The BACCHUS Network™ and Founder Dr. Gerardo Gonzalez Featured in Stephen R. Covey’s Latest Book The 3rd Alternative

The BACCHUS Network™ is pleased to announce that the nonprofit organization and Founder Dr. Gerardo Gonzalez are featured in the newest book from Stephen R. Covey called The 3^rd Alternative, Solving Life’s Most Difficult Problems. Covey is the bestselling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

In his latest work, Covey addresses resolving conflict by describing the 1^st Alternative as “my way,” and the 2^nd Alternative as “your way.” The 3^rd Alternative transcends traditional solutions to conflict by forging a path toward a third option that moves beyond your way or my way to a higher or better way – one that allows both parties to emerge from debate or even heated conflict in a far better place than either had envisioned.

The reference to Founder Dr. Gerardo Gonzalez and BACCHUS is featured on pages 187-188 of the book. Dr. Gonzalez’ story references his days as a student at the University of Florida and the experiences he faced with his peers and their drinking behavior. His efforts and new approach to helping young people in higher education avoid risky behaviors led to today’s national student leadership network of peer educators addressing health and safety issues.

We are also pleased to acknowledge BACCHUS Board member Judith Tindall. Covey cites a reference from her work, Peer Programs: An In-Depth Look, in the same chapter.

The BACCHUS Network™ is a national 501c(3) student leadership organization focused on health and safety. The BACCHUS Network™ has nearly 700 affiliates and 25,000 peer educators across the country. For additional information, you can visit the organization website at www.bacchusnetwork.org

Five Super Easy Outreach Programs for the End of Fall

We have passed the halfway point of the Fall term. Finals and the holidays are fast approaching. Your peer educators are exhausted from all the programs they have implemented and need to catch up on course work; yet, promoting healthy decisions to the student body is even more important at this time of year. Here are five quick programming ideas that do not take a lot of time, people power, or funding.

Stress Busters

You can feel the tension rising on campus as it gets closer to finals. Everyone is talking about being stressed. Spread the word on how to reduce stress through social media. Have your peer educators brainstorm ways to reduce stress and take turns posting them on Facebook, Twitter, and your campus website. Have a little more time? Create a video of stress relieving breathing exercises and post it to YouTube.

Impaired Driving Prevention

Holidays are a high-risk time for driving under the influence. Create a holiday pledge for students to sign and promise to not drink and drive, let friends drink and drive, or ride with an impaired driver. Print the pledge and distribute in the residence halls and student center, or create a group or fan page on Facebook. Develop your own pledge or use the following: This holiday season, I give my friends and myself the gift of life. I pledge to not drink and drive, ride with an impaired driver, let my friends drink and drive or ride with an impaired driver, and to always wear my seatbelt. If your peer educators have the time and energy, have them serve BAC-tails, delicious non-alcoholic drinks, in the student center and invite students to sign the pledge.

Managing Money

As first year students approach the completion of three months or more of living away from home, many may realize that they have not done well with managing their money. Growing credit card debt along with shrinking savings may be causing stress. Partner with a finance faculty member or your campus banking institution to develop a bookmark of money management tips. Have the bookmarks available at the bookstore, library, and ATMs.

Healthy Holiday Eating

Many students are looking forward to home cooking and a break from dining hall food or cooking for themselves. Holiday celebrations and parties may temp students to over indulge in their favorite foods. Publish a list of your peer educators’ favorite tips for healthy eating over the holidays on your website, in your “Potty Press,” or on table tents and place them in the dining hall.

New Year’s Resolutions

The New Year, and new academic term, is a great time to make a behavior change for health. Encourage students to begin planning before January 1^st about how they will make the change, such as quitting smoking, beginning an exercise program, or managing money better. Create a planning worksheet using the Stages of Change model. Ask students to write down

• What are the good things and the not-so-good things about the behavior they want to change?
• What would be different in their life if they change the behavior?
• Who would support them in the process to make this change?
• What is one thing they can do before January 1, 2011 that will help them get ready to make the change? For example, picking up a quit kit from your office or contacting the campus recreation center about spring exercise classes.

Provide a list of campus and community resources that will help students develop their healthy habits. If students are willing to provide an email address, your peer educators can follow up with them at the beginning of the new academic term to provide motivation and resources to continue the efforts to become healthier.

Students may not have time to attend programs at this time of year, but they will appreciate receiving timely health promotion tips to get them to the end of the school term and position them for a great holiday break. If your peer education group has a quick and easy program, please share it by commenting on this blog.