LITTLE BOSTON — Teenagers are bombarded everyday with the need to fit in, to feel cool, especially from their peers. They are pressured to wear the right clothes, use the proper slang and sometimes smoke or drink to be accepted.

Noticing this trend, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe has started a new drinking prevention program to keep teens from falling into the “cool trap.”

“It’s a problem everywhere,” said Tribal Chairman Ron Charles. “It’s more apparent with the summertime and graduation parties. It’s a problem.”

Former Tribal Health Educator Kelly Baze, who helped with programs to educate teens about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, has been hired to coordinate the program.

Baze said the program aims to utilize teenagers who do not drink as positive role models for those who do.

“We hope to increase community awareness about the laws,” she said. “We want to keep youths safe and reduce the amount of incidents.”

Charles said the number of teens who are caught drinking on the reservation has grown over the years, and this program was created to reduce that.

“All I can judge from police reports is we’re getting more reports,” he said, adding that alcohol awareness programs are needed in all communities, as underaged drinking is an issue in all areas.

“I don’t think it’s getting worse,” Baze said. “I think it’s just continuing, and that’s a problem.”

Baze said teens participating in the program are primarily non-drinking youth who are interested in upholding laws in the community.

“Some kids are involved through the court system,” she said. “Some have been hospitalized because of their drinking. Many have used (drugs) or been drinking. The statistics say most kids don’t drink. We are trying to get at the small number of those that do.”

This new program was funded by a $600,000 five-year grant from the Strategic Prevention Framework-State Incentive Grant awarded to the tribe. The Washington State Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse and Kingston Junior High cooperated to get the grant for the Port Gamble S’Klallam tribe, recognizing the need for an underaged drinking prevention program.

“We were chosen because we fit into the criteria,” Baze said, noting that the money would go primarily to positive reenforcement that teens do not have to drink to be cool.

Currently, there are 10 teenagers participating in the program, and Baze said most of them do not drink.

“We’re still in the starting process,” she said. “Right now, we are looking at how we can address the issue. We want to make a happier, healthier place for our kids to thrive. We’re just trying to give them the best we can.”

Parents, teachers, adults or students interested in the program can contact Baze at the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal office, (360) 297-2646.