Featured Article
The Hillsboro Argus
Hillsboro School District
District changing misperceptions, behavior with social norms campaigns
By Carol Renaud
Special to The Argus
Peer pressure. Most middle and high school students admit they do certain things as a result of peer pressure. It is a powerful force among this age group because more than anything else, teenagers want acceptance.
These students don’t realize that what they think other students are doing or find important may not be true. In other words, the peer pressure they’re feeling may be unfounded.
For example, there is a perception by teens that many of their peers are using alcohol and drugs. As a result, they feel like they’re not “cool” if they’re not involved in this behavior.
The real statistics of what teens are actually doing reflects a different story. Research shows that in many cases teens are not, in fact, using alcohol and drugs to the extent that other students perceive.
For years schools and groups have tried to reduce teen alcohol and drug use by informing students of the risks involved. With this scare tactic approach, it is assumed that students would be fearful of the risks and choose not to partake in behavior with such negative consequences. Sociologist H. Wesley Perkins points out that this traditional approach has “not changed behavior 1 percent.”
A different approach called “social norms marketing” has been promoted and implemented in Hillsboro and Century High Schools and Miller Education Center. The Hillsboro School District, in partnership with Helping Empower Youth Together! (HEY!) and Washington County, provides training for social norms marketing teams. These teams consist of students and one or more school staff leaders.
The members of each team have taken what they’ve learned and are now designing and implementing social norms marketing campaigns in their schools. This marketing strategy works by reframing the message to focus on the fact that the majority of students are not drinking or using drugs.
In the initial stages of the program, each team surveys students in their school to separate fact from perception. The outcome of the survey shows that a majority of students consider themselves drug- and alcohol-free. This information is used to build campaigns that promote positive, healthy behavior.
To deliver their messages, teams have produced posters, ads, T-shirts, Web sites, blogs, videos, and school plays that include slogans such as “Be Free” and “Be Different.” They’ve also organized social activities free of alcohol and drugs such as movie nights for families and end-of-school-year events that promote making wise choices over the summer.
With repeated exposure to messages that simply tell the truth about the reality of what students are doing, students’ perceptions can be changed. Not drinking and not doing drugs becomes “cool” and, more importantly, the accepted norm.
This project is funded by a Hillsboro School District federal Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant with support from HEY! and Washington County. HEY! is a drug and alcohol prevention coalition that brings schools, families, and the community together to promote safe, healthy lifestyles for Hillsboro youth. For more information call 503-681-5363.
Carol Renaud is a communications specialist for Hillsboro School District’s Hillsboro Together, funded by a federal Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant
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