Bacardi U.S.A. Supports Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and The Century Council's Program to Encourage Local Kids to Say 'Yes' to a Healthy Lifestyle and 'No' to Underage Drinking

MIAMI, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. is proud to support Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and The Century Council launch of Ask Listen Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix today at Miami's Hank Kline Boys and Girls club developed to encourage kids to say "Yes" to a healthy lifestyle and "No" underage drinking.  

The latest execution of The Century Council's Ask, Listen, Learn program is based on recent research by Harvard Medical School's Dr. John Ratney that shows for your brain to function and work at its peak, your body needs to move.  The interactive activity and supporting website, www.asklistenlearn.com, encourages children to live a healthy lifestyle and provides parents information and strategies to begin the conversation about the dangers of underage drinking.

The event is the result of collaboration between Bacardi U.S.A., Inc., The Century Council, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinin, whose district the company recently moved its corporate headquarters to, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade, with which Bacardi U.S.A. has maintained a long-standing relationship.  

"Bacardi U.S.A. is excited to work with Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen and our other industry and community partners to launch this important program here in Miami," said Rick Wilson, senior vice president, Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.  "We are committed to keeping our products away from those who are not legally eligible to consume them and it's important we help teens make the responsible choices and be safe.  This effort helps accomplish just that."

In addition to supporting The Century Council in this Miami event, Bacardi U.S.A. has also pledged to assist with a wider distribution of a public service announcement to reach kids and parents to raise awareness of www.asklistenlearn.com as a resource for learning about making responsible decisions concerning beverage alcohol.

Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix is a program developed by The Century Council.  The program provides parents with information and strategies to help facilitate conversations with their middle school-aged kids about the dangers of underage drinking. Ask, Listen, Learn was developed by a team of educators and psychologists specializing in middle school-aged students.

At asklistenlearn.com kids may sign up to become "A.L.L. Stars."  A.L.L. Stars are students involved in athletics, academics, and/or their community who pledge to make healthy choices.  A.L.L. Stars are encouraged to explore asklistenlearn.com which features healthy role models, downloadable activities and educational games to play online.  Soon one lucky A.L.L. Star will have the opportunity to appear in an advertorial in Sport Illustrated for Kids.  

Ask, Listen, Learn has already reached millions of parents, kids, and teachers around the country.  In 2010, the new Ask, Listen, Learn initiative includes:

• Asklistenlearn.com, is a website for kids and parents with information on the dangers of underage drinking including monthly polls, information, interactive games, and videos, as well as more information on how to "say 'YES' to a healthy lifestyle and 'NO' to underage drinking."  The website also contains valuable content for parents on how to start the conversation about the dangers of underage drinking.  
• As a public service associated with SIKIDS.com, Ask, Listen, Learn will utilize role models such as Speed Skater Apolo Anton Ohno and professional swimmer Dara Torres as 'SuperStars.'  Ask, Listen, Learn SuperStars will write letters to SI KIDS readers both online and in print.  A.L.L. Stars will be encouraged to read Questions and Answers from SuperStars to learn how elite athletes dealt with peer pressure as they were growing up.  SuperStars will encourage kids to make responsible decisions and live a healthy lifestyle.  This positive messaging will appear in various print and online advertorials as well as interactive games over the course of 2010.
• ALL will have a supplement in Time For Kids where teachers may find information about ALL and how to incorporate the program into their lesson plans, kids can tear out posters, and can play educational games to learn about living a healthy lifestyle and saying no to underage drinking.  
• A parent's booklet, detailing how to begin the conversation, sustain the conversation and make an impact on kids. It presents effective questions, data, conversation starters and answers to typical objections kids raise. Download pdf.
• A kid's booklet, with interactive games, trivia cards with questions and answers explaining the facts about alcohol, addressing issues including how to avoid peer pressure, and creative ways to say no. It also includes an Action Against Alcohol Agreement that both kids and parents can sign.  Download pdf.
• To reach families in the Hispanic community, The Century Council also provides Pregunte. Eschuche. Aprenda. ¡Los ninos y el alcohol no mezclan!

Bacardi U.S.A. is a founding member of The Century Council.  Building upon a longstanding history of corporate social responsibility and recognizing the power of collective action, the distilled spirits industry created The Century Council in 1991 as an independent, national, not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to fight drunk driving and underage drinking and to promote responsible decision making regarding beverage alcohol.

About Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.

Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. is the import, sales and marketing arm of one of the world's leading wine and spirits producers. Bacardi U.S.A. boasts a brand portfolio of some of the most recognized and top-selling spirits in the United States including: BACARDI®  rum, the world's favorite and best-selling premium rum, as well as the world's most awarded rum; GREY GOOSE® vodka, the world-leader in super-premium vodka; DEWAR'S® Scotch whisky, the number-one selling blended Scotch whisky in the United States; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, the top-valued premium gin in the world; CAZADORES® blue agave tequila, the top-selling premium tequila worldwide; MARTINI® vermouth, the world-leader in vermouth; and other leading and emerging brands.

SOURCE Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.