The Optimist Club of Merrill donated $500 to the Healthy Minds of Lincoln County in support of the Merrill Social Norms Project. Aspirus Merrill Hospital, CM CARES Church Mutual Insurance Company Foundation, and Merrill Area United Way have also provided funding to support this project.
Randy, President of Optimists of Merrill presents a donation to members and advisors for the Merrill High School Social Norms Committee
Optimists Donate to Support Merrill Social Norms Project – Foto News – Feb 3, 2022
Social norms project combats misperceptions of alcohol, drug use – Merrill Courier March 4, 2016
Social Norms project combats misperceptions of alcohol, drug use – Merrill Foto News March 2 2016
Optimists make donation – Merrill Focus January 31 2014
Clinic donates to Merrill Social Norms project – Foto News March 27, 2013
Results from the Merrill High School student surveys indicate that from 2007 to 2021, there was an important reduction of perception of alcohol use among Merrill High School students as measured by a decrease in perception of alcohol as the typical socializing beverage (27% to 17%), perception of students driving after drinking (77% to 53%), riding in a vehicle with another student who had been drinking (84% to 58%), and perception of peers who have drank alcohol in past 30 days (93% to 85% perceived used by typical student; 60% to 58% perceived use is normative [more than half their peers used]). Between 2007 and 2021, the actual reported 30 day use of alcohol has dropped (47% to 42%). The percentage of students that reported never drinking alcohol increased by 18% (26% to 44%), and never tried cigarettes increased by 24% (54% to 78%). This data demonstrates that by marketing true norms we are changing perceptions which leads to an increase in healthy behaviors.
Merrill Social Norms Project Overview
Merrill Social Norms Campaign Materials
Fall 2022
Parent/Community Poster
High School Poster for Fall
Spring 2022
High School poster for May
Board by Lincoln Lanes late April thru early September 2022
Winter 2021-2022
Community Poster
High School poster for Mid-March thru April
High School poster for February thru Mid March
High School poster for December 2021 thru January 2022
Board across from Merrill Post Office in February-March
Fall 2021
Board by Lincoln Lanes late October 2021 thru March 2022
Summer 2021
Board across from Post Office in August 2021
Board by Lincoln Lanes May thru October 2021
Board by County Market during May
Spring 2021
Middle School Poster for May and June
Middle School Poster for April
Winter 2021
Middle School poster for March
Middle School poster for February
Billboard across from Post Office in February
Middle School Poster for January 2021
Fall-Winter 2020
Middle School poster for December
Posted by Dave’s County Market in December 2020
Billboard posted south on Hwy K during the month of November
Billboard posted across from Post Office during month of November
Board by Lincoln Lane from November 2020 to April 2021
(Note: Due to school transitioning to virtual in March 2020 as a result of COVID-19, we were unable to meet with youth on the committee. This resulted in our campaign being halted until fall/winter 2020.)
December 2019 – February 2020
High School poster for Feb – March
Billboard posted by County Market during the month of January
Parent/Community Poster
Middle School Poster for Jan-Feb
Billboard posted across from Merrill Post office for the month of December
Billboard posted on Hwy K as enter Merrill from south during month of December
September – November 2019
Board by Lincoln Lanes (Nov – April 2020)
Parent/Community poster
High School poster
Sept – Oct Middle School poster
Nov – Dec Middle School Poster
Summer 2019
Parent/Community Poster
High School Poster
Middle School Poster
Spring 2019
Parent/Community Poster
High School Poster (March)
Middle School Poster (March)
Winter 2018
Parent/Community Poster
High School Poster (Dec – Jan)
High School Poster (Jan – Feb)
Middle School Poster (Dec)
Middle School Poster (Jan)
Middle School Poster (Feb)
Fall 2018
Billboard by Lincoln Lanes (July – Dec. 2018)
Spring 2018
Community/Parent Message
High School Message (March – April)
High School Message (May – June)
Middle School Message (March)
Middle School Message (April)
Middle School Message (May – June)
Winter 2017-18
Billboard (Feb – March 2018)
Community/Parent Message (Dec. 2017 – Feb. 2018)
High School Message (Dec. 2017 – Feb. 2018)
Middle School Message ( Jan. – Feb. 2018)
Middle School Message (Dec. 2017 – Jan. 2018)
Fall 2017
Billboard (November-December 2017)
Community/Parent Message (September – November 2017)
High School poster (September – November 2017)
Middle School poster (October 2017)
Middle School poster (September 2017)
Summer 2017
Billboard (August – September 2017)
Foto News on July 26, 2017
March – June 2017
Foto News on May 24 2017
Foto News on April 19 2017
Billboard (May – July 2017)
Billboard (March 2017)
Parent/Community poster March – June 2017
Middle School poster – March 2017
Middle School poster April 2017
Middle School poster May – June 2017
High School poster mid-March – April 2017
High School poster May – June 2017
December 2016 – February 2017
Billboard by Lincoln Lanes (Jan. – June 2017)
Parent/Community poster Dec. – Feb.
High School Poster – Feb – mid March
High School Poster for Dec – Jan
Middle School Poster – February
Middle School Poster for Dec – Jan
September – November 2016
Parent/Community poster
High School Poster
Middle School poster
March – June 2016
Parent-Community Poster
Student Poster
Billboard – East 2nd Street by Fire Station
December 2015 – February 2016
Parent-Community Poster
Student Poster
September – November 2015
Parent/Community poster
Student poster
Foto News ad – September – November 2015
Billboard – Hwy K North of Merrill by Prairie River
Summer 2015
Billboard – Hwy K North near County Road Q Intersection
March – June 2015
Billboard – Hwy 64 West across from Post Office
Billboard – Hwy 64 West
Parent/Community poster
Student poster
Foto News ad March – June 2015
December 2014 – February 2015:
Parent/Community Poster
Student Poster
Foto News ad December 17 2014 and January 14 2015
Foto News ad December 31 2014
September – November 2014:
Parent/Community poster
High School poster
Summer 2014:
Billboard – Hwy K South
Billboard – Hwy 64 West
2013-14 Spring (April – June):
Parent/Community Poster
Student Poster
2013-14 Winter (December – March):
Billboard – Hwy 64 West
Parent/Community poster
Student poster
2013 Fall (September – November):
October 2013 Bill Board on West 64 near Dave’s County Market
Parent/Community Poster
Student poster
2013 Spring (April – June):
Parent/Community Poster
Student Poster
May 2013 Bill Board on Hwy K North of Merrill
School Computer Log in Screen
2013 Winter (January – March):
Parent Community Poster
Student Poster
2011-2012 Fourth Quater (July – September):
Fourth Quarter Billboard
Foto News ad
Cosmo Theater Ad and Parent Community Poster
Cosmo Theater Ad and July – August Student Poster
Student September Poster
2011-2012 Third Quarter (April – June):
Third Quarter Billboard
Foto News ad
Cosmo Theater Ad and Parent/Community Poster
Cosmo Theater ad and MHS Student Poster for April
Cosmo Theater ad and MHS Student Poster for May and June
Middle School Student Poster for April
Middle School Student Poster for May and June
School Computer Log In Screen
2011 – 2012 Second Quarter (January – March):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzJr3dP-E7U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhUSzfM7X0w Edit this video
Second Quarter Billboard
First Student Poster and Cosmo Theater Ad
Second Student Poster
Winter Sports Guide – Student Ad
School Log In Screen
Parent/Community Poster and Cosmo Theater Ad
Winter Sports Guide – Parent/Community Ad
Foto News ad
2011 – 2012 First Quarter (October – December):
First Quarter Billboard
First Student Poster
Second Student Poster and Cosmo Theater Ad
Winter School Computer Log-in Screen
Fall School Computer Log In Screen
Fall Sports Guide – Student Ad
Foto News Sports Section Ad
Parent/Community Message and Cosmo Theater Ad
Fall Sports Guide – Parent/Community Ad
Parent Newspaper Ad
Merrill Parent Banner
Merrill Student Banner
