Junior and senior students were given an impacting lesson in a 100-minute assembly on safe and smart driving. An associated club, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), has been added to the high school. Run by Mrs. Melissa Hollywood and Ms. Maryanne Agius, this club targets the consequences of students’ decisions. Approximately 35 students attended the first meeting on March 4.

“Your voice is heard in this school, you just have to speak up.” -Alexa Ibrahim

Senior Alexa Ibrahim and junior Arianna McMorris went to administration in November asking for SADD to be reinstated. The club was instituted so students have an outside look at the repercussions that come with making destructive decisions. McMorris said she hoped to bring more awareness to students’ decisions.

“Your voice is heard in this school, you just have to speak up,” Ibrahim said. “It’s hard to say but tragedy invokes change.” She said that “everyone’s feelings and problems are important. If you have an issue you want to bring up, we’ll listen.”

Due to the tragic death of Andrew McMorris by a drunk driver, students have had strong opinions about drunk driving, and Ibrahim said she wants their voices to be heard.

“This club is a good sense of community. Understand that you’re not the only one who wants change,” she said. She said that many people are impacted by drunk driving and drug use and the members of the SWR community are not alone. Ibrahim said that SADD is a great club to join if students feel like something should not have happened just because of bad decisions. The club will also be reviewing laws associated with drunk driving and texting while driving.

“You can get in a lot of trouble if you don’t fully understand laws,” Ibrahim said. She said she wants people to be involved in a larger movement and wants students to get involved in bringing attention to issues with severe consequences as well as help students think out their decisions.

Ms. Agius said that club members will be discussing the overall consequences of choices involving drug and alcohol use. During meetings, the members will be making posters for campaigns, spreading the word to the community, and raising issues associated with bad decisions. For example, there will be a campaign against no texting and driving.

Recently, SADD members released a video about why they won’t vape or use tobacco products. Students lined up and stated their reasons to avoid the substance.

“Students should join this club in order to take a look at their own decisions,” Ms. Agius said.

“Students need to understand that they have to think before they act. We’re always looking for more people to join.” Meetings are every other Tuesday at 2:15 p.m. in Ms. Hollywood’s room, B218.

The students approached administration with the idea through Mothers Against Drunk Driving, whose mission is to end drunk driving and support victims of this crime.

“They [Mothers Against Drunk Driving] asked us if we had a similar club in our school,” McMorris said. She added that the club would bring more safety to teenagers’ lives. “We’re going to bring awareness to other issues in addition to drunk driving,” she said. “We can make a change.”

“Just talk to us and try it out,” Ibrahim said. “This can be your club.”

Republished from Shoreham-Wading River’s print newspaper, The Wildcat Pause (April 2019 Issue).