In The News'Accident' Scene
Originally printed in The Westerly Sun
Saturday, April 25, 2009The Dangers Of Drunk Driving, Brought To Life
WESTERLY - In an effort to drive home the message about teen drinking and the potentially fatal dangers associated with drinking and driving, one Westerly High School senior made a dramatic point Friday.
Eighteen-year-old senior Michelle Clark worked with several local agencies and individuals to stage a mock car crash - demonstrating what could happen when teens get behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol. Part of Clark's senior project, the crash was created and executed to raise awareness about the serious issue of underage drinking and driving, especially around prom time. Involved in the exercise were graduate Bruce Celico and members of the Westerly Ambulance Corps, the Westerly Police Department, the Westerly Substance Abuse Task Force, fellow students and Clark's senior project advisor Andrea Bishop, who is also the school's student assistance counselor.
Of the six student actors involved in the scenario, one was "killed," one was "arrested" and four others were "injured." With the technical assistance of Celico, Clark and student actors prepared for weeks for the event, which was staged for juniors and seniors as part of efforts to revive the SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) chapter at the high school.
"I hope that the impact it has on students was very powerful and made them take a step back and actually think about what could really happen if they get behind the wheel while impaired," Clark said. "They wouldn't just be hurting or killing themselves, they could possibly kill their best friends or complete strangers. It seems to me most teenagers have a 'nothing will happen to me,' kind of attitude. Hopefully this causes everyone, even adults, to realize that anything can happen. But there is a way to prevent fatal tragedies, and that is to make good decisions, which the goal of the SADD club at WHS."
The SADD chapter Clark resurrected at the high school has seen a number of students sign up already. Westerly Substance Abuse Task Force coordinator Mary Lou Serra praised Clark for her conviction and willingness to shine a light on the serious issue of teen drinking and driving. "Michelle has done a great job," Serra said. "As always, we're not only very supportive of young people willing to take a stand, but we also respect Michelle's decision to take the important message to a higher profile level. She should be congratulated."
Serra said the Westerly Substance Abuse Task Force has staged nearly a dozen mock car crashes over the past 20 years to draw attention to the issue of underage drinking and driving. Clark described herself as "very fortunate to have gotten the chance to have a senior project that I actually care about and invest all of my personal time into because it hits very close to home."
"I brought back the SADD club at Westerly because I have always wanted to help students make better decisions," she said. "Especially the ones that are going through a lot, because I've been in their shoes; I've made a lot of bad decisions myself, so if I could prevent one person from making the mistakes I did, it makes all the difference to me."