Think & Drive Makes a Powerful Impact
Think & Drive returned to campus this week. On Thursday a dedicated group of Upper School parents brought students an effective program on the dangers of distracted driving. Photography teacher Jesse Myers shared the emotionally powerful story of his sister who was severely injured in an auto accident more than twenty years ago. After getting in the passenger seat of a car with an intoxicated driver, she was thrown from the car when the driver failed to handle a sharp curve on a mountain road. Although she survived, her brain injuries were so significant that her family had to teach her how to walk, talk and take care of herself. Because he is so well known and respected in our community, Mr. Myers' speech reached a highly receptive audience; all of us appreciated his courage in speaking to us and sharing his story.
The day's program also featured a re-enactment of an accident scene, coordinated by the trauma team from Swedish Hospital and dramatized by CA acting students under the direction of Angel Vigil. The dramatic scene showed students exactly what happens in an ER when an accident victim is brought in. The emergency team then answered questions about their jobs and the kinds of accidents they have seen. They underscored the point that driving should be exclusively about getting safely from Point A to Point B and not a time to eat, text, apply make-up, adjust one's CD collection, or be distracted in any way. They also emphasized the fact that wearing seat belts saves lives.
Finally, we all watched a video that featured a recent CA graduate, James Hills, who endured a tragic set of circumstances. While driving home drunk from a college party, he collided with another car, killing the driver, a mother of 10. He served nearly four years in prison after being convicted for his crime. His situation provided the classic case of "This could happen to you." He even noted in the video that he had listened to previous Think & Drive programs and never thought he would be the one making a bad decision. But it only takes one such bad decision to alter the lives of many people.
While this program is designed to reach our young drivers, we can all benefit from reminding ourselves of these important safety measures. I see too many people--adults as well as students--using their cell phones when driving on or off campus. Let's all strive to set good examples for each other.
The Upper School sponsors a Think & Drive program every two years. While I and other school personnel offer support and assistance, the event is made possible by a generous donation of time and effort from parents. I am grateful to the volunteers this year, especially Wendy Cowperthwaite who chaired the committee, for helping all of us to remember to drive safely, to make wise decisions about when to get beyond the wheel, and to avoid distracted driving.
The day's program also featured a re-enactment of an accident scene, coordinated by the trauma team from Swedish Hospital and dramatized by CA acting students under the direction of Angel Vigil. The dramatic scene showed students exactly what happens in an ER when an accident victim is brought in. The emergency team then answered questions about their jobs and the kinds of accidents they have seen. They underscored the point that driving should be exclusively about getting safely from Point A to Point B and not a time to eat, text, apply make-up, adjust one's CD collection, or be distracted in any way. They also emphasized the fact that wearing seat belts saves lives.
Finally, we all watched a video that featured a recent CA graduate, James Hills, who endured a tragic set of circumstances. While driving home drunk from a college party, he collided with another car, killing the driver, a mother of 10. He served nearly four years in prison after being convicted for his crime. His situation provided the classic case of "This could happen to you." He even noted in the video that he had listened to previous Think & Drive programs and never thought he would be the one making a bad decision. But it only takes one such bad decision to alter the lives of many people.
While this program is designed to reach our young drivers, we can all benefit from reminding ourselves of these important safety measures. I see too many people--adults as well as students--using their cell phones when driving on or off campus. Let's all strive to set good examples for each other.
The Upper School sponsors a Think & Drive program every two years. While I and other school personnel offer support and assistance, the event is made possible by a generous donation of time and effort from parents. I am grateful to the volunteers this year, especially Wendy Cowperthwaite who chaired the committee, for helping all of us to remember to drive safely, to make wise decisions about when to get beyond the wheel, and to avoid distracted driving.
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