On Monday, September 19, 2011, all of the Grade 9-12 students at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School gathered in the gym to listen to a presentation by MADD Canada. The Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization creates a new video each year to share with groups about the dangers of driving while intoxicated. This year’s video, entitled “Damages” has the main character living with the emotional, physical and legal ramifications of deciding to drink while intoxicated. It also shows three real-life accounts of families who have had to live with the consequences of loved ones killed by drunk drivers. This hard-hitting, extremely powerful presentation had the entire student body speechless.
Neil Cowan, the representative from MADD spoke to the students after the video, and had them do a few interactive exercises that allowed them to connect to the message, and recognize how devastating the wrong decisions can be. “This presentation for our students is crucial,” Laura Kuzenko, principal of the school stated. “The message is extremely powerful as we know that there are devastating effects when someone makes the wrong decision – at the expense of ourselves or others. Having MADD share with us this presentation is truly a gift – so that we can do everything we can to inform and support our students, and guide them to always make the right decision.”
The MADD organization also shared their presentation with the other secondary schools at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.