The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 9, 2004--7 Students learn how to party in the right spirit Lïi iuyA-i iVUiEL Special to The Champion Students had a lot to absorb at last Tuesday's sixth annual 'Party in the Right Spirt' conférence, but according to, organizer Marie Jakubowski, celebratmng safély was the main idea she hopes participants left with. "tf they're going to a party or planning a party, these are somne tips to make themn and their guests safe," said Ms Jakubowski, a public health nurse with the Halton Region Healtb Departmnent. The day was practical, an well as iform- ative. After an intensive moming session at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club un Regional Road 25, the students from 16 scbools across Halton spent the afsemnoon develop- mng "social marketing" campaignis tailored- made for their peers. "Tbey will decide the best message for their scbools," said Ms Jakubowski. Firat, thougb, they listened to, several speakers tackle everything fromn alcohol poisoning tu the liabilities associated witb bosting parties and enjuyed a live perform- ance by students. AIl ibis effort - which includes the nine months organizers planned the event - is well worth it, explained Ms Jakubowski, since during thse pruru and party season young peuple continually mun tIhe risk of drinking and driving, unwanted sexual activity, injuries and worse. "We don't want anyone in this room, or your friends tu be front page captions in the newspaper," ase said. According tu thse 2003 Ontario Student Dmug Usý Survey dune by thse Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, approxi- mately one in seven licenced Ontario stu- dents in grades 10 tu 12 drink alcohol andI drive andI 29 per cent of al students report- ed being a passenger witb a driver who liad been drinkinig. Public health nurse Lisa Visser explained that each year in thse Uniied States 4,000 youths die froru alcobol poisoning. Public bealth nurse Janet Dawson then added that 75 per cent of alI sexual assaulta are linked tu alcobol abuse and that most victinis know and trust thse offender. Hosted by thse healtb departnient, Halton Regional Police and Mothers Against Drunk Dniving (MADD) Halton-Peel, Party in tIse Rigbt Spirit was sponsored by tIse Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Rattleanake Point Golf Club. EacIs participating scbool received a party planning kit containing information froru thse health departmnent on alcohol lia- bility, alcohol poisoning, drinking andI driving, sexual Isealtbi, substance abuse pre- AI in Stock FloorTIiles Discounte Minimum 25% C.rmklotsfro '.991ft Stafro fm 'tt~ hOfltiihla 905-277-1760 H 505 Quauw. Eut Unit #s L t - Over $1 Million .4 in prîzes! Yos csald WIN 1 Of 10 tws-year tiases st a Mercedes-Beaz C230 Kampressor Sport Coupe. Plus ttsossands of altier prizes, incliding instant wiss. (Ns parchase necesary - set club fsr details) Milton studente (f ront liet sllttng> Chendni Sugrlm, Mohammied Kasir, Benjamnin Faille, Bradley McArthur, Malloris EIlott, Ken Stride, <frôm left standng> Zohalb Qureehl and Kyle Plchette discules ste pertylng et the 'Perty in the Rgh $prW conference. Photo by PETER C. McCUSKER vention, and resources from tIse Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services and mure. TIse day gut off to an interesting start tbanks tu 'Jurige Judy" mock court trial performed by Christ thse King Catbolic Secondary ScIsool draina class under tIse leadership of teacher EtI Skibinski. In just tIse span of about 15 minutes, they put an emnotional.spin on everytbing from, vandal- ism, drinking andI sexual misconduct to tIse many excuses used to try and absolve responsibiity. Scenarios included a drinking and driv- ing "accident" in whicb a man ran over an 1 1-year-old boy, a songue-in-cbeek VISA commercial ('1Trowing up alI over your prom date - priceless"), a poetry reading and a skit involving parental denial about tbeir cltild's bebaviour. TIse tone turned grimmer during Ms Visser's talk about alcohol poisoning, esee COMPUTERIZED on page 10 ELrW 4 A 4" A I 547 Main St. E. ' IMILTON 878u0931I DuriiijjOur thalebration " Join a Wuinner!, .Be a Winner!. GoodLife- FIT NES S CLUB S Makes it easy- WM. 5.,d6M kMOseas«,s f$su. Mù* Na*Mek, ~M M .'ss~,se Os,,$~Ah,±One&*i 409 Main St E. 855 Stees Ave. E. (W05) 876-Fr13 (3483) (905) 876-FITr (3488) Women Oniy Co-Ed 1-8 0 5 7 1FI 11 4 ) ýHERE'rS A LITTLE SAMPL