County Encourages Safe After-Prom Activities

st/prom.pr 97-128 Contact: David Weaver, (301) 217-6530

COUNTY ENCOURAGES
SAFE AFTER-PROM ACTIVITIES For Immediate Release (April 24, 1997)

County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today was joined by other County officials and
community leaders to announce his support of alcohol-free and drug-free celebrations for high
school students during the 1997 prom/graduation season.
On hand with Duncan to launch the prom/graduation season was County
Councilmembers Gail Ewing and Michael Subin; Lt. Col. Fred Ailes, Montgomery County
Police; Meg Baker, Project Prom/Graduation; Steve Combs, President of the Montgomery
County Chapter of MADD; and Alice Tu, President of the Quince Orchard High School
Chapter of SADD.
"It's this type of cooperation and collaboration -- between non-profit groups, the
business and school communities, and County agencies -- which makes Montgomery County
such a special place," said Duncan. "By working together, we as a community are
committed to providing our high school students with safe, supervised and fun-filled all-night
celebrations."
Montgomery County Project Prom/Graduation was started in 1992 by a group of
parent and teacher volunteers in an effort to coordinate ideas and resources for after-prom
activities countywide. There are 21 public and nine private high schools tht participate in
after-prom activities in the county, and in 1996, more than 80 percent of high school students
who attended proms participated in these alcohol and drug-free, after-prom parties.
"We must commend and support the efforts of committed parent volunteers who strive
to provide safe and fun-filled alcohol-free and drug-free activities on high risk nights," said
Councilmember Subin.
Duncan also praised the efforts of area hotels and the County's alcohol enforcement
officials in reducing the availability of alcoholic beverages to minors. The County's Board of
License Commissioners has, for the past two years, been proactive in meeting with
management of hotels in the spring in an effort to help implement methods to eliminate the
sale of alcohol to minors during prom and graduation season. As a result of these measures,
the County received an award in 1996 by the National Liquor Law Enforcement Agency as
the Number One Agency of the Year in the U.S. for its efforts to eliminate the sale of
alcoholic beverages to minors.
(QUOTE FROM EWING)
In addition to after-prom activities, the Criminal Justice Coordinating commission has
received grant funding from the State Highway Administrtion for Project Prom/Graduation
and other traffic safety programs. The Criminal Justice Coordinating Commission identifies
and supports projects that help alleviate local traffic safety problems through prevention,
education and enforcement activities.

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