The Wasatch Aquatics Center is now decorated with graphics featuring local wildlife in mountain and river scenes. The decals include statistics and phrases, in English and Spanish, encouraging parents to talk to their kids about underage drinking.
One graphic featuring a beaver, squirrel and badger says, “When your kids know you feel it’s very wrong, 9 out of 10 don’t drink.” Another depicting a family of otters says, “Even little otters are ready for big rules” and encourages parents to start conversations about underage drinking by the time their kids turn 9 years old.
The mural is part of a Wasatch High School Center for Advanced Professional Studies, or CAPS, project. Students Carla Nava, Naomi Hobby and Kasen Ashworth partnered with Wasatch Behavioral Health, the Wasatch County School District and the aquatic center to create the display.
Residents joined a crowd of leaders from the Utah State Board of Education, Parents Empowered, Wasatch County and the school district at the ribbon cutting Friday.
Nava said parents are the main influence in preventing underage alcohol use.
“The messaging we created are more than just words,” she said. “They're conversation starters that we hope helps families talk openly about the risks of underage drinking.”
Nava said the project was based on results from the 2023 Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention, or SHARP, survey. It’s administered every other year and assesses 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in tobacco use, underage drinking, school safety and mental health.
According to Wasatch County’s results, 56% of 6th graders said their parents did not communicate expectations twice a year about underage drinking.
Nava said parents can prevent underage drinking by talking to their kids about it and setting expectations.
“It also can set a bonding experience between your kids, which I think a lot of parents don't really think about,” she said. “When you are real with your kids and you're honest with them, it makes them want to talk to you more.”
Trudy Brereton from Wasatch Behavioral Health said the theme was intentional to spur community conversations.
“We really did want to make this representative of Wasatch County, and so that's why we kind of went with the mountain and lake scenes rather than the ocean scenes,” she said.
That includes references to the Wasatch High and Deer Creek High mascots: the Wasps and River Hawks.
The team recruited R&R Partners using a Parents Empowered grant to help design the decals.
A kick-off event May 10 will help families learn about setting clear rules against underage drinking. Discounted family swim tickets are also available.
