RIVERSIDE TEEN GIVES ANTI-DRUG MESSAGE IN NATIONAL ADS

There are times when Christina Avila still can't believe it.

But when she sees herself in the commercial on MTV or in the advertisement
in Sports Illustrated for the Web site freevibe.com, she's reminded that
this really did happen -- is happening -- and isn't some crazy dream.

And who can blame her for thinking this is all still a little hard to believe?

"I see it and I still think it's crazy," said Avila, a 17-year-old senior
at Riverside High School. "I never imagined it would be like this.

"I saw it on Fox. And then one of my friends called and said she saw it on
MTV. And it was in all the magazines: Cosmo, Teen, Sports Illustrated."

Avila's work, done for free, can still be seen in TV commercials and print
advertisements for freevibe.com, which warns teens about the dangers of
drugs and alcohol and provides support for those who don't do drugs or are
trying to stop.

The Web site is part of the National Anti-Drug Media Campaign, which is run
by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The office's goal, as stated
on its Web site, is to empower young people to reject illicit drugs.

Riverside senior Casie Diaz, who is Avila's cousin and a teammate, said
that at first she didn't believe that her cousin would be in a commercial.

"She told me she'd done it," Diaz said, "And I was like, 'Oh yeah,
whatever.' Then when I saw it, I was like, 'Oh, it's for real!' "

"I'm proud of her. She deserves it. She's a real hard worker. She's never
been so happy, and I think (her anti-drug stance) is starting to make a
difference with players around us. They realize it's a good cause and are
starting to take it seriously."

The company that produced the commercial, Washington Square Films,
interviewed hundreds of teenagers. To find the kind of young person they
were looking for, they called parks and recreation departments throughout
the country.

That led to a call to the El Paso Parks and Recreation Department, and
special promotions and public relations coordinator Wayne Thornton.
Thornton, who also is president of the Sun Bowl Association, was asked if
he knew anyone who would be the type of teenager the film company wanted.

Thornton suggested Avila, whom he knew from her involvement in basketball,
especially the McDonald's League.

"She's very articulate," he said. "She's the type of person who looks you
in the eye when she speaks to you. I knew she'd be a very good
representative of El Paso. Any event we do here at parks and rec, she's in
the front of my mind because she sends the right message.

"She talks to everyone, and everything is 'Mr.' and 'Mrs.,' 'yes, sir' and
'yes, ma'am.' She's just a joy to be around. Obviously, she captured their
hearts just like she does everyone else's."

Standing up

Avila had to sit out a varsity season last year after transferring from
Fabens. She played on the junior varsity team, and it was during that time
that the photos and video footage for the ads and commercials were shot.

In the print ad, which appeared in Sports Illustrated's Sept. 5 pro
football preview issue (it's on the page opposite the Chargers preview),
Avila's comments appear in red type: "I can stand with my head up high and
just tell everyone, 'You know what? I never smoked pot.' It just wouldn't
be me."

That ability to stand up for herself has helped her earn a leadership role
on her team.

But she's also a leader because she can play. Riverside girls basketball
coach Kristi Lattin said a handful of colleges are recruiting Avila,
including New Mexico State. "She takes basketball very seriously, and I
know I can count on her for that," Lattin said. "And she has that
leadership ability where she can do something without saying anything and
the other girls will follow her.

"It's good to have somebody who's not into drugs and has their head on
straight. It's good for the younger girls to have someone to look up to."

Avila's parents, Maria and Salvadore Avila, said they, like many people,
were surprised an El Pasoan was chosen for the commercials and ads.

Then again, they know their daughter is a person of conviction and strong
morals.

"I was real proud of her, real happy," said her father, Salvadore, 44.
"She's a real good girl -- hard-working and a good player -- and she's just
a real good person.

"My wife and I are very proud of her. Hopefully, she's going to do very
well in her life. We're expecting a lot of good things from her."

Avila's mother, Maria, 46, said she's received a number of positive
comments about her daughter.

"A lot of people at work have said, 'I saw your daughter on TV,' and that
she did well and the commercials and ads were real nice," she said. "I feel
really proud when people congratulate me about it. ... It makes me feel
good inside to know that she's turned out to be such a good person and has
been such a good influence on other people."

Making the cut

Avila went through a grueling process before the company that produced the
commercials and ads:

First, there was a phone interview. She was told if she got a call back,
she made the first cut.

Next, they asked for a picture, which was the second cut.

A personal interview was the next step. Avila's answers to numerous
questions were recorded. She was told if she heard from them again, it
meant she was the one they picked or they needed more information.

They called back.

"Three weeks passed and finally they called me back and said I was the best
fit," Avila said. "I still honestly didn't think it was anything big, but
then they showed up with a crew of 12 people. And it was a whole day's
worth of shooting for a 30-second spot. But it was neat. They had me doing
all kinds of different things."

Things have been a little different for Avila since then. A child at a
Peter Piper Pizza restaurant asked her for her autograph.

She said it made her understand, just a little bit, how superstars and
other famous people feel. Now, at times, Avila said she feels like other
people are watching her to see what she'll do, especially if she goes to a
party.

"I think a lot of my friends feel more comfortable saying no (to alcohol or
drugs) because I'm around them and they know I don't do that," she said.
"And I've had people come up to me and ask me for advice. I tell them I
don't have a Ph.D. or anything. I just tell them if it's not you, don't do it."

'I'm strong-willed'

One of Avila's nicknames is "the Water Girl," because she always has
bottled water with her, even at parties. She's volunteered for designated
driver duties on many occasions, including homecoming.

"There are freshmen who stay out longer than I do!" she said.

But those people don't have teachers at school bragging about them.

"Something that makes me proud is to hear teachers sound excited when they
say I'm a student at Riverside," she said. "People are proud to say, 'I
know her.' I guess I have my fans."

Avila has been recruited to speak to city youths as part of the DARE
program. And, this summer, she got a great gift from her family: a trip to
the Michael Jordan Flight School fantasy basketball camp.

Asked about everything that's happened to her in the past year, Avila said,
"Everyone's been really supportive. It's been great. I do feel lucky. I
feel blessed. I'm very thankful for everything. I guess I've earned a lot
of respect."

She'd gladly trade that for a basketball scholarship, which is her ultimate
goal. Yet even that, to some degree, pales in comparison to the opportunity
she's had to affect the lives of others in a positive way.

"It made me feel like everything I do is worth it," she said. "Sometimes
it's hard (to do the right thing) when you're a teenager.

"But it's all up to you. There's peer pressure, yeah, but it's still up to
you. I'm strong-willed. If I do something, it's what I want to do. I try to
set that example."