A group of Wiscasset Middle High School juniors skipped school May 26 and plastered stickers on alcohol at several local liquor retailers.

It’s really OK, though, School Resource Officer Craig Worster was with them, and they had the permission of the store owners and the school. The students, Grace Webber, Vanessa Dunn, Maeve Blodgett, Sarah Foley and Jesse Perkins, affixed bright orange stickers to packages of beer to warn buyers the penalty for providing alcohol to underage people can be steep.

The stickers, in the shape of a police badge, read: “Providing alcohol to minors is illegal. Fines are up to $2,000 and/or up to a year in jail.”

Foley is the youth member of Healthy Lincoln County’s Substance Use Prevention Partnership, and said she had gotten involved with the sticker shock program at Lincoln Academy last year.

Blodgett said she enjoyed getting involved in this kind of activity. “It makes a difference. It’s at this time of year, when proms and graduations are going on, that alcohol can be found sometimes.” Reminding adults, who might be an older brother or sister or cousin, that buying beer for the younger person is illegal might keep alcohol out of the hands of minors, she said.

Webber said this is the time of year, summer generally, when alcohol is around, at parties and other activities where young people might be. “It reminds adults to be vigilant and remember that their newly graduated son or daughter, though technically an adult, still isn’t old enough to drink.”

Worster said sticker shock is an annual event, done just before school lets out. “The kids gave up their lunch period and an activity period to do this, so I’ll be taking them out to lunch,” he said.  He said he’d be taking them to McDonalds, because they had to get back soon. “It’s a fun activity, and while these stores are generally very good at not selling to minors, sometimes adults in the teen’s family or older circle of friends need a reminder, too.”