Every 15 Minutes someone in the United states dies in an alcohol related car crash.
This statistic is the basis of the "Every 15 Minutes" program; a program designed
to battle teens' involvement with alcohol. The first "Every 15 Minutes" program
in Niagara Falls was conducted at Niagara Falls High School on May 20 & 21,
2002. This date coincided with the week of Class Day and was also two weeks
before Prom. Niagara Falls High School was selected because of a group of
dedicated students who worked hard to bring the program into their high school.
The program was a success because of the administration's willingness to work with
the community for the benefit of the students. The program was targeted to
the senior class, which number approximately 450 students. A core group of
dedicated student officers played a vital role in the program. The timing
of the program was crucial; Class Day and Prom are major events which sometimes
lead to alcohol related deaths. This program is aimed to prevent this from
happening.
Description
This program creates an awareness of the serious consequences of drinking and driving.
It also provides education which empowers teens to make wiser choices in regard
to drinking and driving. The program is proactive; it uses dramatic visual
lessons in regard to death. It is staged at a time when it is known that teens
are more apt to participate in the consumption of alcohol. The parent/child
involvement is a large portion of this program. Teens write letters to their
parents after they "die" in an alcohol-related crash. Parents have the task
of writing their own child's obituary. The real possibility of a child dying
in this type of scenario creates a tremendous impact on teens, parents, friends,
and the community. The range of emotions this invokes in participants and
observers can be vast. Each person will react in his or her own unique way.
The distinction in this program is that the community joins together as a whole
to help teens find alternatives in their battle with involvement with alcohol.
Organization of the Program
The Niagara Falls Youth Court was the organizing agency coordinating the program.
Community collaboration and commitment are the key to successfully implementing
and initiating the effort. The success of the program would not have been
possible without the support of the Niagara Falls Board of Education, the administration
and staff of Niagara Falls High School, and the Niagara Police Athletic League.
Mainly the program success is owed to the group of dedicated students who worked
tirelessly to bring this program into the high school. It is this group of
students who planned and carried out the entire program. Adult advisors were
there to guide the students alon the way, however, the bulk of the planning was
carried out by the teens involved.
Initial Planning
The Niagara Falls Youth Court coordinated with the entities involved, developed
meeting agendas, identified needs, developed resources, purchased t-shirts, and
ensured materials were ready for meetings and events. The Niagara Falls Youth
Court worked along with the Niagara Falls School District and the Niagara Police
Athletic League to name potential planning committee members, recruit student volunteers,
and arrange meetings to gain support for the program.
In order to guarantee success it is important to have the full support
of the community. Obtaining the interest of the student body is a must.
Once you have their interest, the parents' will follow. The input of the parents
and students is invaluable for the program to have its full effect.
Every community of course is very different. Therefore, the
program should be conducted in a fashion that suits the needs of your community.
It may not be necessary to include all of the events done by the Niagara Falls Youth
Court. It is your option which part of the programs you use. Generally
the steps toward developing the program are:
Determine the coordinating agency
Gain support from sponsoring agencies
Identify available resources and determine the exent of the program
Acquire funding necessary
Gain cooperation and support from your school
Establish a planning committee
Establish subcommittees
Develop a timeline and meeting schedule
Develop a system of reporting to maintain desired schedule
Involve community and students to the fullest extent
Remember: Not everything goes as planned, be ready to have to modify your schedule
if the need arises. The coordinating agency must always be available to the
subcommittees as a support, to do presentations, and to provide clerical services.
