Advanced Recovery Systems Partners with Miss Florida to Educate Students about Substance Abuse and Addiction

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 17,  2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Recovery Systems (ARS), a leader in behavioral healthcare management, and the Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant have announced their collaboration to educate high school and college students about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. As the spokesperson for the partnership, Miss Florida 2017 Sara Zeng will be visiting schools across the state for a "Real Talk" with students.

"Being a graduate of Florida State University and a Panhellenic woman, I have experienced the pressures and often difficult situations many college students will face in regards to drugs and alcohol," said Zeng. "Real Talk is greatly needed and will serve to facilitate meaningful conversations about drug and alcohol abuse, especially as it exists on campuses across America."

Zeng's 40-minute "Real Talk" presentation is based on prevention techniques included in The Alcohol Literacy Challenge™, developed by nationally-recognized researchers Michael Dunn, PhD and Thomas Hall, PhD. The Alcohol Literacy Challenge™ is the first classroom-based prevention program that specifically challenges students' beliefs about the effects of drinking alcohol. Zeng will use this curriculum as a springboard to educate students on the risks associated with newly emerging drug trends and equip them with skills on how to abstain from dangerous behaviors.  

Approximately 35 percent of 12th graders have consumed alcohol in the past month—and alcohol is responsible for about 4,300 deaths of people under age 21 each year. In addition to high school students, full-time college students are twice as likely to abuse Adderall than their peers who aren't in college. Approximately 116,000 people in 2012 were admitted to rehab for an addiction to amphetamines like Adderall. Along with the well-known substances like marijuana, alcohol and Adderall, teens and young adults have also started abusing common household items, like cough syrups, cleaning solutions and aerosol cans, to produce a high or hallucinogenic effect.

"We are excited to partner with the Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant for the second year and Sara Zeng, the new voice for Real Talk's message of substance abuse prevention and awareness," said Allison Walsh, Vice President of Business Development for Advanced Recovery Systems. "Our nation's drug and alcohol epidemic is only getting worse. We firmly believe education and support is crucial to helping teens and young adults steer clear of substance use disorders."

About Sara Zeng Miss Florida 2017
Sara Zeng is a 2017 graduate of Florida State University with a degree in Music Education. She won the title this past July at the state finals where she competed with 46 other young women for the opportunity to represent the Sunshine State as Miss Florida 2017 and an educational scholarship of $20,000.00. As Miss Florida 2017 she travels the state promoting her personal platform, Music Matters! and as a state ambassador for Miss America's national platform partner, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. She serves as a spokesperson for the Everglades Foundation advocating the protection and restoration of America's Everglades and as a spokesperson for REAL TALK (Advanced Recovery Systems) – a school tour that spreads awareness about the dangers of drugs & alcohol.  Sara represented the state of Florida at the 2018 Miss America Pageant where she was a recipient of a preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award.

About The Alcohol Literacy Challenge
Based on the research of Michael Dunn, PhD and Thomas Hall, PhD, The Alcohol Literacy Challenge™ (ALC) is the first classroom-based prevention program that specifically and systematically challenges students' beliefs about the effects of drinking alcohol. The ALC has been recognized by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Education as an effective, evidence-based prevention program.

About Advanced Recovery Systems (ARS)
Advanced Recovery Systems is an integrated behavioral healthcare management company dedicated to the treatment of addiction, substance abuse, eating disorders and mental health issues. ARS' network of treatment centers includes The Recovery Village Umatilla (Umatilla, Florida), The Recovery Village Palmer Lake (Palmer Lake, Colorado), The Recovery Village Ridgefield (Ridgefield, Washington), The Recovery Village Columbus (Groveport, Ohio), Orlando Recovery Center (Orlando, Florida), Next Generation Village (Sebring, Florida), The IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery (Upper Marlboro, Maryland), and Blue Horizon Eating Disorder Services (Winter Park, Florida). ARS also manages three locations of Next Step Village (Maitland and Eustis, Florida), recovery residences for individuals looking for supportive, transitional living opportunities. For more information, visit www.AdvancedRecoverySystems.com.

Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant, Inc.
The Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant, Inc. has a strong focus and commitment to the young women of Florida; it is more than a title, it is a movement of empowering young women in the state to achieve their dreams by providing quality scholarship assistance and honoring their commitment to helping others. Visit www.MissFlorida.org  to learn more.

If  you are interested in booking Miss Florida to speak, free of charge, please contact Mary Sullivan, Executive Director of the Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant, via email at [email protected] or visit drugrehab.com/realtalk to complete the booking request form under "Educators" tab.

Media Contact: Allison Walsh, 321-231-0791, [email protected] 

SOURCE Advanced Recovery Systems

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