The Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Chapter at Stafford Technical Center in Rutland, VT was awarded with a 2009 Vermont Governor’s Award for Outstanding Community Service. The award ceremony occurred on April 25th, in Montpelier, Vermont. SADD members Angelica Towsley and Cody Hesse, both of who received individual awards, accepted the chapter’s award from the governor.
The Stafford Technical Center SADD Chapter was recognized for four years of outstanding community service. The chapter has done community service activities in three areas: alcohol, tobacco, and other drug awareness and prevention programs, highway safety programs, and other activities that promote healthy lifestyles or reduce other negative behaviors.
This chapter has initiated or adopted a number of alcohol awareness programs. The SADD Chapter has pioneered the “Tuxedo Insert Program” in collaboration with Rutland County law enforcement officials and community anti-drug coalitions. This program places an informative card into the pocket of every tuxedo and the box of every corsage in that goes out for prom season. The card demonstrates the difference between having a prom night with and without alcohol. This program won an OJJDP “Success Story”. We have done fatal vision goggle demos and other alcohol awareness programs at car shows, “National Night Out”, teen dances, sporting events, a prom fashion show, health and wellness fairs, community and mall health and safety days, etc. SADD hosts the annual “Southern Vermont Red Ribbon Tree” at our local mall to memorialize the victims of drunk or drugged drivers. Rutland County is involved in a program called START (Stop Teen Alcohol Risk Team) which is designed to reduce underage drinking through education and enforcement; the SADD Chapter hosts the annual planning luncheon, over 50 people attend it. Sticker Shock, a program designed to dissuade people from purchasing beer and alcopops for minors, has also been done in collaboration with two other local SADD Chapters.
Highway Safety programs that this chapter have undertaken include safety belt surveys in the fall and spring, car safety seat installation clinics, signage for safety belt usage, and the “Slow Down, Stick Around” project, where ribbons bearing this message, with cards highlighting the speed-related toll , are placed in libraries, book sellers and car repair shops. The members are also starting the “Save Our Students” Project which involves students signing a pledge to be responsible highway users (safety belts, no distracted driving due to texting, cell phone use or passengers, and driving at appropriate speeds); one of the participants will win a prize, this year a complete kayak outfit, provided generously through a local sporting goods store.
The chapter also participates in a number of projects which are designed to reinforce other healthy lifestyles. They host an annual SADD Car Show, which recognizes the time and talent that some students have put into their vehicles. The chapter has become a “certifying organization” through the President’s Commission on Volunteer Service; they will be making awards to over a dozen community-minded members of Stafford Technical Center’s student body. The members are certified as peer instructors in internet safety through the I-SAFE organization. They have also developed a program about inappropriate cell phone usage which was presented to the Stafford Technical Center student body at all all-school assembly; this program was repeated for all students in grades 7-12 in West Rutland.
This year’s SADD Chapter members are: Angelica Towsley, Cody Hesse, Cody Taylor, Ashley Haas, Vicky Stone, Kayla Jones, Ashley Barnes, Cantlin Eaton, Dan Ball, Jon Schaff, Justin Cram, Joanna Lilly, and Erika Stocker. The chapter will be sending 4 members to the annual SADD National Conference, along with their advisor, John D’Esposito.