Coalition Sponsors Homecoming with ‘Right Choice’ Message

(Ferndale Schools)

The Southeast Oakland Coalition (SEOC) implemented a social marketing plan to reduce the number of youth who say they have ridden with a drunk driver, in partnership with Ferndale Middle School Students Taking a New Direction (STAND) club, Ferndale High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), and youth coalition members.

In 2008, one in four Oakland County youth said they had ridden with someone who had been drinking in the past 30 days. The students came up with the ideas and the SEOC received a mini grant from the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities to market the message “Make The Right Call” Don’t let a Fun Night be Your Last Night!

In order to get their message to youth, the students planned several ways to communicate with as many students as possible. One idea was to team up with SADD, FHS’s United Student Assembly (USA) and the Coalition to become co-sponsors for the 2010 FHS Homecoming activities. The Coalition’s Interim Program Director Chris Dewan and SEOC Board Member Mary Rose, both parents of students at Ferndale High School, received permission from FHS Principal Mr. Ivory for the SEOC’s community organizer to attend student group meetings to help plan the upcoming activities.

The SEOC is grateful that Mr. Ivory and his staff worked tirelessly to accommodate this coalition initiative. The result is a wall of pledges in the FHS Commons signed by students that says: Drinking and Driving means that there are real consequences to making unhealthy choices. I am choosing to make the right choice. I pledge not to drink alcohol or get in the car with someone who’s been drinking alcohol.

Dewan said, “Working with these Ferndale High School students gives me hope that we are on the right path. I was excited to see the passion the SADD students showed in getting youth to sign pledges. It was wonderful working with SADD and USA advisors and we look forward to more events that will benefit our students.”

For more of this weeks Ferndale Schools e blast, go to http://www.ferndaleschools.org/districtnews/documents/FridayNews_Oct8_2010.pdf.

For more Ferndale 115 News stories about the Schools, go to http://oaklandcounty115.com/category/school-news/.

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