During her first year at UVA, Sarah learned about Gordie's story when she signed the GORDIEday pledge to be an active bystander and look out for her friends. Her interaction with the ADAPT members working the pledge drive encouraged her to become an ADAPT peer educator herself.

"Peer education is a great way to find common ground and have an open conversation. One of the most rewarding things for me is when I ask a group to which I'm presenting to tell me the signs of alcohol overdose and the whole group can easily list the PUBS signs. It's exciting to see how many of our conversations have actually reached students and potentially affected decisions that they make."

In addition to serving as an ADAPT co-chair, Sarah has also been a member of the Gordie Center staff as a student assistant.

"Working at the Gordie Center has been an awesome experience and has given me the opportunity to meet and work with some truly wonderful people. The Center's work is really important because they make it easy for high schools, colleges, administrators, and students to teach content. The Gordie Center helps increase conversation nationwide, and therefore increase awareness."

Sarah's goals in life include being the best teacher she can be, and having a positive impact on the people she meets. Being a member of a peer education group like ADAPT has helped her meet those goals during her college experience.

"What's really exciting is that my work with ADAPT and the Gordie Center ties in really well with my education interests. Being part of a peer education group is awesome because it gives you a lot of new communication skills. Learning how to talk non-judgmentally with peers is great for becoming a better person and friend to others. Also, you get to see your impact on the community -- it's a great way to be involved in creating the culture that you want to see at your school."

Brianna Cabrera, a 20-year-old from The Bronx, New York City, is a senior majoring in sociology. She loves anything to do with music, food, getting to spend quality time with her family and friends -- and chocolate.

Brianna became an ADAPT peer educator two years ago, and served as co-chair of the group this past year. She learned about ADAPT through a friend who was a member, but she wasn't sure about joining the group at first.

"Then one day, I met an upperclassman who told me about a time they fell off a house roof and nearly died from having consumed too much alcohol. After that incident, they decided to stop drinking, and I remember thinking to myself, 'It shouldn't take something like that happening for someone to decide to make safer choices.' That is what truly motivated me to join ADAPT.

After joining the group, Brianna and other ADAPT members learn the ins and outs of peer education through a required training class. The class teaches them alcohol and other drug information, as well as soft skills, such as how to present comfortably and confidently and how to engage with others in a non-judgmental way.

"Peer educators are people you can turn to as a resource, who you know are going through similar environments as you and to whom you can relate. I know I usually feel more comfortable talking to a peer about certain topics than I do with adults. Having a peer group makes these issues more relatable and helps form a stronger bridge of trust."

Brianna describes her time in ADAPT as extremely rewarding. "My face lights up every time we're tabling and someone asks us what we're doing and says something like, 'Wow, this is such important work you guys are doing...thank you!' It just re-affirms my choice to join this incredible group of people in trying to create a safer community."

Brianna says that joining ADAPT has been one of the greatest choices she's made as a college student, and she encourages other students to become peer educators on their campuses.

"You learn so much about yourself and others, and gain so many skills that are useful in all aspects of life: working with different kinds of people, comprehensively presenting information, dealing with various kinds of situations, and just talking to people in different ways. I will always be grateful for the skills I've learned and the people I've met as a result."

After joining the group, Brianna and other ADAPT members learn the ins and outs of peer education through a required training class. The class teaches them alcohol and other drug information, as well as soft skills, such as how to present comfortably and confidently and how to engage with others in a non-judgmental way.

"Peer educators are people you can turn to as a resource, who you know are going through similar environments as you and to whom you can relate. I know I usually feel more comfortable talking to a peer about certain topics than I do with adults. Having a peer group makes these issues more relatable and helps form a stronger bridge of trust."

Brianna describes her time in ADAPT as extremely rewarding. "My face lights up every time we're tabling and someone asks us what we're doing and says something like, 'Wow, this is such important work you guys are doing...thank you!' It just re-affirms my choice to join this incredible group of people in trying to create a safer community."

Brianna says that joining ADAPT has been one of the greatest choices she's made as a college student, and she encourages other students to become peer educators on their campuses.

"You learn so much about yourself and others, and gain so many skills that are useful in all aspects of life: working with different kinds of people, comprehensively presenting information, dealing with various kinds of situations, and just talking to people in different ways. I will always be grateful for the skills I've learned and the people I've met as a result."