Key Club News

Colebrook Academy Key Club

November

“Caring—Our Way of Life”

Editor’s Note

                 Well, I hope everyone was surprised by the Every 15 Minutes program.  Our board members tried to make sure that no word got out about the program because we felt that the element of surprise was an extremely important factor.  I felt that most of the school took the accident seriously which made me happy.  For those who didn’t take the accident seriously it was their loss.   I felt that this program touched the students who really paid attention and took it in earnest.  Thanks to all the “dead” people who agreed to help. 

Kimberly Lyons

Board of Directors

President:  Kyle Robidas

Vice President:  Kayla Soucy

Secretary:  Erika Brooks

Treasurer:  Amy Fothergill

Editor:  Kimberly Lyons

Chairman:  Emily Freedman

Lt. Governor:  Paul Tarkelson

Every 15 Minutes

                 Last April our Key Club came across a program called “Every 15 Minutes.”  The basis of this program is that every 15 minutes someone in the United States dies in a drunk- driving related accident.  This program is very complex so it takes about 5 months to plan.  Last year when we first came across this program we decided to show the introductory video (we bought from Every 15 Minutes) to the seniors right before the prom.  We felt it might teach them a little about the dangers of drunk driving because we knew we couldn’t do the entire program that soon.  Planning got underway throughout the summer and into this fall.  Our president worked very closely with the principal of our school, Ms. McGuire, to plan the details.  Our board worked together to get help from local firemen, police, and ambulance crew.  We also had to figure out what parts of the program would be appropriate for our school and which wouldn’t be appropriate.  The events of the program began at 8:15 on Thursday, November 4.  Every 15 minutes beginning at 8:15 a student was pulled out of class by the Grim Reaper (played by Paul Tarkleson).  After they were pulled their faces were painted white and they put on a black  Every 15 Minutes t-shirt.  They were “dead” for the rest of the day and could not speak to anyone.  Their lockers were decorated in their memory by members of our board.  In the afternoon there was a mock car crash on the lawn of the academy.  The “dead” students were used again as either dead victims, injured people, or the drunk driver.  The drunk driver, Bobby Gooch, was sent to the Colebrook Police Department and was then brought to the county jail.  He went through what a drunk driver would normally go through.  That night the 16 “dead” students stayed at our advisors house because they had to write letters discussing their experience.  The next day we had a mock trial for the drunk driver.  Following the trial the letters the “dead” students and their parents wrote were read.  These letters touched a lot of people.  Further, the video footage from Bobby’s experience and the experience of the “injured” students who went to the hospital was shown.  Our board was very pleased with how the project turned out and we are pleased with how many people it affected.  Maybe it will get students to think the next time they are about to drive drunk about the lives they could affect.

Key Club Pledge

I pledge, on my honor,

to uphold the objects of Key Club International; to build my home, school, and community; to serve my nation and God; and combat all forces which tend to undermine these institutions. 

Upcoming Events: 

· December 1—New member Induction

· December 1— stuffing stockings

· December 8 at 3:30—2nd-hand smoke meeting

· Every 15 Minutes parent and public night—date to follow

· 1000 Dinners—date to follow

Major Emphasis Report:

Our major emphasis of Samantha Skunk is moving along with some great ideas.   The actual Samantha Skunk project is only for grades K-2.  But, we also would like to do other non-smoking projects with the older grades up through junior high.  The committee had a meeting to discuss projects for the older kids.  We have a few ideas but if anyone else has any ideas just let Kayla know.