Wellness Promotion Peer Educators Create Award-Winning Public Service Video
The peer education team in the University’s Office of Wellness Promotion has been honored with first place in a contest in which college students nationwide were challenged to create a public service announcement (PSA) as part of the National Red Ribbon Week alcohol and other drug (AOD) awareness and prevention program. The award includes $5,000 in prize money for AOD prevention initiatives on campus.
WCU’s 55-second video submission is titled Life is a Puzzle: Choose the Right Pieces. It features one student offering another student an alcoholic beverage at a party. The second student hesitatingly accepts the drink but is confused upon reaching into the glass and pulling out a puzzle piece.
“Some pieces look like they belong,” the narrator says. “But happiness that lasts was never poured from a bottle or packed into a pill. … So if you’re holding onto a piece that doesn’t quite fit, don’t force it.”
The Wellness Promotion Peer Educators used puzzle graphics to piece together a montage of students studying, playing sports, and enjoying other healthier alternatives to substance use before the original two students are shown pouring out the drink’s puzzles pieces onto the floor.
Under the leadership of Bridget Looby, assistant director of Wellness Promotion, the team worked to write the script, act in the video, and manage all aspects of production of the video.
“We wanted to enter the contest to allow students to gain experience translating a message into consumable content and use their voices creatively to make a positive impact on their own campus,” explained Looby. “Our department is currently utilizing a logic model that focuses on alcohol and other drugs, and this opportunity allows our team to address drug misuse and substance-free choices.
“Entering the contest is valuable because it challenges the team to think creatively about an issue that affects our campus community and the importance of sharing this message with other students.”
WCU’s Wellness Promotion Peer Educators are certified by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrator (NASPA) with training in topical areas such as alcohol and other drugs (AOD), mental health, sexual health, and well-being.
Wellness Promotion Peer Educator and PSA co-creator Gina Crandall said the win was a proud moment for the team. “We put a lot of thought, creativity, and care into promoting wellness and healthy choices on campus, and it meant so much to see that work recognized. Being part of a team that is passionate about supporting our peers and making a positive impact reminded me why promoting wellness is so important.”
“We wanted to make an uplifting campaign that showcases the personal battle that comes with drinking culture on campus,” added peer educator and co-creator Margaret Oparoacha. “Our main character decides to think back on all the moments she had fun on campus without the involvement of drugs. I feel like this lesson can be taught to anyone on campus: You do not need to choose alcohol or other drugs to have a good time in a social setting.”
Some of the other peer educators on WCU’s winning team, including Alicia Boyer and Jenna McLean, were on hand for the award presentation, held January 16 during the NASPA Strategies Conference in Chicago.
Boyer noted that the peer educators presented a session at the conference: “Sharing valuable insight into our ongoing work using media to drive change in substance misuse prevention and recovery. Knowing that we are inspiring others from across the country to explore new and creative ways to reach students with these important and influential messages is the biggest (and best!) takeaway from my experience.”
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Red Ribbon Week is the nation's largest and longest-running drug awareness and prevention program. The Red Ribbon Week Campus Video PSA Contest was cosponsored by DEA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Image captions:
Left image above:
(L-R) Sean Ferns, DEA, Bridget Looby, assistant director of Wellness Promotion, Jaiona
Johnson, Alicia Boyer, Jenna McLean (all three Wellness Promotion Peer Educators),
Richard Lucey, DEA, at the awards presentation at the NASPA Strategies Conference.
Middle image above:
(L-R) Bridget Looby, Jaiona Johnson, Jenna McLean, Alicia Boyer
Right image above:
(L-R) Bridget Looby, Alicia Boyer, Jenna McLean, Jaiona Johnson