| TRENTON – Twenty-six high school students from throughout New Jersey were honored by the Department of Law and Public Safety and the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control tonight at the State Museum for their efforts to keep their peers safe and sober during prom season.
These students received commendations for their entries in the Proms and Alcohol Don’t Mix PSA script contest, which was organized for an eighth consecutive year by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The purpose of the contest is to encourage high school students to communicate to their peers the dangers of underage drinking. The winning script was turned into a 30-second commercial, which has been running throughout the spring on television stations and online. The winning entry was written by Woodstown High School Students Jay Ariza, Reid Truett and Austin Counsellor.
“Prom season is a memorable time in a young person’s life and it is our goal to ensure it is remembered for good times, not tragedy,” said Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Michael Halfacre. “The Division considers underage drinking to be a major threat to the well-being of high school students and have found this contest to be an invaluable conversation starter and tool to raise awareness about that threat.”
The winners’ script was judged best among the 52 submissions in January by a panel comprised of senior ABC staff, media specialists and teen substance abuse advocates. A production team from Rutgers University went on-site to Woodstown High School in February to shoot the spot.
The PSA features Woodstown students trying to combine things that don’t mix, like orange juice in cereal, football players using a soccer ball and wearing a tux with sandals. Before these unnatural pairings can be completed, other students intervene with lines like “dude, those definitely don’t mix.”
The consequences of mixing alcohol with proms and graduation festivities can include emotional and legal ramifications, Halfacre said. Possession of alcohol while under the legal age is a disorderly person’s offense, and penalties could include fines of at least $500 as well as a six-month suspension of a driver’s license.
To view the PSA, visit the ABC’s web site at www.nj.gov/oag/abc/annual-psa-contest.html.
1st Runner Up -
- Overbrook High School, Pine Hill
James D’Autrechy, Brittany McHorney, Rachel Scolari, Alyssa Monetti, Rubi Lopez and Dajona Chism-Lindsey
2nd Runner Up- (tie)
- Montville Township High School, Montville
Jessica Messina and Christian Ro
- Central Regional High School, Bayville
Kyle Maslen
Honorable Mention
- Essex County Vocational School, Newark
Wellington Gomez, Christian Coronel and Franchesa Martich
- Central Regional High School, Bayville
Michael Carnevale
- Point Pleasant Borough High School, Point Pleasant
Olivia Ferdon
- Pequannock Township High School, Pompton Plains
Jenelys Daniel
- Central Regional High School, Bayville
Evan Grossi
- Somerville High School, Somerville
Alex Bruskin, Kristin Schmitt, Anna Baker, Kelly Moran and Andy Morris
- Nutley High School, Nutley
Erin Toye
- Westfield High School, Westfield
Jeremy DeDea and Lizzie Fox
- Triton Regional High School, Runnemede
Jenny Choi and Seyma Kirca
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