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February 9, 2009

Teens reach out to peers in anti-drinking commercial

By Yadira Betances

LAWRENCE — In a conference room, Tiffaney Nieves leads a business meeting while Xavier Torres enters to clear the tables. Their eyes meet and he turns away in shame.

The scene is from a commericial about two high school friends who traveled different paths after Torres turns to alcohol and Nieves continues to pursue her education. He become a busboy while she graduates from college and has a successful business career.

"I though it was a good idea (to do the commercial) because I know some friends who drink," said Nieves, 17, a junior at Lawrence High's Health and Human Services Academy. "They are young, but they want to be cool. I feel very bad for them even if I talk to them, they don't care and they don't listen.

The commercial was filmed at Salvatore's Restaurant on Merrimack Street by members of the Youth Community Coalition of the Lawrence Methuen Community Coalition. The commercial will be shown on public access television.

"Who better to tell teenagers about this issue than teenagers themselves," said David Perez, coordinator of the coalition's substance abuse prevention initiative.

The idea for the commercial came from the students themselves after brainstorming on what to do to address the problem. They came up with the skit, wrote the dialogue as a group, and learned to work the cameras.

In addition to the commercial, Elizabeth Rodriguez, a consultant for the Underage Drinking Prevention program, hosts a radio program Tuesdays at 10 a.m. on AM 1490 talking about underage drinking.

Coalition staffers along with members of the drinking prevention team, Lt. Sean Conway of the Lawrence Police Department and the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission of Massachusetts have led training on responsible serving to package store owners.

Nieves said she hope that by watching the video, her friends and other teenagers can see an image of themselves and change their behavior.

"I hope they follow the message that the future is not going to be good for them," she said.

Torres, 15, a freshman in the business, management and financing academy at Lawrence High, said playing the role was life changing for him.

"It showed me how underage drinking can affect me in real life and mess up your priorities," Torres said.

He too tells his peers to make the right choice when it comes to alcohol.

"It's their choice, but I know what they are doing is wrong and I feel like I should inform them," Torres said.

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Teens reach out to peers in anti-drinking commercial
by By Yadira Betances , , Mon Feb 09, 2009, 04:21 AM EST
Merrimack Valley

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