University of Central Florida Bar LaboratoryDr. Tom Hall, previously with the STRIKE college tobacco prevention campaign in Florida, hired Dr. DeBenedittis to present to youth tobacco prevention advocates from colleges across the state at a conference held on the Gulf Coast in 1995. Tom later went on to become the Director of Alcohol and Other Clinical Drugs for the University of Central Florida. Dr. DeBenedittis was introduced to Dr. Dunn, and the rest is history. Dr. D. began studying Alcohol Expectancy Theory and engaging expectancy researchers in the field for their technical expertise.
Peter D. spent a year combining the latest research on how to challenge alcohol expectancies with proven media literacy education techniques. “It was like finding the Holy Grail,” Dr. D. said. “Including the brain science piece of Alcohol Expectancy Theory provided the missing link needed to take the prevention effectiveness of media literacy lessons to a whole new level.” Because of that chance meeting in Florida to teach students media literacy lessons for tobacco prevention, the Alcohol Literacy Challenge™ program is now the only program available to provide effective, youth alcohol prevention that can be taught in a classroom in a single 50-90 minute lesson.
