Keep It Real: Involving Youth in a Community Effort to

Reduce Underage Drinkingwww.keep-it-real.us

Mike Kleinpeter Arthur Rouse♦

Jacqui Powell Laura Pait ♦

Courtney Cheatwood Ashley Dones♦

Keep It Real: Involving Youth in a Community Effort to Reduce

Underage Drinkingwww.keep-it-real.us

Mike KleinpeterB.A. Criminal Justice – Indiana University

B.S. Psychology – Indiana UniversityReceived C.P.P. Credentials in 2007Keep-It-Real Campaign Coordinator

State Chair for the KY Youth Empowerment SystemAssistant Director at Bluegrass Prevention Center

Keep It Real: Involving Youth in a Community Effort to Reduce

Underage Drinkingwww.keep-it-real.us

Arthur RouseB.A. Cinematography, Florida State University

M.A. Educational Technology, PepperdineFounder, Filmmaking Certificate Program, Bluegrass

Community and Technical CollegeManaging Director, The Kentucky Film LabOwner/Operator, The Media Collaboratory

Keep-It-Real

Funded by OJJDP through Kentucky State Police Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Initiative

The campaign is currently in its fifth year and continues to grow

Learning Objectives

How to facilitate a creative approach for the prevention of underage drinking by youth

How to mobilize key business partners (civic engagement) as well as youth leadership.

How to have a comprehensive initiative that utilizes current youth markets.

Begin with one component: Video Contest

• Youth are more likely to hear the message when it is created by youth.

• Youth produce 30 second videos• All entries posted on our website

www.keep-it-real.us• Community members vote on the Internet

for their favorite videos

Collaboration

• Winning videos air on television

• Winning videos also air at cinemas during the trailers

• Campaign promoted through news coverage, talk shows, and school visits

• Awards ceremony to recognize students for their effort held at local theatre

A Leader With an Idea:

• Pepperdine Experience:

– Filmmaking: A collaborative Model for learning and leadership

Pepperdine Experience

• “Of course you learn by yourself. No one can learn something for you.”

Pepperdine Experience

• Learning needs to be authentic and relevant to the learner

Pepperdine Experience

• Filmmaking: An innovative approach for connecting classroom to community!

Connections

• Keep-It-Real allows participants to engage in peer-to-peer dialogue in a non threatening way, then allows them to attain leadership positions within their peer community through effective and relevant communication.

Recognition

Why Start?

Civic EngagementDevelop a Broad Base of Support

• A group of community members came together to do something about underage drinking because the statistics were alarming

• The 30 day use of alcohol as reported from students in the Kentucky Incentive for Prevention survey found that 22% of 10th graders report drinking in past 30 days along with 42% of 12th graders

Civic EngagementDevelop a Broad Base of Support

Start with established groups: CHAMPIONS

(Mayor’s Alliance on Substance Abuse)

LOCAL KY-ASAP BOARDS (Agency for Substance Abuse Policy)

Partner with youth organizations

Include elected officials and media representatives

Recognition

Don’t Drink, Just Think

Components

Education Youth Involvement Recognition Challenges/Barriers

Education/Awareness

• Video Editing services went into local high schools promoting contest and raising awareness about underage drinking

• Bluegrass Prevention Center presented at middle and high schools in 17 counties.

We presented all aspects on underage drinking including youth produced videos.

Education/Awareness

• Bluegrass Prevention Center distributed brochures and information at the KY State High School Football Championship.

Education

• We partnered with the University of Kentucky College of Nursing where 2 interns went into classrooms and presented to high school students on youth advocacy and underage drinking

• Bluegrass presented at alternative schools and any other youth venue we could identify.

Involve Youth In the Process:Our Poster Promoting the Video Contest

www.keep-it-real.us

Enter

by

Dec. 6,

2004

Winner On TV

Involve Youth In the Process:Our Poster Promoting the Video Contest

Involve Youth in the Process

• Press Conference held at the local Government Center, to build awareness and interest in the prevention of underage drinking.

Education

How teachers use Keep-It-Real in the classroom

Health Teachers: Use In lessons about dangers of underage drinking

STLP Teachers: Part of the course work to make public service announcements

Information and videos played during morning announcements

Education• Bombarded with “facts”

Facts alone won’t change their thinking

• Peer influence strong

What they hear from other youth makes a strong impact

• Need consistent, community-wide message

The message must get their attention and be repeated frequently

• Reinforced at home Any effective program must include parents

Parent Education

Parent Education

• Lexington Family Magazine runs bi-monthly articles in local newspaper to educate families about underage drinking

• Lexington Family Magazine has interviewed and done feature stories on the winners for the past 5 years

Youth Involvement

• Showing statistics alone doesn’t make an impact

• Using creativity and visual images helps to make an impact!

Jacqui & Laura Video

She’s Always Watching

Jacqui & Laura Youth Involvement

• How did you come up with the idea to make your video?

• Why did you enter?

• Do you think your video has made a difference at school or in your community?

Jacqui & Laura Youth Involvement

• What do other students think about your video?

• Did you have family or friends help make the video or go online and vote?

• Have many people seen your video? How do people in the community respond to your video?

Courtney & Ashley Video

Live Life Through Your Dreams

Courtney & Ashley Youth Involvement

• How did you come up with the idea to make your video?

• Where and how did you recruit participants to be in your video?

• What do other students think about your video?

Courtney & Ashley Youth Involvement

• Has making this video caused you to think differently or change your attitude regarding underage drinking?

• What components make this contest so effective?– Recognition– Support– Leadership

Continuum in Message

• Videos impact elementary and middle school students, not just high school students

• To increase involvement we sponsored a middle school poster contest

Participation in Poster Contest

• First year: 2005-2006 for Poster Contest

• 9 participating middle schools

• Over 700 posters

• Recognition event held at Mall Theatre

Winners of Poster Contest

• Second year: 2006-2007

• 13 participating middle schools

• Over 1000 posters

• Recognition event held in conjunction with video awards ceremony

2nd Runner-upDestry HawkinsFranklin County

People’s ChoiceKristina SchulmanWoodford County

Judges Pick/Grand PrizeHolly Carter

Madison County

Challenges of the Poster Contest

• Middle school students loved contest

• It was labor intensive to collect, coordinate, and promote poster contest

• Lack of funding and manpower caused us to discontinue contest

Keep-It-Real Video

Have A Reason Not To

Recognition

Recognition

• Awards ceremony at historic Kentucky Theatre in downtown Lexington

• Civic engagement – Many community leaders involved

• Sponsors presented awards – “May I have the envelope, please?”

• 300 participants and their families attend yearly

• Youth performed their original song on stage

Recognition

• Community volunteers man the tables and pass out soda, popcorn, and candy

• Truly is like going to the Oscars: “The winner for best art direction is…“

• The winning video plays on screen, the winners come up, receive their awards and have their picture taken in front of the Oscar statues

Mayor Newberry and Henry Clay Winners

Youth Led the Way

2004 Emcee & Bluegrass RPC Director

Joe Elswick has been our Emcee for the event since 2005

Kentucky Theatre Oscar Night Theme

Bryan Station Students Entertained

Keep-It-Real Video

Think Don’t Drink

Media Coverage

Meet with local media in advance

Be available to comment on news stories

Keep it Real has had extensive publicity Articles in Herald-Leader and other county

newspapers Monthly coverage in Lexington Family

Magazine Extensive TV coverage Numerous talk show appearances Winning video aired on local cable and network

affiliate along with cinema

Youth Leadership Youth assist with Media

Youth have been interviewed with articles appearing in the Lexington Herald Leader, Central Record, Lexington Family Magazine, WKYT-TV, WTVQ-TV, and WEKU Radio, Fayette County Public Schools, and GTV3

Articles have appeared also in Champions Chatter, Stu’s News, ASAP Connection, and the News Enterprise

Recognition

Winners

Smile

Interview with Media

Winners

Recognition• Grand Prize Winner• People’s Choice• Best Acting• Best Comedy • Best Direction• Best Picture• Best Drama• Best Depiction

of Message

• Best Cinematography• Best Use of Music• Best Art Direction• Best Editing• Most Original• Best Foreign

Language

Grand Prize Winners! Grand Prize winners recognized in front of

minor league baseball crowd.

Winning video put on jumbo-tron

Keep-It-Real @ Legends

Celebrate Your Success!

• Photos here

Keep-It-Real Video

Cooking with Katie

What are the Outcomes?

• Increased youth and community involvement

• Expansion of youth recognition

• Increase in Underage Drinking prevention messages

What are the Outcomes?

Cinema airtime

• Fayette County: PSA will air 4800 times this year

• Garrard County: PSA has aired 2400 times

What are the Outcomes?

Cable airtime

• Fayette County Airtime: commercials aired 540 times this year

• Elizabethtown Airtime: PSA has aired 256 times

What are the Outcomes?2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Entries 36 48 65 62

Students Involved

175 150 180 240

Website Hits

6,000 (1 month) 26,000 (500 different people)

685,000 hits (Hacking suspected)

234,000 hits

Votes 3,000 votes 206,000 points 202,415 points

158,549 votes

TV Coverage

MTV, Comedy Central, ESPN

MTV, Comedy Central, ESPN

MTV, Comedy Central, ESPN

MTV, BET, ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC Family, Cartoon Network, SOAP network , VH1

2002 2004 20060

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

6th 8th 10th 12th

Pe

rce

nt

Fayette County

2002 2004 2006

6th 4.0 3.0 3.0

8th 14.0 15.0 14.0

10th 32.0 30.0 29.0

12th 42.0 40.0 40.0

Trend data for self-reported 30 day use of alcohol.

Source: KIP Data

2002 2004 20060

5

10

15

20

25

30

6th 8th 10th 12th

Pe

rce

nt

Fayette County 2002 2004 2006

6th 3.0 2.0 2.0

8th 8.0 7.0 8.0

10th 20.0 16.0 15.0

12th 28.0 23.0 24.0

Trend data for self-reported binge drinking.

Source: KIP Data

Keep-It-Real Video

Prevention Starts With You

Community Engagement

Keep-It-Real Quarterly Talk show

Youth talk about issues such as underage drinking. These talk shows air repeatedly on the government channel where youth ideas and opinions are shared

Engagement

Underage Drinking Town Hall Forum

Youth and adults were brought together to discuss issues in our community around underage drinking

Local elected officials and over 100 participants attended

Youth Leadership

Youth serve as keynote speakers

Joe Elswick was the keynote speaker at the statewide Champions/KY-ASAP

Annual Conference

Youth Leadership

Youth assist with presentations

Youth have played a role in community education at Bluegrass

They have presented outside of Fayette County at FACES forums in Woodford County

Youth also work with local law enforcement in doing presentations in the community

Connections Past three years youth have attended

EUDL Conferences

Many youth who have attended the EUDL training now

serve on local ASAP and Champions boards as youth representatives!

Part of the Solution

Former Keep-It-Real participants have been contracted to make PSAs around marijuana prevention

Already have received 2 PSAs and 3 more are currently in production

Have submitted both marijuana PSAs and KIR PSAs to abovetheinfluence.org website

Keep-It-Real Video

Be an Influence

Challenges

• Moving the youth past the drinking and driving message! Early in the contest it seemed like that is all the videos were!

• The message we want to convey is Don’t Drink Underage!

• Need the right “Public Relations” person to bring all the necessary partners to the table

Challenges

• Getting to Outcomes!

• Having all the pieces of the puzzle to create a new vision– Education– Media Activity– Youth Leadership– Recognition

Challenges

• Recognizing everyone for all their efforts. Do it step by step, grabbing partners along the way.

• Start small, do that well, then add another piece.

Challenges

• Finding ways to utilize youth ideas and components

• Time commitment!

– Getting to all schools with education

– Coordinating all aspects and not leaving anyone out

• Always coming across as new and fresh!

• Encouraging participation even when not winning a big prize.

Conclusion

• In the beginning we could have written commercials and PSAs by thirty, forty, or fifty year olds.

• By allowing youth to directly impact their peers through creating their own PSAs and then recognizing these efforts becomes a win for all.

Conclusion• We found that for every person involved in

making a video, at least ten other people had some involvement in the video as well

• Think about all the students that have been involved in making videos or any of the other youth leadership activities in Keep-It-Real and think about how many people we have actually reached.

Absolute Outcome“Example is not the main thing in influencing

others, it is the only thing”

Albert Schweitzer

Thank You• Kentucky State Police• Central Baptist Hospital• Video Editing Services• Fusioncorp Design Mediahouse• Jordan-Chiles Advertising• Lexington Legends• Lexington Family Magazine• Lexington Fayette Urban County Government• Bluegrass Prevention Center• Lynn Imaging• Mayor’s Alliance on Substance Abuse• Fayette County Local ASAP Board

Thank You

www.keep-it-real.usmjkleinpet@bluegrass.org