Ten NCAA institutions have been selected to receive CHOICES program grants this year.

The grants, totaling more than $300,000, bring to 138 the number of grants awarded since the CHOICES program began in 1991. About $3 million has been awarded to institutions since then.

The CHOICES program seeks to encourage NCAA institutions and conferences to implement and evaluate effective alcohol-education programs. Funded programs are designed to work toward the elimination of high-risk consumption of alcohol on college campuses by promoting low-risk choices.

This year's grant recipients are (with program title):

California University of Pennsylvania (Discovering CHOICES)

Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania (Healthy CHOICES for Life)

Louisiana Tech University (CHOICES Generation)

Luther College (Making Good CHOICES)

University of Maine at Farmington (A.C.T.I.O.N.: Athletes' CHOICES to Improve Our Nightlife)

Montana State University-Bozeman (Champs' CHOICES)

University of Nevada, Reno (Voices for CHOICES)

St. Edward's University (The Hilltopper Advantage: Safe and Healthy CHOICES)

University of South Carolina, Columbia (CHOICES for Success)

Worcester Polytechnic University (WPI ... Engineering CHOICES)

Grants are awarded on a three-year basis. The maximum amount of the grant awards decreases from $15,000 the first year to $10,000 the second year and $5,000 the third year. The approach is designed to encourage the institution to assume greater responsibility for maintaining the program.

The NCAA awards CHOICES grants with support from an original gift from Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.

Many of the 10 newly funded programs feature peer-education components in which student-athletes and other students receive training to provide leadership to teammates and classmates in developing policies, raising awareness and conducting prevention programs.

Those programs also feature such elements as media campaigns, community outreach and events offering alternatives to alcohol use. All of the programs have characteristics that have been common in CHOICES projects: They are campus-wide in focus and are built around athletics events, activities and/or integrate student-athletes in the program implementation. All also emphasize, in some way, the choices students must make about alcohol use.

Application forms for CHOICES grants to be awarded in 2005 will be mailed to member institutions in October. The forms and grant guidelines will be sent to athletics directors, chief executive officers and directors of student affairs. The deadline for applications will be in February 2005.