It’s your life: You Choose

The hottest ticket in the Mat-Su Valley this weekend was to a concert Saturday night promoting healthy lifestyles.

We were surprised when the You Choose Substance Abuse Prevention Project concert organizer from the AT&T Sports Center called Friday to say the show was sold out and could we help get the word out that teens attending should plan to carpool.

Organizer Gretchen Geist said that’s because the venue had planned for about 500 students to attend, but instead sold 2,500 tickets.

An event in the Mat-Su Valley that draws 2,500 spectators is unusual. But what makes this still more unique is that this is an anti-drug rock show planned as part of Red Ribbon Week.

Woven between performances by bands Stadium and Elvis Monroe was a short documentary describing the tragic story of David Velasquez’s drug- and alcohol-addicted uncle’s murder-suicide and testimonials from former addicts who shared details of their stories, like how young they were when they got into drugs, what they’ve lost to their addictions and how they’re doing now.

Up last, Elvis Monroe closes the show before all bands return to the stage to discuss their messages on positive choices.

Velasquez is the founder of this unique youth-focused effort to encourage teens to make smart decisions that move them toward their goals.

“This isn’t about saying ‘don’t do drugs, don’t drink alcohol,’ this is about getting to the goal of doing what you want to do by making good choices,” Elvis Monroe fill-in bassist Todd Burman told the kids at Colony high school.

Velasquez said the message is choice.

“The project is meant to present our youth with the choice to choose their life and what they want to succeed at in life,” he said.

The You Choose effort — one of several Red Ribbon activities in the district — included performances at Colony High School Thursday morning and Wasilla High School Friday afternoon.

We were pleased to see the district relent and allow the rock and roll shows at local high schools during school hours. Reading, writing, arithmetic and good decision-making are all important life skills students will need to succeed.

In June, we wrote an editorial urging the school board to allow the You Choose program during school hours. We’re glad to see the school board concurred and its members voted to allow the program in.

In the past, we’ve told our kids “just say no,” but maybe haven’t been crystal clear about why. You Choose is a new spin on an old message: Your choices affect your future, so choose wisely.

Kudos to Velasquez for transforming a personal tragedy into a concert event where 2,500 Mat-Su Valley teens saw their rock and roll heroes take the stage and heard in their own words why they’ve chosen to live free of drugs and alcohol.