Transforming Stories
Taking a Stand
Disturbed by several crashes involving driving under the influence of alcohol during the winter holidays, SADD members at Deep Run High School in Glen Allen, Virginia, decided to take action to change the attitudes about teen drinking in their community. Working with the PTSA, members organized a town forum to bring together students, parents, school community members, law- enforcement officers, organizations, and community leaders to discuss the issue.
To organize the forum, SADD members worked with their adviser and the school resource officer to plan the agenda and determine who to invite as speakers. Members sought approval for the event from the school principal and enlisted the support of the PTA. “The PTA sent out a flier to all of the parents and the kids took flyers to local businesses,” says Jamie Jackson, SADD adviser. “We also asked the newspaper and TV stations to advertise the event.”
The forum, which attracted a crowd of more than 600 on an evening in January, featured speakers from the police department and the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), as well as concerned students and parents. “The family and friends [of the victims of the recent tragedies] did not participate. We wanted to be careful because the accidents were so recent and many emotions were flying. So, we did not let the audience focus on the specific events. We focused more on prevention and what to do in the community,” says Jackson.
Teens focused on the reality of parent-teen relationships and urged parents to be more aware of what is going on in their teens' lives. A SADD officer began the evening, followed by remarks by an ABC officer, a parent, and more SADD members. The students did activities such as a sobriety field test using special goggles that simulate driving under the influence of alcohol.
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| After the forum, SADD members posted a 12'x9' banner at school for students to sign to pledge not to drink and drive and not to ride with a driver who had been drinking. Members also redoubled their efforts to promote traditional chapter activities such as Prom Promise, a pledge started by |
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| Nationwide Insurance in which teens pledge:“ I promise not to use alcohol or other drugs.This is a promise I take seriously. It's one I intend to keep, for my sake and the sake of my friends and family.” [Ed. Note: Prom Promise is now THINK!, a year-round program sponsored by Nationwide Insurance and MADD. Visit www.think.madd.org for more information.] |
The Deep Run SADD members' efforts paid off. According to the school's resource officer, there were no reported incidents of drinking and driving associated with prom this year for the first time in memory. Almost every school dance or big event had been plagued with incidents in recent years.
“It has been a different atmosphere around here (since the forum), thank goodness!” says Jackson.
