Tulsa World: Students pass out shots of reality

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Students pass out shots of reality
Teens act out the seamy, dangerous aspects of partying to educate others.

Area high school students act out a drinking game scene as part of a "reality party," staged to show what can happen at teen parties. MICHAEL WYKE / Tulsa World

By SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer
Published: 11/20/2009 2:20 AM
Last Modified: 11/20/2009 6:34 AM

BROKEN ARROW — Walking through a simulated high school party wasn't an ideal Wednesday night for Delise Thomlinson.

"It was hard to watch," Thomlinson said. "You don't want to think about your kids being involved with it."

The mock party, called a "reality party," was coordinated by the Oklahoma Area Prevention Resource Center. Almost 75 people, including parents, took tours through a house and watched some of the things that can happen at parties where teens are drinking and doing drugs.

Reality parties happened in 25 Oklahoma cities Wednesday night, including this one in Broken Arrow.

More than 25 teens from Tulsa-area high schools simulated drinking games and demonstrated how beer bongs and keg-stands work. The tour also illustrated how easily fights can break out and the dangers of rape and abuse.

Dee Harris, a parent who went on one of the tours in Broken Arrow, said she knew drinking happened at the parties, but didn't realize the scope of what occurs.

"Anything can happen at these parties," she said.

Her husband, Kurt Harris, said some of the things he saw at the mock party sadly reminded him of his high school years.

"It was reliving a lot of high school experiences," Kurt Harris said. "It made me feel embarrassed and ashamed and very uncomfortable."

After the tour, parents attended a panel discussion with Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris; Josh Cantwell, the director of a Tulsa-area youth resource center; Erik Smoot, with the Oklahoma ABLE Commission; Tulsa Police Officer Craig Murray; and Sareva Greenhaw, whose 16-year-old son Cody died in 2004 at a party, even though the home- owners were there.

Greenhaw said during the panel discussion that she worked to get Cody's Law passed in 2006. That law holds homeowners accountable for harm that comes to children drinking alcohol or abusing drugs on their property. She is now advocating for a state social host law that includes misdemeanors for people who allow such drinking parties on their property.

"Parents feel pressure from their kids. 'My friend's mom lets her have parties,' " Greenhaw said. "They want to be their friend."

The consequences of allowing that to happen in your home is too great, she said.

"The party my son was at, (the parents) cared about my son. They didn't wish him harm," Greenhaw said.

District Attorney Tim Harris said the tour was a very accurate portrayal of what happens at parties where alcohol and drugs are available.

"The binge drinking, the chugging, girls being taken advantage of," Harris said. "I think a lot of kids don't want to get drunk. I think these kids (in the tour) are courageous for taking this stand."

Sara Plummer 581-8465
sara.plummer@tulsaworld.com By SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer

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owen, Tulsa (11/20/2009 1:54:46 PM)

This sounds like a great service. I hope many, many parents and students take the tour.

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