OXFORD – “Grease” may be the word when the stage curtain goes up, but for the time being, “Just say nay to the alcohol way,” is the word at Oxford Middle School.

Students and staff concerns over some scenes in the popular 1970s Broadway and movie hit being performed at the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School next month prompted them to cut back on several scenes that include smoking and inappropriate language. But one scene in which the so-called “Pink Ladies” are drinking was kept in the show.

The show will open May 3 at the school in Paris.

Set in 1959, the fictional Rydell High School in Chicago focuses on romance between Danny and Sandy and tackles social issues such as teenage pregnancy, gang violence and teenage rebellion.

“We wanted to keep it in. We thought the scene was important to the show,” said Autumn Potter, who plays Sandy in the production.

To convince staff there could be a positive way to use the scene, Potter said they proposed an educational message to bring to the sixth grade students in SAD 17. The result was the slogan, “Just Say Nay to the Alcohol Way” and a 30-minute program in which the “Pink Ladies” and “Sandy” go to each elementary school and re-enact the drinking scene and talk to the students about peer pressure and other issues they face now and may when they enter middle school next fall. Additionally, the “Pink Ladies” have recorded a public service announcement with WOXO radio in Norway, which is running all month.

“It’s real important that they see us as kids and not adults. They get it more,” said Potter of the discussions.

The result has been a tremendous success, said the play’s director, Robin Galley, as she and the students prepared to speak to sixth grade students last week at the Oxford Elementary School.

Following the skit, students questioned the actors, Potter and Elizabeth Donovan, Kathe Washburn, Lacey Landry and Britteny Turnbull, for about 20 minutes on everything from peer pressure to how to avoid being picked on.

About half a dozen sixth-grade students raised their hand when asked if they had been around other young people drinking or had been offered a drink, and a few admitted to being pressured to drink.

“Stay in groups with friends that you know,” advised Potter.

“It’s a huge problem. We decided to address it,” said director Galley of underage alcohol consumption.

Earlier this month, state Public Safety Commissioner Anne Jordan told Oxford County residents they must come together to discourage underage drinking.

Surveys conducted in the Oxford Hills School District as part of the 2000 and 2006 Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol surveys show that 75 percent of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School students have tried alcohol by the time they are seniors and 17 percent of sixth grade students have tried it.

National statistics show that approximately 29 percent of youth ages 12 to 20 have used alcohol by the time they have reached eighth grade, and 41 percent have had at least one drink and almost 20 percent report being drunk.

Joan Churchill of Community Concepts said the good news is that a lot fewer young people are drinking, and they believe it is because of stepped-up education. Maine has done extensive work in preventative education in these areas, and it seems to be paying off, she said.

In addition to the speaking program, which the health department helped with, Galley said the entire school has been involved with the “Just Say Nay to the Alcohol Way” campaign and the musical. The language arts department made bookmarks with the slogan and gave one to each student. The art department is making the car for the play and drama club is making the set.

The play will be presented at 7 p.m. May 3 at 7 p.m. at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and at 2 p.m. May 4. Tickets are $8 at the Middle School or at Books N Things on Main Street in Norway.