Mundelein Police Department, Mundelein After School Coalition and Mundelein STAND-UP Task Force Host Campaign to Prevent Teen Drinking During Prom/Graduation
On May 2, 2017, three local groups, including the Mundelein Police Department, Mundelein STAND-UP Task Force and Mundelein After School Coalition (MASC) joined forces to prevent underage drinking during this year's prom and graduation season. Members of the three organizations visited over 75 local businesses in Mundelein and asked owners to display materials such as yard signs, posters, banners, coasters and bottle neck brochures from the "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" campaign. The campaign reminds parents and other adults that it is illegal to provide alcohol to minors or host underage drinking parties, per Mundelein Social Host Ordinance 9.80 and the Illinois Social Host Law.
The campaign is conducted right before prom and graduation because this is a time when families host celebration parties and some may allow teens to drink during these occasions. However, the Parents Who Host Lose the Most campaign reminds parents and other adults that underage drinking is not only dangerous, but illegal.
Almost 70% (69%) of high school seniors in Mundelein reported that alcohol is "sort of easy" or "very easy" to get, according to the 2016 Illinois Youth Survey and 38% of seniors who reported drinking alcohol said they drank it with their parents' permission. Students also reported they obtain alcohol most often from "friend", "party", "parents without their permission" and "an adult (other than my parents) with that adult's permission.
Deputy Police Chief and Mundelein STAND-UP Task Force Chairperson, Don Hansen, thanked local businesses that displayed campaign materials and said that, "preventing underage drinking and other teen drug use requires effort from the entire community- it is not just the job of the police department, schools or parents, but rather it is the job of everyone who influences teens. We can only create a healthy and safe environment for our youth with full community support. The fact that Mundelein businesses participated in this campaign says a great deal about our town and shows that we prioritize our youth." Hansen was pleased that there were no incidents over either weekend of prom or graduation and to his knowledge, everyone made it home safely.
The three groups wanted to emphasize the fact that most (73%) Mundelein teens make healthy choices to be alcohol and drug-free. However, 27% of high school teens in Mundelein reported drinking alcohol during the past 30 days and 18% of high school seniors reported binge drinking, or having five or more alcoholic drinks in a row during the past two weeks, when they took the Illinois Youth Survey in the spring 2016. According to Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther, "the best way to keep teens healthy and safe is to urge parents to provide alcohol-free places for teens to hang out after prom and during graduation parties, as well as over the summer." Chief Guenther emphasized the vital role parents play in helping teens make good choices to abstain from drinking alcohol or using other drugs.
In honor of the community-wide campaign effort, after volunteers visited businesses, Pastor Thomas McArthur of local church, The Chapel in Mundelein, invited everyone to a celebration barbeque, courtesy of his church. MASC Coordinator and Mundelein Police Officer Rachel Messina expressed how proud she was of MASC and STAND-UP students who participated and said she is grateful to all the businesses who displayed campaign materials this year. The groups hope the campaign message resonates throughout the summer to keep teens healthy and safe during these months when students have more free time. It will take the whole community to achieve this goal.