Local Youth Kick-off: Two Public Awareness Projects “Sticker Shock” and “Pizza Box Top Project” to Target Adults who Provide Alcohol to Youth
Smithtown – Self-named “Sticker Shockers” group members kicked off “Sticker Shock” and “Pizza Box Top Project,” two youth-led initiatives to change adult attitudes about selling and providing alcohol to minors. These campaigns were held at Key Food Supermarket in Kings Park and Buona Sera restaurant/pizzeria on August 2, 2016. These projects were sponsored by the Town of Smithtown Horizons Counseling & Education Center, Youth Bureau, and Kings Park in the kNOw to bring attention to the issue of underage drinking and the adults who provide alcohol to minors.
Local youth from the Sticker Shockers group are part of a movement of students town-wide working with participating stores to spread “Sticker Shock” waves across the Town of Smithtown in an effort to reach adults who might be tempted to buy alcohol for youth under 21, who can’t buy it legally. The traffic light stickers stand out on the beer cases and pizza boxes for all to see, and provide a strong reminder: “Your actions matter! Preventing underage drinking is everyone’s responsibility.” Fines for first offense are $500 and a misdemeanor.
“Since underage drinking affects everyone, it takes everyone to stop it” said Sal Delisio, a student Sticker Shockers member.
The Sticker Shock project was first designed by a group of youth in Pennsylvania in 1998, which started locally in their community and then expanded statewide in subsequent years, going nationwide after that. The Pizza Box Top project has been circulating in townships across Long island for several years now, with much success.
Sticker Shockers recognize Key Food Supermarket in Kings Park and Buona Sera Pizzeria in Smithtown for their desire to combat the buying of alcohol to minors and want to showcase these businesses as partners in this effort. Gino’s Pizzeria and Short Stop Pizzeria in Kings Park will have their staff members put the stickers on their pizza box tops as well, to cover a wide portion of the community and get the message out to more people.
“Underage drinking has become a big problem not only in Suffolk County but around the world. The only way we can fix it is if we come together as a community,” said Michelle Wolk, another student member.
Sticker Shockers adult volunteer, Patty Altavilla, offered a particularly timely message. “We need to get the message out there that it is not OK to serve alcohol to minors. The consequences are real. People need to understand that it is never safe to take chances with other people’s children.”
Youth leaders from the Sticker Shockers group and local participating retail stores – Key Food Supermarket, Buona Sera Restaurant/Pizzeria, Gino’s Pizzeria, and Short Stop Pizzeria - are working together to create a safer, healthier community by combating the problem of underage drinking. Alcohol has been identified as the number one drug of choice among New York youth, and according to local youth, one of the easiest substances to obtain. The “Sticker Shock” and “Pizza Box Top Project” hopes to cause adults to think twice before making it any easier for youth to access alcohol.
For more information on these and future youth empowerment programs contact Smithtown Horizons Counseling & Education Center or Smithtown Youth Bureau at 631-360-7578 or Kelly DeVito, kdevito@tosgov.com