I would consider “Drowning in alcohol” to be more than an overstatement to describe the students who attend Algonquin Regional High School. In the October 2015 Harbinger,  a published article written by Jen Fox made the statement, “Student alcohol consumption has detrimental effects on personal well-being and the community.” There is no proof however that the alcohol consumption, which was said to be caused from stress, has changed the way the students from our school perform academically or physically.  Fox’s references to the problem came from a member of the school’s faculty, Lisa Connery, director of guidance,  who was not in the position to speak for the student body. The accusation that most drinking came from stress put on students is inaccurate in the way that is refers to all student drinkers. As a senior in high school, I have never heard of another classmate drinking because they felt “stressed”. The common reason for drinking is, from what I’ve heard and saw in the figures from page 10, is that the 51.2 percent of seniors drink for fun. Upperclassmen are experiencing a new way of life in which they are granted new freedoms that they didn’t have before, giving them opportunities to try new things (legal or not).  The next time an article is written accusing students of ruining their lives, an accused member should be interviewed and given a chance to express their opinion.

Paige Michaud, class of 2016