The kiddos are in school, so I can let the cat out of the bag. And this is not about real estate. It is far more important.
Things at Scripps Ranch High School will be a little different today. From the release we received from the amazing students who have been working tirelessly to organize this program:
Scripps Ranch High School ASB in conjunction with the California Highway Patrol and the Office of Traffic Safety, is taking a proactive step in education local high school students about making mature decisions when alcoholic beverages are involved. The program’s name was conceived in 1990 when one alcohol-related traffic fatality occurred in the United States every fifteen minutes.
Every 15 Minutes is a two day program that challenges high school juniors and seniors to think about drinking, driving, personal safety and the responsibility of making mature decisions when lives are involved.
The program is intense and sobering. Seventeen students were chosen by their peers as being most influential, and every fifteen minutes throughout the school day one will be called from class, their obituary read, and their gravestone placed in the quad. They will reappear as “living dead” and while the student actors will remain on campus, they will not be allowed speak or interact with anyone.
The idea is to have the greatest impact on the greatest number of young adults who may be faced with choices which could affect their lives and the lives of others. And Every 15 Minutes is designed for maximum emotional impact. At the end of the day, a fatality collision is simulated involving actual law enforcement and emergency medical responders. One student will even “die” on scene and be transported with parents to the hospital, while another, the “drunk driver,” will be placed under arrest and taken to jail.
The participants will be sequestered for the next 24 hours. No phones, no computers, and no interaction with even their families. Consequently, I won’t be seeing my daughter again until tomorrow afternoon.
At least I will be seeing her again.
The organizers will be pulling an all-nighter to produce a video of the program; I will post it here when it is available. Until then, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the student-organizers on behalf of all Scripps Ranch parents and their children for delivering such an important message in such a powerful way.
