine and Spirits without parental supervision, but to promote a message against underage drinking. 

The students, members of the EDGE clubs at both schools, were taking part in their Sticker Shock event, part of the Parents Who Host Lose The Most Campaign.

Students walked or drove from Strong or Coginchaug to Durham Wine and Spirits, who cosponsor the event. Once there, they entered the building and put stickers on cases of alcohol and beer. 

“This [event promotes] the social host law,” Dena Miccinello, the prevention coordinator at Durham and Middlefield Youth and Family Services, explains. “It’s a federal [violation] if [legal adults] get caught [distributing alcohol to a minor].” The event is also supplemented with a bulletin board on the corner of Haddam Quarter Road and Main Street in Durham, which contains the same information which is on the sticker.

The timing of the event is on purpose as well. Miccinello said, “we usually try to do it close to graduation because there’s lots of parties and right before the summer [where there are more opportunities for underage alcohol consumption].” 

Kathy Bottini, the Coginchaug social worker and co-advisor of Coginchaug EDGE, said that, “it’s good that the students are involved [because] it helps them understand the importance of [not illegally drinking] and they are part of it, so they take some ownership.” 

“The message can also be spread to their parents,” Kirsten Deitz, the Strong health teacher and co-advisor of Strong EDGE, mentioned. 

After participating, the group was treated to ice cream at the Durham Dairy Serve courtesy of DMYFS, who co-sponsor the club.

EDGE, which stands for Excellent Decisions Guiding Everyday, is a club which promotes making good decisions to students, specifically in regards to relationship safety and underage use of alcohol and drugs. 

(Editor’s note: the author is a member of EDGE.)