Contact: James Logan
Photo by: Nikki McKenzie
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State's Health Education and Wellness department, in partnership with the Kappa Alpha fraternity and the Omega House, today hosted OkSOBERfest to raise alcohol safety awareness as part of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week.
The event, which took place on the Drill Field at MSU, featured several carnival-style games designed to get students thinking about safe choices when consuming alcohol.
"The goal is to educate in a fun way," said Michelle LaFleur, health and wellness educator and event coordinator, who emphasized that each game also included an alcohol safety fact.
"We're sharing some general alcohol information we feel like students need to know," she said.
One station allowed participants to wear goggles which simulate the effects of alcohol on vision and balance. Students tried to catch balls with a Velcro pad. The accompanying fact read, "9,878 people were killed in alcohol impaired driving crashes in 2011."
Since many students become of legal age to consume alcohol during their college careers, it is important to make sure they have access to the right information, LaFleur said.
"I think it's essential to teach students to follow the law--if you are under 21, it's not ok to be drinking, and if you are of age to start drinking, here are some things you can do to be safer, to be intentional about your alcohol consumption," LaFleur said.
For more information about Mississippi State, visit www.msstate.edu.