CENTRAL STUDENTS, OTHERS WILL RALLY TODAY AGAINST UNDERAGE DRINKING

Students at Cape Girardeau Central High School will join the fight against underage drinking when they host a Missouri Youth Rally today.

Nearly 1,000 Central students will meet on the school's front lawn at 8:30 a.m. They will be joined by local and state dignitaries for the hourlong rally, which begins with the arrival of a National Guard UH-1 "Huey" helicopter.

The event is one of eight similar rallies being held around the state this week in an effort to curb underage use of alcohol. The campaign is spearheaded statewide by the Missouri Youth-Adult Alliance Against Underage Drinking and the Missouri National Guard.

Locally, several Central organizations helped coordinate the event, including the Renaissance Club, Thespian Society and Teen Spirit, a drug-awareness group.

Several people are scheduled to speak during the rally. Students also will present state coordinators with a large puzzle piece filled with the signatures of Central students. The puzzle piece will be taken Friday to Jefferson City, where it will be fitted with pieces from other rallies to form the state of Missouri. The entire puzzle will be presented to Gov. Mel Carnahan.

"We're really flattered that a state agency recognized that Central would be a good place to choose to host an event like this," said Julia Jorgensen, Renaissance faculty sponsor. "We just really feel fortunate that so many people are helping out with this rally. I don't think any of the other sites will have as large a number of organizations both in the school and in the community contributing to the event as we have here in Cape Girardeau."

Jorgensen said many local organizations including the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments, veterans' organizations and military recruiters will join students in what coordinators call "the battle to curb underage use of alcohol in Missouri." She said the event is open to anyone wishing to join the fight against underage drinking.