Enrollment is open for the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority’s (ABC) Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project (YADAPP).

YADAPP is a unique peer leadership opportunity fostering healthy communities and the prevention of substance use. The annual program begins with a kick-off conference July 22-26 at Christopher Newport University in Newport News. Participation requires the registration of a team including four high school student participants and one adult sponsor.

During the conference, students attend topical workshops facilitated by peer leaders, hear from well-known motivational speakers, learn peer leadership and prevention best practices and develop Strategies To Act Now (STAN) plans to address substance use among their peers. Teams compete for $250 mini grants to use as seed money for their STAN plan and the $500 Wheeler Award to sustain their continued prevention efforts.

Enrollment is open through June 1. A $600 per-team fee includes conference materials, lodging and meals, as well as year-long coaching and support for adult sponsors as they aid their team in implementing its STAN plan throughout the school year.

Adult sponsors participate in their own track throughout the opening conference. They receive resources and training on topics that will help them support their team. Adult sponsors are eligible for continuing education units and professional development hours. Law enforcement officers are eligible for partial in-service credits through the Department of Criminal Justice Services.

In addition to working on their prevention plans, students can expand their experience as peer leaders by applying for YADAPP youth staff positions and progressing through four levels of leadership with increasing responsibilities. These levels start with the youth leader role acting as a guide for conference participants and build to the top level of serving as conference interns. YADAPP interns are young adults who spend 10 months planning aspects of the program including curriculum development and youth staff training.

“Peer-led substance use prevention is a proven-effective path for young leaders to take a stand to create positive change and promote healthy behaviors among youth in the commonwealth,” explained Katie Crumble, Virginia ABC director of Community Health and Engagement. 

Since its inception in 1984, approximately 450 different high schools and community organizations and more than 12,000 students have participated in YADAPP. For more information and to enroll, visit the YADAPP website.

August Free Press - Crystal Graham, Published date:September 16, 2023 

Miss Virginia Katie Rose will promote healthy choices and substance use prevention to students in Virginia elementary schools as part of Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority’s Miss Virginia school tour program.
The Miss Virginia Organization and Virginia ABC share the combined goal of educating students about making positive decisions to better prepare for success.
Supported by the Virginia ABC community health and engagement mission to prevent high risk and underage alcohol use, Miss Virginia educates elementary school students about the risks of alcohol and other drug use. The tour is funded by a $17,500 ABC grant and features several program options for elementary schools across the state, which can participate in person or virtually live.
A George Mason University graduate, Rose earned a law degree from the University of Richmond this year. As Miss Virginia, she plans to also champion her social impact initiative focusing on raising awareness for domestic violence and keeping individuals safe.
Rose feels that ABC’s campaign to prevent substance abuse underscores her commitment to improving the lives of children in dangerous circumstances.
“I know that I want to encourage and have a platform for every child to make healthy choices for themselves and feel that they have a safe place to come forward if they choose to do so,” said Rose. “Substance abuse prevention efforts must begin in Virginia’s elementary schools.”
Since 1953, the Miss Virginia Pageant has provided a platform for young women to advocate for causes and issues important to them. Virginia ABC has a long-standing partnership with the Miss Virginia Organization.
Last year’s Miss Virginia, Victoria Chuah, visited 67 elementary schools reaching 18,369 students promoting healthy decision making and leadership through the Miss Virginia school tour program.
“Virginia ABC and the Miss Virginia Organization have collaborated to meet students where they are with age-appropriate information about drugs and alcohol to protect them from dangerous behaviors as they grow older,” said Virginia ABC community health and engagement director Katie Crumble. “This early communication sets the stage for a lifetime of promoting health and safety by being informed, approachable and good leaders.”


School programsMiss Virginia provides the foundation and encouragement for young students to understand healthy choices and be aware of the harms of substance use.
The Miss Virginia school tour messaging aligns with the Virginia Standards of Learning of Advocacy and Health Promotion, Essential Health Concepts and Healthy Decisions focusing on substance use prevention as outlined in the SOLs. In accordance with these standards, two versions of the presentation based on grade level (Kindergarten-first grade and second-fifth grades) are available.
Each student who participates in the program receives a copy of Virginia ABC’s educational health and safety activity workbook. The workbook encourages powerful connections when a teacher or caregiver shares the experience of completing the book with a child. Workbooks will be shipped to each school prior to the scheduled visit.
Students will:

• learn what positive choices are and how to make them, and how to say “no” when something is not healthy for their bodies;
• learn what it means to be a leader in their community and among their friends; and
• be able to identify who is a trusted adult and understand the role they play in their lives.

Schools interested in scheduling a Miss Virginia presentation may request a school tour stop by visiting www.abc.virginia.gov/education/programs/miss-va

Forbes.Com
Joseph V Micallef, Contributor, December 9, 2022

It’s the holiday season! A time when many individuals and organizations entertain friends, family, employees, and customers. December typically represents the peak month of alcoholic beverage consumption in the US. Given the wide diversity of alcoholic beverages, from low-alcohol seltzers and “alcopops” to beers, wines, and RTDs to overproof spirits, it’s not always apparent exactly how much alcohol, what in industry parlance is called “standard drink equivalence,” you are consuming.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has launched a new public education campaign, the ABCs of ABVs, to promote a broader understanding of standard drink equivalence. Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RDN, LD, a nutrition expert and former director of nutrition at WebMD, is serving as spokesperson for the campaign. Recently, I spoke with Kathleen to find out more.

JM: Why is the Distilled Spirits Council launching this campaign now?
KZ: With the holidays in full swing, it’s time to celebrate with family, friends and coworkers. For many adults, that means toasting the season with a glass of beer, wine, or a cocktail. Given the increased consumption of alcohol during this period, now is an ideal time to raise attention to the importance of drinking responsibly and practicing moderation.

JM: Why focus on standard drink equivalence?
KZ: Understanding standard drink equivalence is essential for drinking responsibly and practicing moderation when consuming beverage alcohol. But right now, the overwhelming majority of adult Americans don’t know what constitutes a standard drink. 
A national survey earlier this year found that nearly 9 out of 10 adults in the United States (88%) do not understand that a standard drink of beer or wine has the same amount of alcohol as a standard drink of distilled spirits – such as whisky, vodka or rum. This misunderstanding may lead people to incorrectly estimate how many standard drinks are in their beverage. For example, a single can of high-ABV craft beer or ready-to-drink beverage may be equivalent to more than one drink under the standard drink definition.

JM: What exactly is the standard drink definition?
KZ: It comes down to the “alcohol by volume” – or ABV – which is the amount of alcohol in a particular container of alcohol. A standard drink is 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (at 40% ABV), five fluid ounces of wine (at 12% ABV), 12 ounces of regular beer, or a ready-to-drink convenience cocktail (at 5% ABV). 
Each of these drinks has the same amount of alcohol in them – 0.6 fluid ounces of ethanol. And research has shown that the effects of ethanol on the body are the same, regardless of whether it is in beer, wine, or distilled spirits products.

Governments (from local to federal), public health authorities, and health and traffic safety experts in the United States widely use this standard drink definition.

JM: How should adults use this information to guide their consumption? 
KZ: The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans define moderate drinking as consuming up to one standard drink per day for women and up to two standard drinks per day for men for those who drink. That may be a lot less alcohol than people expect. Meanwhile, binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more drinks in one sitting for women and five or more drinks on one occasion for men. 

JM: Where can consumers get more information on standard drink equivalence?
KZ: The Distilled Spirits Council has a great website, StandardDrinks.org, which has more information on standard drink equivalence. 
Since alcoholic beverages come in various types and container sizes, the website includes a helpful, easy-to-use calculator that allows consumers to input the container size and the ABV of their beverage to see how it measures up to one standard drink. Of course, it’s unlikely that consumers will pull up this calculator in the middle of a party. Still, I would encourage drinkers to look up their typical or expected beverages in advance to be better informed before they drink. 
Notably, the website also notes that some adults should not consume any alcohol and recommends checking with your healthcare provider to discuss alcohol consumption.

​JM: As a nutrition expert, do you have any final words of wisdom for our readers?
KZ: A beer, glass of wine, or cocktail can be part of an enjoyable and balanced lifestyle for most adults. But as Americans celebrate this holiday season, it’s important to remember that moderation is key for those who choose to drink. And it’s not what you drink; what counts is how much alcohol you drink.
So always remember your ABCs of ABVs: “A”lcohol is alcohol, “B”e mindful of alcohol consumption, and “C”onsume in moderation.