As part of the eighth-grade health class curriculum, BHMS teacher Westley Philippi teaches substance abuse awareness and the hazards of underage drinking. DEF awarded a grant to enhance his lessons with Drunk Buster Goggles which emulate the effects of alcohol in various stages of intoxication. Mr. Philippi added five more goggles to his existing equipment to ensure that all 25 students in each class could have a complete experience. The students completed six different challenges while wearing the goggles. They were surprised by how much their senses were affected. More than one student commented, “I definitely don’t want to drink after that!”
It’s important for both parents and teachers to have many conversations and lessons about substance abuse with our students well before their high school years. The goggles help augment those conversations by allowing the students to experience firsthand the harmful effects of excessive drinking. We hope these experiential lessons will give them the impetus they need to avoid that behavior while they’re underage.
