Student Project Tackles Binge Drinking in Local Community
Castleton junior and Computer Information student Ken Stone was well aware of the commitment he was taking on when he tackled the issue of underage and binge drinking in Rutland County.
Stone was responsible for developing a database and researching the town policies and ordinances in all of Rutland County. Working alongside Professor Rich Clark at the Castleton Polling Institute, the two developed an extensive project for the Rutland Area Prevention Coalition, with a mission of making all town records more accurate and accessible, and the end goal of preventing the ongoing issue of alcohol abuse.
“With this database, they would be able to more easily have a true record of certain things,” said Stone.
All together the project took Stone approximately four months to build a prototype to present to Clark in 2014. Once finalized, both he and Clark presented the product to the Rutland Area Prevention Coalition, where it was overall very well received.
Recently they presented at a local meeting in the state of Vermont with 10 other counties in attendance. Received with additional positive feedback, the pair is looking to make the database accessible statewide, with potential for further expansion.
“I’d like to see it grow not just in the state of Vermont but to other states all around,” Stone said.
In addition to his recent development work and being a full-time student, Stone works for the university’s IT department, as well as runs his own outside computer repair business from home.
“I often wonder if he ever sleeps because he does so much outside work for others along with going to school,” said Computer Information Studies Program Coordinator Scott Hanselman.
Hanselman added Stone also brings a lot to the classroom as well.
“Early on he was quiet and then he really started to open up and would talk about his own personal experience,” Hanselman said. “Students get a lot out of him being in the classroom and many students look up to him.”
It was his level of interest, motivation and drive to do well that really impressed Hanselman and though he is a non-traditional student, Hanselman thinks the skills Stone possesses are a great resource to his peers.
“I am trying to get traditional students to think the way he does,” he said.