Alcohol Awareness / Injury Prenvention Program / Talk it Out With Down East Wood Ducks

County: Lenoir

Grantee: Lenoir Community College FY18-19-20 Vidant Injury Prevention FY18-19 Down East Wooducks FY17-18 Season

Title: Alcohol Awareness / Injury Prevention Program / Talk it Out With Down East Wood Ducks

Description:

Lenoir Community College (LCC) has been investing in the quality of life of the citizens in Lenoir, Greene and Jones Counties for more than 60 years. LCC has long been known for its responsiveness to the needs of the area with quality education, training, and active involvement in our communities. The college’s 2017-2022 strategic plan is “Reimagining the Student Experience” through the programs and services we offer and how we deliver them, and how we approach and provide workforce development to ensure that our students and our communities are prepared for a dynamic and modern economy. The goals in our strategic plan collectively reflect the mission and vision of the college through emphasis on evidence-based decision-making to support student success, teaching and learning, and community engagements.

Our strategic plan focuses on engagement, investment, and achievement. Students learn more when they are actively engaged in their education and have opportunities to think about and apply what they are learning in different settings. Student success grows from a culture that includes innovation, collaboration, and excellence. Community partnerships are vital to the college to its mission and values to provide educational and training opportunities to students.

The college’s audience is diverse. LCC serves more than 4,000 students each semester through its college and continuing education programs. The appropriation from the Lenoir County ABC Board for alcohol and drug awareness will allow the college to provide programs targeting its faculty, staff and students. The college is also home to the Lenoir County Early College, for high school students taking college classes while simultaneously enrolled in college-level courses. These students would benefit from an educational awareness program at a younger age than traditional college students.

Because of the growing need to educate the public on alcohol as well as drug awareness, the College has been approved and will offer a 17-credit Substance Abuse certificate under its Human Services degree beginning in the Fall 2018. The first course, Overview of Substance Abuse, will provide an overview of the core concepts in substance abuse and dependence. As with any new program, educational materials beyond the textbook would provide a more significant learning experience for those enrolled in the program.

Partnering with the college’s Student Government Association and with the Human Services Program, educational materials will be distributed through sponsored events such as Spring Joust and Alcohol and Drug Awareness Month in an effort to reach all audiences at LCC.

Programs:

• Speakers Lecture Series
• Fatal Vision Alcohol Awareness Packages to provide a hands-on demonstration allowing the audience to experience with a sober mind the risks of being under the influence of alcohol. The company has a wide variety of alcohol and drug awareness educational DVDs as well as printed materials such as floor banners, flyers, and posters. http://fatalvision.com/fatal-vision-goggles.html
• Online educational program through Safe Colleges that can be administered through the College ACA Student Success course that all students are required to take when enrolled as well as for faculty and staff awareness training. (implemented 2019, see below)
• Sponsor Alcohol and Drug Awareness Month by providing materials and giveaway items to promote awareness across campus. – Planned for April 7 (see attached)

Online Education Program through Safe Colleges:
The employee course provided all employees with an understanding of drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace, how to recognize the signs of substance abuse and addiction, and knowing our role in fighting substance abuse on the job.

The student course is designed to educate students on the risks of the abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and to teach successful strategies for handling dangerous situations related to these substances. The course features four modules: Your GPA, Your Brain, Your Peers and Your Life. Each section provides extensive, research-backed evidence of the detrimental effects alcohol and other drugs can have, and how social skills and interactions can help reduce harm associated with these substances.

Vidant Injury Prevention: Educating young people on the dos and don’ts while operating a motor vehicle.

Down East Wood Ducks: The billboard was next to the Mother Earth Pavilion. Hopefully, with thousands of fans a week, someone took the time to check out the Talk it Out site.

Why This Project Was Chosen: The Board agreed that if they can educate people before they became dependent on alcohol it is easier to inform and educate than rehabilitate.

Who This Project Impacted:
LCC: Many incoming students into the Lenoir Community College system.

Vidant: Young people in Eastern NC high schools.

Wood Ducks: Fans of all ages from all over NC.

Results of Project: The Board feels if we can persuade one student to not drink and drive, we have done something. By reaching multiple students hopefully we can reach more than one. This applies to all areas and projects the ABC Board has contributed money to over the past couple of years.