Fifth-grade students at Mount Carmel Regional School participated in an educational session on April 1 led by Berlin police officers Anthony Massi and Robert Murray, part of the Law Enforcement Against Drugs (LEAD) program.
The students learned the dangers of alcohol impairment through an exercise that saw Massi introduce them to the infamous “beer goggles,” designed to simulate the effects of alcohol impairment. The students attempted a series of sobriety tests, including walking in a straight line and balancing on one leg, both with and without the goggles.
The results were eye-opening: While there were moments of laughter, many students admitted they found the exercise disorienting, an important takeaway that illustrates the real effects of impaired judgment.
“You can only teach and explain so much about impairment, but using the goggles gives the students a hands-on experience of what it truly feels like,” Massi explained. “We want to instill in them the right decision-making skills at an early age, so when they face peer pressure or difficult choices later in life, they will remember these lessons.”
The LEAD program – an 11-week initiative for fifth graders – covers a range of crucial topics, including peer pressure and the negative effects of nicotine and marijuana as well as alcohol. The goal is to have students make safe and responsible choices before they encounter real-world situations where they might be pressured into harmful behaviors.
Massi, who’s been in law enforcement for 33 years, has dedicated much of his career to working with young people. After retiring as a Gloucester Township detective in 2019, he moved to Florida and began working with a sheriff’s office to teach similar programs in schools. Back in New Jersey, he continued his mission as a School Resource Officer (SRO), bringing the LEAD program to both Berlin Community School and Mount Carmel.
“If just one student recalls this lesson and chooses to make a responsible decision down the road, that’s a victory for everyone,” Massi acknowledged.
“I love being an instructor of these youth programs,” said Murray, an officer since 1993 and a DARE instructor for 30 years, “because these simple, meaningful lessons can help them in life and their decision making. The one lesson that is particularly memorable for the students is the beer goggles. It shows them how even one beer … can throw things off for them.
“I’ll continue to work with the youth in the area in any capacity as long as God gives me life, health and strength.”
Students, faculty and administrators at Mount Carmel expressed gratitude to the officers’ visit. Special recognition went to LEAD coordinator Lt. Josh Smith.
