The Tongass Alaska Girl Scout Council is considered to be one of the leading Girl Scout councils in the state and in the United States. The Council prides itself in its diligent efforts to prepare the members for life’s many challenges. The Council continuously focuses on developing the members’ refusal skills, especially in situations involving alcohol. In an effort to educate its members and reduce the number of injuries and deaths from alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes in the community and statewide, the Council formed “Mothers and Daughters Against Drunk Driving.”

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of the Mothers and Daughters Against Drunk Driving project is to save lives, reduce injuries and prevent alcohol-related crashes in Alaska. The average alcohol-related fatality in Alaska costs $5.1 million and the estimated cost per injured survivor of an alcohol-related crash is $126,000. The program was developed to impact all of the citizens in Alaska who pay directly or indirectly for the many costs of impaired driving crashes and irresponsible drinking.

The project theme, “Girls Scouts. Where Girls Grow Strong,” sends a clear message that the Tongass Alaska Girl Scout Council does not support underage drinking or irresponsible drinking by adults. The project empowers the girls and young women to be active and contributing members of the community and to develop self-worth and self-esteem.

This goal of this project is to:

• Increase alcohol awareness and alcohol refusal skills;

• Develop an educational program available for mothers and daughters everywhere, as well as strengthen the girl/adult female relationship;

• Create partnerships in Alaska’s Southeast communities and elsewhere for delivering and implementing the educational program; and

• Award a t-shirt with a specially designed logo to remind the daughter and mother and the community of the program and what it represents.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

The key strategy employed by the Girl Scouts is to educate mothers, or female guardians, and daughters together. The project is delivered through special events, mother/daughter retreats, day camps, resident camps, schools, Girl Scout troops, and 21^st Century Learning Centers. It is also delivered to Southeast Alaska residents by ferryboat.

The program utilizes experiential education through songs, multi-media presentations, and written and spoken presentations. Mothers and daughters throughout Southeast Alaska are educated on alcohol issues and how to report impaired drivers. They also pledge not to drink and drive and are given a t-shirt with a specifically designed logo reminding them about the program and what it represents. Educational information is shared with neighboring Alaskan native villages and communities.

The watch words of the program are, “Ask Me What I Stand For.”  This phrase encourages people to query the girls and adults about the program, giving them an opportunity to share kinds of behavior they choose to stand for and the kinds of behavior they will not stand for.

RESULTS

In July 2002, over 300 girls and mothers participated in the program. That number is expected to exceed 500 by the end of September 2002. This equates to one of every 15 girls in Southeast Alaska. These numbers do not include the people reached by word of mouth.

Additionally, mothers and daughters sign a pledge agreeing to keep the lines of communication open and refrain from negative behaviors regarding alcohol and driving. All participants complete evaluations and identify the powerful impact of signing the pledge.

The local television, newspapers and radio broadcasts have applauded the program as one that is desperately needed in Alaska. The media has deemed it a model program for youth-serving organizations and have challenged other agencies to take part in the program.

Other results include:

• Developing a sustainable educational program.

• Extending the program into eight Southeast Alaska communities and establishing partnerships with schools and other youth-serving organizations.

• A future goal is to work with the Boy Scouts to adopt a similar program.