For many years, Maryvale Preparatory School has required its seniors and their parents to attend sessions about alcohol addiction and abuse a few weeks before the prom. If you don't attend the session, the school says, then you aren't allowed to go to the prom. This year will be different though. This year, Michael Gimbel, a well known substance abuse consultant, will use the death of University of Virginia student and Cockeysville resident Yeardley Love last week to talk to the girls about the pressures they will face in just a few months when they head off for college. And he won't just talk about drinking on college campuses but physical violence against women as well.

"This year I can get into talking about alcohol and violence and using this case and this tragedy to say 'Look it does happen,'" he said.

But the issue won't just be raised with students, said Margaret White, the dean of students. Parents will attend their own session separately and be told what questions they need to ask next fall. I am guessing Gimbel won't have trouble getting anyone's attention.

With so much national attention focused on the death of one local woman, Maryvale might well also use the opportunity to tell students to be alert to the signs of abuse and to report those to  coaches, teachers, parents or whoever will take action.