Students from 10 local junior high and high schools were on campus Wednesday for “Prevention Day 2001,” a workshop designed to help in preventing teenager substance abuse.

Sponsored by the Central East Alcoholism and Drug Council’s In Touch program, the all-day gathering was structured to help the teens say no and resist drinking, smoking and the many other pressures brought upon them as they get older.

“We want to relay the message that they need to make their own decisions, and to make it easier for them to make decisions down the road,” said Michelle Eaton, the program’s prevention coordinator.

The keynote performers were the MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe, which stands for Messages Which Are Hopeful!, a Chicago-based entertainment group that uses music, skits and crowd interaction during their performance.

Performing songs by such artists as N’SYNC and Elvis Presley, MWAH! used music as their main asset in reaching out to the crowd of around 200 at the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Group member J.C. Renzetti opened up the performance with a few statements pertaining to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

“To survive is a different thing now. It isn’t a phony television show that’s just for the ratings,” Renzetti said. “This is real-life. This is serious.”

“The word `survive’ has taken on an entirely new meaning.” Renzetti said.

Following MWAH!’s performance, the students attended three separate discussion workshops.

“Outwit, Outlast, Outplay” was the first workshop, in which the participants learned how to deal with peers and how to resist their urges.

“Can You Survive the Challenge of Healthy Living?” was another workshop that pertained to showing the students how to recognize a healthy relationship from a unhealthy one, and how teenagers can live a happier life.

Lastly, “Can You Outwit to Gain Immunity?” informed the students of the dangers of drinking, particularly in mass amounts.