When Phoebe Taylor put on the drunk goggles and attempted to walk the guided pathway, she thought it would be easy. Instead, the Wiregrass Ranch High freshman was shocked to find herself stumbling throughout and sometimes off the course.
Like Taylor, students at her school are learning the consequences of drinking and driving, the dangers of not wearing their seatbelts and the importance of mental health.
โItโs easy for us to just go and do something dumb and regret it later,โ Taylor says. โIf that actually happened it could be very dangerous.โ
The largest-ever Wiregrass Ranch Wellness & Safety Fair was hosted on March 9 by the schoolโs Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter to bring awareness to mental health and promote a healthier and safer lifestyle.
The event brought about 35 community leaders and the Pasco County Sheriffโs Office (PCSO) to talk to students and demonstrate the dangers of these acts.
Shaina Finkel, the president of the schoolโs SADD chapter and the national SADD president for the 2021-22 school year, oversaw the event. Her main goal was to have students talk to these organizations and understand the messages they are spreading.
โItโs not just going in and getting education,โ Finkel said. โItโs meeting people and finding things that you might be passionate about that you didnโt know you were passionate about. Itโs bringing safety and education and health to our school and itโs just allowing the students to learn.โ
Finkel says there have been instances where these messages have not been reached by students; she hopes that through these fairs, students will rethink some of their previous and future decisions.
Ashley Boyles, Wiregrass Ranch Highโs assistant principal, also oversaw the Wellness & Safety Fair. She says the fair is eye-opening to students and impacts them for a long time. The last time the fair occurred was two years ago, because of the pandemic, but she says students still remember and talk about it to this day.
โWeโre again trying to make sure that our students are safe not only at school, but out in the community, out on the roads,โ she says. โWe always say to be college-, career- and life-ready and I think this is something to be life-ready.โ
Students watched as a rolling car simulator demonstrated the dangers of drinking and driving and not wearing a seatbelt in a car crash. As the car spun, dummies inside not wearing a seatbelt flew out. Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson Steve Gaskin said he still gets people coming up to him and saying they remember the visual impact, and it is one of the reasons why they buckle up today.
โIf I can make an impact on each one of these kids, then thatโs one crash I wonโt have to work and itโs one family I wonโt have to go talk to and say, โHey, your childโs not coming home tonight,โโ he says.
Kelsey Strigler, the vice president of Wiregrass Ranchโs SADD chapter, says the car simulator is likely the most effective demonstration to show students the importance of wearing their seatbelts.
โLooking at it, I would be terrified,โ she says. โI already do wear my seatbelt, but If I was a student who didnโt, that would really drive the point across that like you really need to wear that or youโre going to end up like the dummy on the floor.โ
Among the booths was the American Foundation of Suicideโs Tampa Bay chapter run by board member Teresa Daniels. She is spreading her son Tristan Danielsโ story in hopes of saving another studentโs life.
โThere is hope out there,โ she said. โThey could be lifesavers. They can help anyone in need.โ
Gabriella Nieddialek, a SADD member, recognized the importance of this booth and is glad to now be learning about these tools.
โA lot of teens donโt really like to come forward about mental health, and itโs definitely something that Iโm glad the school introduces and is comfortable talking about,โ Nieddialek said. โDefinitely encouraging us to talk to people and get help.โ
Wiregrass Ranchโs SADD chapter advisor Gregory Finkel is proud of how the event turned out. He watched how students interacted with community members as they talked to each other about what they learned. He says that is what the event is all about.
โYou donโt really get these opportunities too often,โ Gregory Finkel said. โIf we can hit one of them, just one kid right, make a difference in their lives, the better.โ