| Youth must and will decide about drinking alcoholic beverages. The majority of them not only choose to drink, but are making that choice at an earlier age. A call has been issued from state and national levels for community involvement, with a specific plea for churches to take an active role in alcohol education. Churches have been reluctant to become involved for a number of reasons, one of which is an uncertainty about what to teach and how to teach it. This project provides resources which will enable local lay leaders to assist young people as they choose to drink or abstain.; A brief review of educational endeavors focuses on the history of alcohol education in the United States from colonial times to the present. The developing content of religious and secular educational programs is examined, including information giving, fear arousal, moral suasion, value clarification, decision-making skills, and assertiveness training. The materials developed in the project utilize cognitive, affective, and behavioral approaches.; In addition, the teacher is presented with basic alcohol information, several educational goals to choose from, the developmental tasks of junior high youth, and some of the social forces that influence the choices of young people including advertising, parental example, portrayals of drinking in the mass media, and peer pressure. What distinguishes these materials from those used in the public schools is the biblical and theological perspective. The writings of the Bible, and how they have been understood by various church groups, is the substance of the developed materials. |
