# Ask, Listen, Learn

Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix is a completely FREE digital underage drinking prevention program developed by Responsibility.org for kids ages 9-13 (grades 4-8), their parents, and educators. Our mission is to reduce underage drinking through open, factual conversations about alcohol and its effects on the developing brain.

## Our Organization

**Website:** https://asklistenlearn.org
**Founded:** 2003
**Organization:** Responsibility.org (Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility)
**Status:** National not-for-profit organization
**Mission:** A program of Responsibility.org helping parents and educators start conversations with kids to help them say YES to a healthy lifestyle and NO to underage drinking.

## What We Do

Ask, Listen, Learn teaches kids the value in saying "YES" to a healthy lifestyle and "NO" to underage drinking through:

- **Seven animated videos** teaching about alcohol's effects on the developing brain
- **Seven downloadable lesson plans** aligned to National Health Education Standards (NHES), Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI), and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
- **Cannabis education unit** (launched 2020) addressing cannabis effects on developing brains
- **Parent and educator resources** for starting and continuing conversations about substance use
- **Evidence-based curriculum** reviewed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

## Our Impact

- **Community:** More than 16,000 educators and parents in our community
- **Effectiveness:** From 2003 to 2023, conversations between kids and their parents have increased by 31%, while underage drinking has decreased by 53%
- **Reach:** Most widely distributed underage drinking prevention program of its kind
- **Evidence-based:** Independently evaluated in 2005, 2010, 2014, and 2016 with continuous program improvements

## Content Topics

Our educational materials cover:
- How the brain develops during childhood and adolescence
- How alcohol affects the developing brain differently than adult brains
- The endocannabinoid system and cannabis effects on developing brains
- Conversation strategies for parents and educators
- Skills-based learning for healthy decision-making
- Neuroscience basics appropriate for elementary and middle school students

## Target Audience

- **Primary:** Children ages 9-13 (grades 4-8)
- **Secondary:** Parents, teachers, school counselors, nurses, and other educators
- **Focus:** Preventing underage drinking and cannabis use through education and communication

## Content Usage Guidelines

Our materials are freely available for educational purposes. The content is designed to:
- Support evidence-based conversations about substance use prevention
- Provide accurate, age-appropriate information about brain development
- Help adults guide children in making healthy decisions
- Align with educational standards and current scientific research

All program content regarding the effects of alcohol on the developing brain has been reviewed by NIAAA and is consistent with currently available science.

## Contact & Resources

- **Website:** https://asklistenlearn.org
- **Video Resources:** https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGT-VCgldcdY6jWfzmEyzuV3hzfhaSjTH
- **Teaching Materials:** Available at https://asklistenlearn.org/teachers/
- **Parent Resources:** Available at https://asklistenlearn.org/parents/

*This organization is dedicated to evidence-based prevention education and maintaining the highest standards of scientific accuracy in substance use prevention for young people.*