A mother of five, Wendy Shoemaker said she would never allow any of her underage children to drink, nor would she ignore it if they did.

"No. Absolutely not," the Manchester Township resident said. "I have no tolerance for underage drinking."

Shoemaker's concern, she said, is that teenagers don't learn to respect the law if their parents don't teach them to do so, and young people tend to make bad choices when they drink.

"Teenage kids do stupid things, this is true," Shoemaker said. "But hopefully we as parents should be showing them responsibility."

Last week, police announced that 20 high school students were cited at an after-prom party held at a private residence in Airville. It's not clear who provided the alcohol; the parent who owns the home where the party happened said she discouraged underage drinking.

It wasn't the first time adolescents got into trouble recently for drinking or being at a party with alcohol.

A few weeks earlier, the South Eastern School District punished several high school students for being photographed standing near, but not actually drinking, alcohol. In January, a dozen juveniles at a party in Dover were cited with underage drinking, according to police.

Some argue parents should be OK with hosting, or accepting, underage drinking parties in their homes because teens are going to drink anyway. Controlling the environment mitigates the risks involved, said Mary Bixler, of Windsor.

Sixteen years ago, Bixler allowed

her teenage children to have parties at her house with alcohol for graduation, she said. Friends who came to the party had approval to drink from their parents, she said.

"I had kids sleeping all over my house," Bixler said. "They were safe. To this day, those kids remember their graduation night."

Bixler said she supervised how much alcohol the teens drank and ensured no one left the house. While she said it is wrong to break the law, Bixler said it seems illogical that her grandson can join the Army upon graduation but can't drink a beer.

"I don't have all the answers, but I do know if I had my kids' prom night, or their graduation night to do over, I would do the same thing," she said in an e-mail.

That's not a solution the state, which makes the laws, recommends, said Lori Rizzo, the state Liquor Control Board's director of alcohol education. The board has a "zero tolerance" policy for underage drinking in any setting, she said.

It is a crime in Pennsylvania for an adult to provide alcohol to minors, or for an adult who allows a minor to possess it on a "premises or property owned or controlled by the person in charge." Fines are $1,000 to $2,500 for the first violation and $2,500 thereafter.

Last year the board, in an effort to encourage adults to not provide alcohol to minors, launched a Web site dedicated to the subject, www.dontletminorsdrink.com. There is also a hotline people can use to anonymously report underage parties to state police: (888) UNDER-21.

Recognizing that students want to celebrate and unwind after events such as prom and graduation, many schools host post-event parties with the aim of keeping kids away from alcohol and drugs. In the Dallastown Area School District, it's a tradition for seniors to attend a senior class party at the school. The event lasts from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., and there are games, food, entertainment and prizes donated by local businesses.

The school-based party is usually pretty well attended, with more than 450 students and guests, said Betti Saubel, the parent of a senior and a volunteer organizer for the event. They try to keep it lively so it's something kids want to go to, she said.

"It's important to have a safe place for them to be where there isn't alcohol or drugs," Saubel said.

Central York high school gave the community a preview of its post-prom party Saturday during an open house. The party, held at the high school, is open to all senior students, regardless if they attend the prom or not, because it's an attempt to provide a safe, fun, alcohol-free and drug-free environment, Julie Randall Romig, the district's spokeswoman, said in an e-mail.

Keeping teenagers out of risky situations, such as drinking and driving or doing drugs, is a worry for many parents such as Debbie Buell.

Buell's 17-year-old son has a birthday coming up. Although Buell remembers drinking in front of her parents, it's not something she would allow today, she said. Still, teenagers are going to make mistakes -- it's part of growing up, she said.

"Most definitely kids are going to be kids," she said. "We've all been there, but I want him to stay out of trouble."
ndobo@ydr.com; 771-2032

SUPPLYING ALCOHOL

In 2005 the American Medical Association surveyed teens and their parents to reveal how youth are obtaining alcohol. Parents who were interviewed had children aged 12 to 20 years old. Children interviewed were 13 to 18 years old.

Parents

--- Nearly 76 percent of parents said it is likely their children are getting alcohol from another parent.

--- One out of four parents say they have allowed their child to drink with their supervision.

--- About 8 percent of parents say they have allowed their children's friends to drink under their supervision.

Teens

--- About 21 percent of teenagers say they have attended a party where the alcohol was provided by someone else's parents.

--- About one in four teens say their parents have supplied them with alcohol.

--- More than one out of four teens say they have been to a party where underage people were allowed to drink with parents present.

Source: The American Medical Association; margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent.

KEEP TABS ON TEENS

More than 80 percent of Pennsylvania high school seniors said they have drunk alcohol, according to the 2005 Youth Survey by the state Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The Sheppard Pratt Health System's Office of Substance Abuse Education has developed tips for parents who have children going to a prom:

--- Make sure you know your child's plans for the evening.

--- Know all of the "hot spot" destinations.

--- Support your school's alcohol- and drug-free after-prom party.

--- Take stock of the alcohol in your home.

--- Know who is driving.

--- Encourage seat belt use.

--- Do not rent hotel rooms for prom-goers.

--- Communicate with other parents and school officials.

--- Remain awake for your prom-goer's return home.