LEWISTON – A local youth group’s effort to curtail underage drinking went national Wednesday – without Montel Williams’ help.

Lewiston Youth Advisory Council members launched their “U Booze, U Looze” Web site at www.uboozeulooze.org, targeting teens from middle school on up.

The Web site includes YouTube versions of their “Thoughts about underage drinking” videos and a blog. It also gives teens across the country the chance to pledge to take a stand against underage drinking and print out a signed certificate.

The effort has garnered attention statewide already and is being touted by “Take It Back,” a national teenage drinking program.

That led to inquiries from a high school teacher in Wisconsin as well as producers from the Montel Williams Show.

“(Producers) talked about flying some of the kids out to talk about the program,” said Dot Perham-Whittier, one of the group’s adult advisers. “But nothing has come of it yet. I sent them a notice about the Web site, so you never know what might happen next.”

Perham-Whittier said the teacher was interested in creating a similar program.

The group kicked off the program in February. It grew out of a teenage drinking presentation member Ashley Morgan attended last fall.

“I came back with the idea, and we did what we always do at youth council meetings – we brainstormed ideas,” she said. They adopted the slogan and a “UBUL” logo and began an education campaign.

They created a video, interviewing Lewiston businessman Nick Knowlton about the pain of his nephew being killed from a drunken driver and then discussed their thoughts on drinking.

Knowlton helped design the logo and his son, Nicholas, helped create the Web site.

It’s being hosted by Advanced Microsystems and sponsored by the GSM Group and Northeast Bank.