Alcohol awareness drill presents wake-up call
The dangers of drinking and driving are presented to Yosemite High School students through “Every 15 Minutes”
BY IRENE THIRLWALL - ITHIRLWALL@SIERRASTAR.COM

IRENE THIRLWALL
Yosemite High School student Jessica Little speaks at “Every 15 Minutes,” a two-day drill presented at YHS earlier this week that offers an emotionally charged scenario involving the dangers of drunk driving.



IRENE THIRLWALL
Students at Yosemite High School listen to a presentation Tuesday. The presentation was to remind the students of the dangers of drinking and driving. An important reminder as the school’s prom takes place this weekend. See below for Monday's accident scene photos.

Teenagers, the prom, and mountain roads are three ingredients that can make for a dangerous situation, especially when alcohol is added.
At Yosemite High School, a two-day event titled “Every 15 Minutes” came to the campus Monday and Tuesday to remind students of the dangers of drinking and driving.

The “Every 15 Minutes” program offers real-life experience without the real-life risks. This emotionally charged scenario is an event designed to dramatically instill teenagers with the potentially dangerous consequences of drinking alcohol. This program challenges students to think about drinking, personal safety, and the responsibility of making mature decisions when lives are involved.

The first of its kind, prevention and education program was developed by the Chico Police Department in 1995 through an Alcohol and Beverage Control (ABC) Grant Assistance to Law Enforcement (G.A.L.E.) grant. In 1996 the Chico Police Department was fittingly awarded the Excellence in Community Policing Award by the National League of Cities for its efforts.

The program’s name was derived from the fact that in the early 1990s, every 15 minutes someone in the United States died in an alcohol-related traffic collision. However, with the implementation of new laws, grass roots programs like Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Friday Night Live (FNL) and programs such as these, the death rate is now every 30 minutes, a figure which continues to be unacceptable.

The school has presented the event before, about five years ago. One YHS official for the event, Diane Adney, said they try to do it every four years, but last year, the softball field was torn up.

“It’s a project that takes about six to eight months to put together,” Adney said. “I was the lead person to put it together because I had done it before. All the people who worked here in the staff were with me five years ago.”

Adney worked on this event with three students who were using the occasion as their senior project. The three students who worked with Adney are: Heather Hyatt, Amy Stillman and Kristin Caitai. Adney said she feels this is a very important program that is worthy of the time and effort required to put it together.

“I think the students’ reactions on the whole were really good,” Adney said. “My feeling is that out of the two to three thousand man hours put in, if we get high schools students to make right choices we’ve done our job. Even spectators could not go away without being impacted, it is a worth-while program.”

Principal Steve Raup said he also feels the program is very important for the kids.

“It is one of the most of the important things we can do for kids,” Raup said. “And the timing of it, we have a prom this Saturday and we selected the time because we wanted to get it out to them before the prom. Although everything was simulation it is a reality that any of these things could happen. Anything that could help kids make better choices with alcohol or drugs (is important).

Raup commended the number of staff that volunteered. He said this is not something that anyone was paid to do. During the assembly, he honored staff and students.

“Today [Tuesday] I commended, Diane Adney, Nancy Lusby, Kellie Solomon, Tony Misner and the video production, Bob Collins and video students. Those folks really need to be commended, and all the support from the community, it is really rewarding.”

The community support came from 40 local sponsors comprised of business owners, fire and law enforcement agencies, such as: the Califronia Highway Patrol, Madera County Sheriff’s Department, Sierra Ambulance, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Madera County Fire Department and many more.

On Monday, the event began with the figure of death, known as the Grim Reaper visiting classrooms, every 15 minutes, and removing students; the event’s living dead. The living dead were students who represented those who die every day in alcohol-related accidents.
Then a simulated car accident, in which two students died from another student drinking and driving, using the prom as the scenario, was portrayed. The crash event took place at the YHS softball practice field. The students who participated in the crash simulation, sat in cars that looked as if they had been in severe accidents, and were given fake blood to throw on each other to give the appearance of a bloody scene. Realistic photos were shown the next day at the school assembly that represented the graphic nature of the event.

Tuesday, the assembly replayed the previous days’ events and then portrayed the funerals for the two students that died in the simulation on Monday. The assembly was held in the school’s gymnasium and as visitors walked to the event, tombstones with student’s names were standing on campus grounds. As the assembly began, bagpipes were played, “Amazing Grace” was sung, the crash simulation was shown, and student, Heather Hyatt read a poem titled, “Death of Innocence” author unknown. The poem is written from the standpoint of a teenager who writes to her mom as she is dying as a result of being hit from a drunk driver, another teenager who attended the same party as she.
An excerpt from the poem: “Why do people drink, mom?/It can ruin your whole life/ I’m feeling sharp pains now, mom/ Pains just like a knife/ The guy who hit me is walking, mom, and I don’t think it’s fair/ I’m lying here dying, mom, and all he can do is stare/ Tell my brother not to cry, mom, tell daddy to be brave/ And when I get to heaven, mom, write ‘Daddy’s Girl’ on my grave/ Someone should’ve told him, mom/ Not to drink and drive/ If only they’d have taken the time, mom, I would still be alive.”

Special guest speakers attended the assembly and spoke of their own experiences with drinking and driving. Following the guest speakers, letters by students and parents were read.

YHS students now have much to think about as they head off to their prom tomorrow at Tenaya Lodge.

A report was issued this week from AAA regarding the consequences of drinking and driving.

According to the report, a night at the prom that includes drinking and driving could come at a high price, warns AAA of Northern California.

A first time conviction for DUI – driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs – can cost up to $12,000 in fees and fines. The cost of a taxi or even a limo looks like a bargain by comparison.

“Many young drivers will act responsibly because they don’t want to be responsible for a tragedy,” said Sean Comey, spokesman for AAA of Northern California. “For others, a reminder about the financial consequences of driving under the influence may provide the additional incentive needed to convince them to obey the law.”

Cost of first DUI
• one year without a driver’s license (under 21)
• up to $12,000 in fees and fines
• 48 hours jail time
• 3 years probation
• 7 years with 2 points on driving record
• up to $1,500 annual auto insurance increase
• 15 weeks DUI classes

Yosemite Joint Union High School District News