For the past year Hildreth's class of 2005, consisting of 14 students, have been working with their coach, Tammy Fritz on Project Celeste.  Project Celeste is an alcohol prevention program dedicated to Celeste Fritz, a former Hildreth graduate, who made one bad decision that cost her her life.  She wasn't a big drinker, but when she came home from college on May 17th she chose to go to her friend's graduation party.  She intended on staying overnight, anticipating being drunk, however thinking she was okay to drive, she headed home with a few of her friends.  They ended up in a fatal accident, killing Celeste and injuring the other passengers.  Celeste was a great girl.  No negativity has ever been said about her.  She was very intelligent, athletic, and she cared for her classmates.  In a community of 365 citizens, one loss has a great impact on the people.  For a few days teens stopped drinking, intending on never doing it again, but after a while they forgot, just as Celeste did the night of her death.  There are many problems that cause underage drinking in rural communities.  The three main ones that we chose to target are: Tradition, Boredom and Availability.

Tradition is a major cause of underage drinking.  It is basically what is expected of all Hildreth high school students.  Like many other rural communities, adults see nothing wrong with their children drinking, they did it when they were young and it didn't kill them, so why not?  Well underage drinking kills more than we may realize.  About one teen dies every hour of each weekend because of an alcohol related accident.  Our question: Why drink?  If it could kill you what's the point?  Unfortunately not many students agree with us, so we're trying to change that.  We are changing Hildreth's tradition from negative to positive. 

Statistics dealing with underage drinking

Boredom

Boredom is also a big problem leading to the use of alcohol in small towns.  With nothing to do within 30 miles students find themselves hanging out at parties hosted by adults in the community.  That's just where everyone is, and what else is there to do?  There is a solution for that!  We are providing alternate activities so that teens realize that they can have fun without drinking.  We host an event such as a dance each month.  We realize that one night a month might not keep students away from drinking altogether, but hopefully with the realization that they can have fun without being under-the-influence they will find things to do around Hildreth without alcohol being in the picture.

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Alcohol is available for just about whoever could want it.  With plenty of older college students coming back to visit, and with adults that simply see nothing wrong with it any teen could figure out how to get the alcohol without even attending a party.  Sure it's illegal to buy alcohol for minors, but it's Hildreth, Nebraska remember, what's a cop going to do about it.  The problem is that they know everyone too well, if they were to break up a party, or arrest someone form providing for a minor, they could be arresting a close relative or friend.   

 Celeste's Website    Pictures from Georgia   Statistics dealing with underage drinking