Honoring Tradition While Strengthening What Works in Prevention

Tradition is valuable, but ineffective prevention is not.

Most Indiana SADD chapters have at least one “classic” on the calendar:

• Red Ribbon Week table

• Poster contest

• “Sign the pledge” wall

• A big assembly with a powerful speaker

• A week of facts, stats, and slogans
  

While these traditional activities can raise awareness, they are often ineffective as standalone prevention. As one-time, passive events, they focus on visibility rather than skill-building. Without interactive practice, ongoing follow-up, and distinct next steps, they seldom lead to desired outcomes such as beliefs, confidence, help-seeking, or daily decision-making.

To be clear, the goal is not to eliminate tradition. The aim is to protect your chapter’s time, energy, and credibility. When prevention is implemented effectively, it is one of the most helpful actions members can take for their peers.

However, ineffective prevention risks more than maintaining the status quo.

It risks missing the opportunity to create meaningful change.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “We’ve always done it this way, and people like it.”

Prevention has a unique problem:

Some activities feel like prevention because they’re visible, familiar, and popular. They deliver photos, announcements, and applause.

However, visibility does not guarantee effectiveness.

A recent Great Lakes Prevention Technology Transfer Center webinar highlighted that well-meaning community organizations and programs regularly use outdated, ineffective, or even counterproductive prevention approaches, despite years of research revealing why they do not work.

And yes, schools and student groups can fall into this same pattern, too.

Why is this important for Indiana’s SADD chapters?

SADD is not simply an awareness club; it is a student-led safety movement.

When SADD operates at its best, it:

• build skills (not solely knowledge)

• change peer norms (not just posters)

• strengthen protective factors (not just promises)

• create conditions for safer choices (not just slogans)

Relying on basic, one-time activities can unintentionally teach members: “Prevention is something you say, not something you build.”

This approach does not align with SADD's mission.

“But our assembly was amazing…”

I believe you.

Here’s the hard truth: an activity can feel powerful but still not work as a preventive measure.

Research summaries in Great Lakes PTTC training materials note that certain approaches (such as fear-based messaging/scare tactics) can backfire or fail to change behavior as people hope.

The key question is not whether an activity stirred emotions.

• “Did people feel something?”

Instead, consider whether:

• “Did anything change afterward? Did skills, norms, supports, behavior, or the environment improve?”

Adopt a 'Prevention Upgrade' mindset by maintaining tradition while increasing effectiveness.

Don’t throw out the classics; upgrade them.

Here are a few easy changes that let you keep your chapter’s signature activities, but move them toward effectiveness:

1) Poster contest ➜ Social norms + action prompt campaign

• Continue using student-created messages, but focus on accurate norms and useful next steps, such as, “If you’re at a party and someone needs a ride, here’s what to do…”

• Include a brief poll before and after the activity to measure changes in participants’ perspectives.

2) Pledge wall ➜ Pledge + practice + follow-up

• Keep the pledge, but add:

• a 10-minute skill practice (refusal, ride-planning, bystander steps)

  • “implementation intentions” (“If X happens, I will do Y”)

  • a booster message 2 weeks later

3) One-time assembly ➜ Assembly + small-group skill labs

• Begin with a message to the entire school, then break into groups where students practice skills such as what to say, who to call, how to intervene, and how to seek help.

4) Awareness week ➜ Awareness week + one environmental change

Select one specific change that facilitates safer choices, such as:

• An Indiana Lifeline Law amnesty reminder, with clear language on posters and announcements to explain that seeking help for alcohol or drug concerns does not result in automatic punishment

• a student-friendly help-seeking guide that outlines where to go and what to expect next

• clear messages about policies that help reduce fear and stigma when asking for help

A quick “Prevention Reality Check” for Chapters

If your activity meets at least three of these points, you’re probably on the right track:

• Skill practice: Students rehearse what they’d actually do/say

• Repeated dose: More than one touchpoint (boosters count)

• Peer influence: Student-to-student diffusion is built in

• Protective factors: Connection, belonging, coping, adult allies, purpose

• Data-informed: Using local/student data to choose the focus

• Measurable: You track more than just attendance, like perceptions, confidence, help-seeking, or policy awareness.

If your activities are mostly: “watch, listen, sign, leave”… it might be time for an upgrade.

Effective prevention can still be engaging and enjoyable.

A common misconception should be addressed: Evidence-based and data-driven = boring.

Not so. Evidence-based can be:

• creative

• student-led

• meme-worthy

• social

• high-energy

• and produce results

SADD chapters don’t need more busywork. You need results you can see (measure) and feel weeks later. Start by picking one “classic” activity on your calendar and before your next SADD meeting ends, ask one important question: How do we upgrade this so it actually changes what students know, do, and choose—weeks from now, not just today?

Keep the tradition. Add Practice • Repeat • Support • Measure