Columbia Public Schools this week is kicking off a district-wide substance abuse campaign aimed at letting kids know that most of their peers are making smart choices.

The (u) Matter Web site at www.umatter.us is part of a Columbia Public Schools campaign to reduce alcohol and drug use among students by educating them about how few of their peers engage in risky behavior. •  CLASS NOTES BLOG: (u)...

The so-called (u) Matter, a "social norming" effort, includes an interactive Web site, informational posters and promotional items being given out at all of Columbia’s secondary schools. Middle and junior high school students on Thursday will also attend (u) Matter assemblies featuring national speakers and comedians who work with school groups to promote positive behavior.

The campaign will culminate with special public service announcements featuring University of Missouri athletic coaches that will air at Friday night’s Providence Bowl football game between Rock Bridge and Hickman. The promotional items are funded with a $24,000 federal grant.

(u) Matter is the brainchild of district communication specialist Kristyn Wright, who spent last year meeting with student groups to get a better feel for what type of messages would resonate with them.

From teens’ responses, Wright ruled out the doom-and-gloom messages of yesteryear. "This is different because it’s focused on the positives," she said. "It used to be the egg in the frying pan ‘This is your brain’ and images of horrible accidents to tell kids not to drink and drive. Especially for teens who think they’re invincible, those don’t get their attention."

The crux of the campaign involves "social norming," the theory that individuals are prone to behave the way they believe their peers are behaving. A fact sheet on the campaign Web site - www.umatter.us - tells kids most Columbia students haven’t smoked, chewed tobacco or smoked marijuana. The statistics are based on a student survey last year.

"It should open up kids’ minds to what is really happening," Wright said. "Maybe they’ll see if nine out of 10 students don’t smoke, maybe they don’t have to try that cigarette. I hope it takes some of that pressure off the kids."

The University of Missouri has been using social norming as part of its substance abuse prevention campaign for roughly a decade. Surveys given to students before and after social norming efforts have proved that college students have unrealistic ideas of how many of their peers are participating in risky behavior, said Joan Masters, senior coordinator of the statewide Partners in Prevention program at MU’s Wellness Center.

"The perception is often higher than the reality," Masters said. "Students are drinking and smoking and engaging in negative behavior to keep up with that imaginary group. What we know with social norming is that over time, students’ risky behavior has gone down if they’re able to have a more realistic expectation of what others are doing."

Columbia Public Schools gives students substance abuse surveys every two years, as required by state law. That should allow the district to gauge whether the (u) Matter campaign leads to fewer students using alcohol and other drugs.

"It will take some time to see any significant drops," Wright said, "but I think we will see significant drops."

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