Campus Corps changes the lives of at-risk youth one life a time.
Campus Corps is a 12-week program which entails building a strong relationship between an undergraduate student mentor and an at-risk student mentee from Larimer County. They do this through activities, help with homework, campus tours and evening presentations.
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Last night, with the help of several social workers, there was an interactive program offering information about underage drinking. A group of social workers presented to Campus Corps mentors and mentees about the pressing issue they see in college communities.
“I want to be the change in the world I want to see,” said Alex Murray, junior social work major who, with the help of Haley Marideth and Dana Meeker, also social work majors, created the presentation to inform the Campus Corps mentors and mentees.
Together, they designed a game of jeopardy for the four mentors to play with their four mentees. They competed for the prizes through correct answers under the categories of statistics, alcohol and the body, safety, myths and resources.
Becoming part of Campus Corps was a no brainer for sophomore Nori Mckinney.
“I love knowing I have an impact on someone,” said Mckinney, psychology major. “(My mentee) also has a huge impact on me.”
Mckinney believes the presentations and activities are the most fun — the mentors and mentees have a good time learning and playing together.
At last night’s jeopardy game, Murray, Marideth and Meeker introduced themselves and shared how alcohol can have a negative impact.
“People who do it responsibly can drink a few times a week and be fine, but there can be consequences,” Meeker said.
According to the game they played, over 4,700 underage drinkers die annually from alcohol consumption.
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“Fact: alcohol kills more teens than guns — in fact, alcohol kills 6.5 more teens than all illegal drugs combined,” as stated as the answer to myth or fact category in the game for 300 points.
The facts of alcohol continued as the social work students informed the mentors and mentees that it takes one hour for a standard drink to process through ones body. However, this can depend on your body size, your tolerance and other aspects, according to Meeker.
Meeker engaged mentees by using the jeopardy questions and answers to further enhance their knowledge as they begin to enter a world where alcohol is present in more social situations.
“Alcohol is a widespread drug. It’s cheap and easy to get your hands on,” Meeker said.
One of the teams in Jeopardy, The Eccentric Eagles, pulled ahead receiving 200 points by answering correctly that you can still receive a DUI even if you are underage.
The Terrific Tigers Team and the Eccentric Eagles Team waged the money they had collected for the final jeopardy, while the mentors and social workers hummed the jeopardy song.
The final question was true or false: “In order to be cool, relate with other people and have a good time, you have to drink.”
Both the Terrific Tigers and the Eccentric Eagles responding in simultaneous “no’s” and the evening ended with a close competition between teams. They walked away having spent time with their mentors or mentees, won prizes and collectively became more informed about an issue that is very present in a college town.
Collegian Reporter Josephine Bush can be reached at news@collegian.com.