FHS PTA Brings Binge Drinking Forum to Fairfax

parents kick off this year's college drinking forum on April 17 at the home of the Rebels.

The Perils of College Drinking Culture offers four chances for families to learn about binge drinking at college campuses. Fairfax High School PTA members hope parents will talk to their seniors about the dangers of excessive drinking before they head off to college.

"This is the time of year that many seniors are just finding out their college acceptances and making their decisions as to where to go in the fall," said Becky York of the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County. "Before parents pack their students off to college, they would benefit from attending this program with their child as it offers an important opportunity to talk about and prepare for the realities on a college campus."

Funded in part by a federal grant, the forum is one of many UPC initiatives to curb unhealthy alcohol use among Fairfax teens and young adults.

The event will feature a panel discussion with:

• Raymond Morrogh, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County
• Casey Lingan; Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County
• William Hauda, M.D., an emergency physician at
• Fairfax County Police Chief David Rohrer
• Captain Bruce Ferguson, commander of the Youth Services Division
• Jeff Levy, father of a student who died following drinking at a college party
• Ryan Smith, a Virginia Tech graduate student

Participants will also get to watch "Haze," a documentary dealing with the death of an 18-year-old University of Colorado student and his fatal experience with college drinking and hazing.

Centers for Disease Control describe binge drinking as consuming four (for women) or five (for men) or more alcoholic drinks in two hours. Binge drinking can cause injury and death. 

Check it out from 7-9 p.m. at:

• April 17, Fairfax High School
• April 24, Herndon High School
• May 16, Mount Vernon High School
• May 23, Northern Virginia Community College’s Ernst Community Cultural Center