The PTA hosted a presentation for parents about the dangers of teen alcohol use and methods to prevent teens from starting to drink Jan. 6. 

The meeting was strictly for parents because of the topics that were covered, like how to notice signs of alcoholism. The speaker, Michael Gimbel, is the director of Powered By ME!, an organization committed to educating students about the dangers of anabolic steroids and performance enhancing drugs.

“I talk to parents about what to say to their kids, how to notice if they’re abusing alcohol, things like that,”  Gimbel said. “Educating parents is equally as important as educating children on this topic.”

Gimbel said that the presentation is important for parents because it’s unlikely that their teens will fill them in about the drinking and smoking that goes on in their own social lives.

“When I give a presentation for students, I always ask them how many of them have been to a party that had drinks or drugs, and 90 percent of them will raise their hands,” Gimbel said. “They’re not going to go home from that party and tell their parents what happened.”

Parents who went to the presentation felt informed, and some said they had a better idea of what teens do in their spare time

“It was very informative, and shocking at the same time,” parent Kristy Margoles said. “I had no idea that so much of this went on, but I definitely feel better about talking to my kids about this.”