KICKING OFF SADD IN PITT COUNTY
May-June-July 2017
KICKING
IN
OFF
PITT
SADD
COUNTY
Recent issues of Connect reported on the efforts underway to install SADD programs in all Pitt County middle and high schools. In June, the Pitt County SADD Kickoff celebrated the fulfillment of many months of diligent work by the Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program, Safe Communities Coalition of Pitt County, Vidant Medical Center, and the SADD state coordinator. Designated student chapter leaders, chapter advisors, county coordinators, and the state coordinator all joined together for an evening of fellowship and fun at the Fitness Connection Pool in Greenville. Posters bearing SADD’s mission and messages of empowering youth were hung on the pool’s fences and buildings. The event provided the opportunity for the new chapter members to get to know each other and have fun playing in the pool, eating pizza, and dancing. County coordinator Sue Anne Fipps said the kickoff was also a way to show the new SADD teams that
Issue 37
In This Issue Pitt County SADD Kickoff Pitt County Chapter Training South Brunswick Prom ManU Bears for Soldiers Scholar Athletes SAB Parting Words Coordinator’s Corner Chapter Registration Vision Zero Shoe Collection Conference Announcement 2017 SADD Calendar
Ideas? Questions? Concerns? Contact Harriett Southerland 919 807-4408 [email protected] Visit NC SADD. www.ncsadd.org Facebook: ncsadd Twitter: @SADDNC SADD National www.sadd.org
Kickin’ it in the pool
The Monster Slide www.ncsadd.org
Poolside dancing
A couple of cool advisors 1
they were appreciated. She said, “This is an opportunity for the students to play together before they get down to the serious business of prevention.” Watching the students interacting like old friends, County Coordinator Deb Pomeroy said, “When these students got here, they were standing apart because they didn’t know each other. Look at them now. This is just great!”
Student Workshop
PITT COUNTY CHAPTER TRAINING During summer break, the advisors and student chapter leaders—both middle and high school—attended trainings on the Vidant Medical Center campus to prepare for their new roles. There were two all-day training sessions for advisors and two for students, with half of each group attending a session. Trainees learned more about the SADD program and received guidance from the county coordinators, prevention and medical staff persons, and the state coordinator. Advisor training included discussing the role of the advisor and working with students and the school administration. While learning and discussing issues
Advisor Workshop
Students explain their prevention poster.
such as substance use, bullying and teen pregnancy in interactive workshops, the students sharpened their skills in working together toward a common goal. With all they’ve learned over the summer, the advisors and student leaders will be able to hit the ground running when school starts. We send best wishes for success to the following schools and advisors: AydenGrifton HS, Tabitha Rawls; D.H. Conley HS, Karen Pumphrey; Farmville Central HS, (advisor TBD); J.H. Rose HS, Rita Staton; North Pitt HS, Zulena Staton; South Central HS, Faith Sampson and Suzanne Lee. A.G. Cox MS, Allison Christman; Ayden MS, Rebecca Harrell; Bethel MS, Corrine Davis; C.M. Eppes MS, Laurie Beck, Derek Allen, and Pamela Williamson; Chicod MS, Tara Forehand; E.B. Aycock MS, Stanley Roberts; Farmville MS (advisor TBD); G.R. Whitfield MS, Lisa Moore; Grifton MS, Emily Dunn; Hope MS, Mikiko Simmons; Pactolus MS, Candace Hines and Jennifer Sewell; Stokes MS, Chelsea Fasick; Wellcome MS, Roxxanne Staton-Joyner. NC SADD sincerely appreciates the inspired efforts of all who assisted in this mammoth project. 2
SBHS LISTENS TO THE CHILDREN West Brunswick High School in Southport had a SADD Club delegation at the prom. The delegation distributed “Be Safe at Prom” cards that were made by elementary school students. The cards featured messages such as “Dear High Schooler, Prom is here. Make good choices;” and “Be good. Be safe.” A card was given to each prom participant. Advisor Theresa Lominac said, “Hopefully, this will make the high school students think about their actions and see themselves as role models for the younger students. It also gets the elementary students focused on the importance of good decisions early in their lives.” Great job, South Brunswick. Go Cougars!
SADD PROM DELEGATION Pictured Left to Right
PERSON BOYS MAN UP Male SADD chapter members from Person High School in Roxboro participated in the recent ManU Summit at Biogen in Durham. According to Kiricka Yarbough Smith, administrator of Project COPE (Collaboration, Outreach, Protection, Empowerment) and the human trafficking prevention program, the purpose of the MANU Summit was to educate boys and young men on healthy relationships with their peers, family, and their community while also introducing them to STEM. “The Summit featured workshops on how masculinity is portrayed in the media and society, financial literacy, the power of their voice, and beneficial tools to help them navigate their journey through manhood,” Smith said. “Participants had an opportunity for open discussions with male leaders and mentors about issues they face as young men." The students also toured the Biogen community lab and participated in a STEM demonstration.
Jacob Baity Jonah Conley Leah Bullock Ms. Lominac Serenity Cobb Note: Leah Bullock is the young lady who sang the beautiful Amazing Grace solo at the SADD Conference banquet last year. The Gentlemen of ManU
Prom Safety Cards
As the young men exited the Summit, they were instructed to write one of the negative feelings they brought in with them on cards and drop them in a suitcase, symbolizing their choice to leave it behind and strive to be better. Some participants shared that they were leaving behind the fear of failing, anger from grief or loss, guilt because of prior actions, or a desire to stop allowing rejection to keep them from trying again. Smith said, “Overall, the ManU Summit was a huge success. It was not meant to be a one-time event, but a starting point to assist our young men with addressing life’s challenges and helping them navigate the obstacles they face on their journey to adulthood." Thanks to advisor Shelby Williams for making sure her students participated in this commendable event. Go Rockets!
3
BEARS FOR SOLDIERS Rosalyn Wilkinson is a member of West Iredell High School SADD in Statesville, a member of the Student Advisory Board, and 2016-17 SADD Student of the Year. She is also a member of West Iredell’s 1st Priority Club, where she has been busily involved in Bears for Soldiers, a project that helps soldiers overseas gain the trust of the villagers where they are deployed. “Bears are not the only thing that we collect,” Rosalyn said. “We collect all kinds of animals to send over. This year we have collected 675 stuffed animals, which is almost triple what the we did last year.” Since the 1st Priority Club is headquartered in JROTC, Rosalyn felt that it only made sense to help the soldiers overseas. “We are thankful for everything that everybody has been done to collect bears for our soldiers these past few months,” she said. Great job, Rosalyn. Go Warriors!
visory Board meetings, and he was in attendance unless he had a track meet. He is sure to be successful at the University of North Carolina.
Dontavian Smith (Center) wins the 100m Dash. Photo courtesy of The News and Observer
SADD is proud of SAB member Gavin Brundidge of West Johnston High School in Benson. Gavin, an outstanding soccer player, was recruited by Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte and will attend that school in the fall. He will be a member of the university’s men’s soccer team. Gavin is a scholar athlete and graduated in June in the Top 10 percent of his class with High Honors. He was an inspiration to the Student Advisory Board. He was also dependable and committed. If there was a meeting, one didn’t have to wonder if he would show up. With that determination and spirit, he will certainly succeed.
Now that’s a lot of bears!
SAB MEMBERS EXCEL IN SPORTS NC SADD is proud of SAB member Dontavian “D-Tay” Smith of Person High School for his accomplishments in track. D-Tay was recruited by UNC-Chapel Hill and will attend that school this fall. He will be on the men’s track and field team. He received the Pac-6 4A Conference 2016-17 Track Athlete of the Year Award. D-Tay always brought cheer and enthusiasm to Student Ad-
Gavin Brundidge (in foreground, second from left) with members of the West Johnston soccer team 4
BON VOYAGE TO SHINING STARS
Alexis Williams of Person High School is a scholar athlete and a star volleyball player. She will attend North Carolina Central University on a volleyball scholarship. Alexis is a two-year member of the Student Advisory Board, and she served admirably. Her friendly, gentle, amicable demeanor made for good Board relations. She graduated Top 5 percent of her class and received the Most Outstanding Senior Award. Alexis will be sorely missed. Congratulations, Alexis, on your current and future achievements! Alexis wanted to share these parting words with SADD members: “I will attend North Carolina Central University, majoring in Biology. After I finish undergraduate school, I will attend the University of North Carolina to get my masters in biology and then attend medical school to become a neurologist.. SADD means a lot to me and has really helped me with my leadership skills as far as being more vocal and social. SADD has also taught me that whether I make good or bad decisions, somebody is watching and taking notes. I want to lead by making the right decisions so others can follow the same positive pathway I did. Serving on the Student Advisory Board to me was like a being a SADD VIP. I was able to understand clearly one-on-one with others about different situations dealing with destructive decisions, and it also taught me how to work with others and that my idea or opinion is just as important to share. Words of advice to students in SADD: ALWAYS BE A LEADER, NEVER A FOLLOWER, AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD, BECAUSE YOUR OPINION MATTERS.”
Katelynn May is an SAB member and graduating senior of JP Knapp Early College High School in Currituck. Katelynn will attend UNCChapel Hill in the fall to study pharmacy, and she plan to be a pharmacist. She graduated third in her class with honors. At graduation, Katelynn wore SADD and Beta chords and received a Top 10% Award. At the senior recognition ceremony, she received the Growth Mindset Award and the Science Award. As a dual enrolled student, Katelynn also graduated from community college Summa Cum Laude with three associates degrees. She accumulated $400,000 in grants and scholarships. As a SAB member, Katelyn was kind, gentle, and resolute. She made an excellent contribution to the Board. Katelynn shared these parting thoughts: “To me, SADD has been a driving force in my success. It motivated me to make good decisions and to help others do the same. Throughout my 4 years as a member, employing the principles of SADD has become a passion of mine. As a member, a chapter president, and a member of the SAB, I feel like I made a lasting contribution to SADD, but it has also made a big impact on me. It has given me countless opportunities to learn how to make the right decisions and how to help others make good decisions. Being on the SAB was a very big decision for me, because I live far away from the meetings in Raleigh, and the SAB is a very time demanding responsibility. However, I am very grateful to have been chosen for the Board, and I have gained a lot of success from my time on the Board. I hope that my contributions to the board were good ones and that I made an impact on someone. I gained some friends by being on the SAB, and I had a lot of fun during that time. To those who are still in SADD, I say to never give up on following the principles of SADD. Even when high school is over and you can't be in the club anymore, use what SADD taught you in order to make 5
the right decisions. What you learned in SADD may help you for the rest of your life. SADD is not a place for perfect people; so if you make a bad decision, don't give up. Just find a way to grow from that and make a better choice next time. SADD should help you make good choices, but don't forget to help others do the same. Try your best and make your time in SADD count.” Amanda Fisher, advisor at West Johnston High School, has been an invaluable asset to the SAB for the past two years. From recommending members to helping manage the Board to helping manage the conference, she was there for the students and the state coordinator every step of the way. Her cheerfulness and rapport with the students made for enjoyable Board meetings. She will be sorely missed. Fisher had these parting thoughts to share about her experience: “Working with the Student Advisory Board for the last two years has been very rewarding. I have had the opportunity to work with the best students in the state to plan a Harry Potter and Olympics SADD Conference. I have seen students grow and definitely be pushed out of their comfort zone. I am very proud of all the work that all of the students on the team put in to make the conferences happen and be successful the last two years. SADD is such an amazing club to be a part of, and seeing students with a passion for SADD makes me excited to be an advisor for this awesome club. I am thankful to have worked with Harriett Southerland. She has made the experience of planning the conferences fun and exciting. Thank you for all of the hard work you put into planning the conference and getting all of our speakers and presenters organized. This year I am stepping down from the advisory board to be able to enjoy next year’s conference with my West Johnston SADD Club students. Thank you to all the advisors in the state for all of the good advice and new ideas for West Johnston SADD. I could not have done it without your help and guidance. I am so excited to be able to attend the SADD 2017 conference with my students, and I hope to see all of you there!”
COORDINATOR’S CORNER Thanks to all who worked so diligently to make sure we had an active, productive year with our programs. Every project or activity your chapter undertook was meaningful. Many thanks to the many advisors and SADD members who run effective programs but are not Harriett Southerland acknowledged. We know you are out there, and we offer our profound appreciation. During 2016-17, our chapters did projects to promote seat belt use, prevent distracted driving, and promote overall teen safe driving habits. You put on activities aimed at decreasing alcohol, tobacco and other drug use; bullying; violence; teen pregnancy; dating abuse; and teen suicide. You mentored younger students, provided car seats to the less fortunate, entertained the elderly in nursing homes, and collected food for the needy. Hopefully, after a relaxing summer vacation, everyone will return to school renewed and recommitted to doing their part to ensure that SADD remains a powerful force for youth empowerment and change. Hugs and kisses to the wonderful youth of the 201617 Student Advisory Board. It was a joy to work with such motivated, enthusiastic, dedicated, and creative youth. The work was hard, but they came through like troopers. To all our graduating seniors, NC SADD wishes you every good thing as you begin new chapters in your lives. We sincerely thank the chapters that attended the state conference. It is important that we come together to learn, share, and have fun. Conference is the place to meet people who do what you do. It’s the place for finding answers and offering solutions. It’s the place where you find understanding and support. The conference is also a celebration of you. Make it a priority for your chapter to attend the 2017 state conference. You will receive more information on the conference in the August issue of Connect. CHAPTER REGISTRATION Be sure to register or update your registration when school begins. Although you registered last term, the national office assumes you are no longer operating if you don't reregister. If nothing has changed since you 6
last registered, let the state coordinator know, and she will forward the information to the national office. You can register at http://sadd.force.com/registration. If you have any problems registering, contact the state coordinator at [email protected]. VISION ZERO INITIATIVE STILL NEEDS SHOES NC Vision Zero is a collaborative initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities on North Carolina roads. It can be difficult to mentally visualize the traffic fatalities we hear about in our state each year. We are helping to raise awareness and paint a picture by collecting old shoes to be used for educational exhibits across the state. Each pair of shoes represents a life lost on our roads. Some chapters brought shoes to the conference for donation last year, and we are asking you to do the same this year. We need lots of shoes! The shoes will not be worn, and should be old shoes you would throw away.
GET READY FOR THE STATE SADD CONFERENCE! The 35th Annual SADD Conference will be November 17-19, 2017 at the North Raleigh Hilton Midtown in Raleigh. Start getting your funds together. Ask an insurance company, law firm, or other agency if they will sponsor your chapter. Registration forms and fees will be sent to you by the end of August. This is our 35th Anniversary, so you don’t want to miss it!
Keep cool and enjoy your summer. 7
17-19 NC SADD Conference
8
KICKING
IN
OFF
PITT
SADD
COUNTY
Recent issues of Connect reported on the efforts underway to install SADD programs in all Pitt County middle and high schools. In June, the Pitt County SADD Kickoff celebrated the fulfillment of many months of diligent work by the Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program, Safe Communities Coalition of Pitt County, Vidant Medical Center, and the SADD state coordinator. Designated student chapter leaders, chapter advisors, county coordinators, and the state coordinator all joined together for an evening of fellowship and fun at the Fitness Connection Pool in Greenville. Posters bearing SADD’s mission and messages of empowering youth were hung on the pool’s fences and buildings. The event provided the opportunity for the new chapter members to get to know each other and have fun playing in the pool, eating pizza, and dancing. County coordinator Sue Anne Fipps said the kickoff was also a way to show the new SADD teams that
Issue 37
In This Issue Pitt County SADD Kickoff Pitt County Chapter Training South Brunswick Prom ManU Bears for Soldiers Scholar Athletes SAB Parting Words Coordinator’s Corner Chapter Registration Vision Zero Shoe Collection Conference Announcement 2017 SADD Calendar
Ideas? Questions? Concerns? Contact Harriett Southerland 919 807-4408 [email protected] Visit NC SADD. www.ncsadd.org Facebook: ncsadd Twitter: @SADDNC SADD National www.sadd.org
Kickin’ it in the pool
The Monster Slide www.ncsadd.org
Poolside dancing
A couple of cool advisors 1
they were appreciated. She said, “This is an opportunity for the students to play together before they get down to the serious business of prevention.” Watching the students interacting like old friends, County Coordinator Deb Pomeroy said, “When these students got here, they were standing apart because they didn’t know each other. Look at them now. This is just great!”
Student Workshop
PITT COUNTY CHAPTER TRAINING During summer break, the advisors and student chapter leaders—both middle and high school—attended trainings on the Vidant Medical Center campus to prepare for their new roles. There were two all-day training sessions for advisors and two for students, with half of each group attending a session. Trainees learned more about the SADD program and received guidance from the county coordinators, prevention and medical staff persons, and the state coordinator. Advisor training included discussing the role of the advisor and working with students and the school administration. While learning and discussing issues
Advisor Workshop
Students explain their prevention poster.
such as substance use, bullying and teen pregnancy in interactive workshops, the students sharpened their skills in working together toward a common goal. With all they’ve learned over the summer, the advisors and student leaders will be able to hit the ground running when school starts. We send best wishes for success to the following schools and advisors: AydenGrifton HS, Tabitha Rawls; D.H. Conley HS, Karen Pumphrey; Farmville Central HS, (advisor TBD); J.H. Rose HS, Rita Staton; North Pitt HS, Zulena Staton; South Central HS, Faith Sampson and Suzanne Lee. A.G. Cox MS, Allison Christman; Ayden MS, Rebecca Harrell; Bethel MS, Corrine Davis; C.M. Eppes MS, Laurie Beck, Derek Allen, and Pamela Williamson; Chicod MS, Tara Forehand; E.B. Aycock MS, Stanley Roberts; Farmville MS (advisor TBD); G.R. Whitfield MS, Lisa Moore; Grifton MS, Emily Dunn; Hope MS, Mikiko Simmons; Pactolus MS, Candace Hines and Jennifer Sewell; Stokes MS, Chelsea Fasick; Wellcome MS, Roxxanne Staton-Joyner. NC SADD sincerely appreciates the inspired efforts of all who assisted in this mammoth project. 2
SBHS LISTENS TO THE CHILDREN West Brunswick High School in Southport had a SADD Club delegation at the prom. The delegation distributed “Be Safe at Prom” cards that were made by elementary school students. The cards featured messages such as “Dear High Schooler, Prom is here. Make good choices;” and “Be good. Be safe.” A card was given to each prom participant. Advisor Theresa Lominac said, “Hopefully, this will make the high school students think about their actions and see themselves as role models for the younger students. It also gets the elementary students focused on the importance of good decisions early in their lives.” Great job, South Brunswick. Go Cougars!
SADD PROM DELEGATION Pictured Left to Right
PERSON BOYS MAN UP Male SADD chapter members from Person High School in Roxboro participated in the recent ManU Summit at Biogen in Durham. According to Kiricka Yarbough Smith, administrator of Project COPE (Collaboration, Outreach, Protection, Empowerment) and the human trafficking prevention program, the purpose of the MANU Summit was to educate boys and young men on healthy relationships with their peers, family, and their community while also introducing them to STEM. “The Summit featured workshops on how masculinity is portrayed in the media and society, financial literacy, the power of their voice, and beneficial tools to help them navigate their journey through manhood,” Smith said. “Participants had an opportunity for open discussions with male leaders and mentors about issues they face as young men." The students also toured the Biogen community lab and participated in a STEM demonstration.
Jacob Baity Jonah Conley Leah Bullock Ms. Lominac Serenity Cobb Note: Leah Bullock is the young lady who sang the beautiful Amazing Grace solo at the SADD Conference banquet last year. The Gentlemen of ManU
Prom Safety Cards
As the young men exited the Summit, they were instructed to write one of the negative feelings they brought in with them on cards and drop them in a suitcase, symbolizing their choice to leave it behind and strive to be better. Some participants shared that they were leaving behind the fear of failing, anger from grief or loss, guilt because of prior actions, or a desire to stop allowing rejection to keep them from trying again. Smith said, “Overall, the ManU Summit was a huge success. It was not meant to be a one-time event, but a starting point to assist our young men with addressing life’s challenges and helping them navigate the obstacles they face on their journey to adulthood." Thanks to advisor Shelby Williams for making sure her students participated in this commendable event. Go Rockets!
3
BEARS FOR SOLDIERS Rosalyn Wilkinson is a member of West Iredell High School SADD in Statesville, a member of the Student Advisory Board, and 2016-17 SADD Student of the Year. She is also a member of West Iredell’s 1st Priority Club, where she has been busily involved in Bears for Soldiers, a project that helps soldiers overseas gain the trust of the villagers where they are deployed. “Bears are not the only thing that we collect,” Rosalyn said. “We collect all kinds of animals to send over. This year we have collected 675 stuffed animals, which is almost triple what the we did last year.” Since the 1st Priority Club is headquartered in JROTC, Rosalyn felt that it only made sense to help the soldiers overseas. “We are thankful for everything that everybody has been done to collect bears for our soldiers these past few months,” she said. Great job, Rosalyn. Go Warriors!
visory Board meetings, and he was in attendance unless he had a track meet. He is sure to be successful at the University of North Carolina.
Dontavian Smith (Center) wins the 100m Dash. Photo courtesy of The News and Observer
SADD is proud of SAB member Gavin Brundidge of West Johnston High School in Benson. Gavin, an outstanding soccer player, was recruited by Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte and will attend that school in the fall. He will be a member of the university’s men’s soccer team. Gavin is a scholar athlete and graduated in June in the Top 10 percent of his class with High Honors. He was an inspiration to the Student Advisory Board. He was also dependable and committed. If there was a meeting, one didn’t have to wonder if he would show up. With that determination and spirit, he will certainly succeed.
Now that’s a lot of bears!
SAB MEMBERS EXCEL IN SPORTS NC SADD is proud of SAB member Dontavian “D-Tay” Smith of Person High School for his accomplishments in track. D-Tay was recruited by UNC-Chapel Hill and will attend that school this fall. He will be on the men’s track and field team. He received the Pac-6 4A Conference 2016-17 Track Athlete of the Year Award. D-Tay always brought cheer and enthusiasm to Student Ad-
Gavin Brundidge (in foreground, second from left) with members of the West Johnston soccer team 4
BON VOYAGE TO SHINING STARS
Alexis Williams of Person High School is a scholar athlete and a star volleyball player. She will attend North Carolina Central University on a volleyball scholarship. Alexis is a two-year member of the Student Advisory Board, and she served admirably. Her friendly, gentle, amicable demeanor made for good Board relations. She graduated Top 5 percent of her class and received the Most Outstanding Senior Award. Alexis will be sorely missed. Congratulations, Alexis, on your current and future achievements! Alexis wanted to share these parting words with SADD members: “I will attend North Carolina Central University, majoring in Biology. After I finish undergraduate school, I will attend the University of North Carolina to get my masters in biology and then attend medical school to become a neurologist.. SADD means a lot to me and has really helped me with my leadership skills as far as being more vocal and social. SADD has also taught me that whether I make good or bad decisions, somebody is watching and taking notes. I want to lead by making the right decisions so others can follow the same positive pathway I did. Serving on the Student Advisory Board to me was like a being a SADD VIP. I was able to understand clearly one-on-one with others about different situations dealing with destructive decisions, and it also taught me how to work with others and that my idea or opinion is just as important to share. Words of advice to students in SADD: ALWAYS BE A LEADER, NEVER A FOLLOWER, AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD, BECAUSE YOUR OPINION MATTERS.”
Katelynn May is an SAB member and graduating senior of JP Knapp Early College High School in Currituck. Katelynn will attend UNCChapel Hill in the fall to study pharmacy, and she plan to be a pharmacist. She graduated third in her class with honors. At graduation, Katelynn wore SADD and Beta chords and received a Top 10% Award. At the senior recognition ceremony, she received the Growth Mindset Award and the Science Award. As a dual enrolled student, Katelynn also graduated from community college Summa Cum Laude with three associates degrees. She accumulated $400,000 in grants and scholarships. As a SAB member, Katelyn was kind, gentle, and resolute. She made an excellent contribution to the Board. Katelynn shared these parting thoughts: “To me, SADD has been a driving force in my success. It motivated me to make good decisions and to help others do the same. Throughout my 4 years as a member, employing the principles of SADD has become a passion of mine. As a member, a chapter president, and a member of the SAB, I feel like I made a lasting contribution to SADD, but it has also made a big impact on me. It has given me countless opportunities to learn how to make the right decisions and how to help others make good decisions. Being on the SAB was a very big decision for me, because I live far away from the meetings in Raleigh, and the SAB is a very time demanding responsibility. However, I am very grateful to have been chosen for the Board, and I have gained a lot of success from my time on the Board. I hope that my contributions to the board were good ones and that I made an impact on someone. I gained some friends by being on the SAB, and I had a lot of fun during that time. To those who are still in SADD, I say to never give up on following the principles of SADD. Even when high school is over and you can't be in the club anymore, use what SADD taught you in order to make 5
the right decisions. What you learned in SADD may help you for the rest of your life. SADD is not a place for perfect people; so if you make a bad decision, don't give up. Just find a way to grow from that and make a better choice next time. SADD should help you make good choices, but don't forget to help others do the same. Try your best and make your time in SADD count.” Amanda Fisher, advisor at West Johnston High School, has been an invaluable asset to the SAB for the past two years. From recommending members to helping manage the Board to helping manage the conference, she was there for the students and the state coordinator every step of the way. Her cheerfulness and rapport with the students made for enjoyable Board meetings. She will be sorely missed. Fisher had these parting thoughts to share about her experience: “Working with the Student Advisory Board for the last two years has been very rewarding. I have had the opportunity to work with the best students in the state to plan a Harry Potter and Olympics SADD Conference. I have seen students grow and definitely be pushed out of their comfort zone. I am very proud of all the work that all of the students on the team put in to make the conferences happen and be successful the last two years. SADD is such an amazing club to be a part of, and seeing students with a passion for SADD makes me excited to be an advisor for this awesome club. I am thankful to have worked with Harriett Southerland. She has made the experience of planning the conferences fun and exciting. Thank you for all of the hard work you put into planning the conference and getting all of our speakers and presenters organized. This year I am stepping down from the advisory board to be able to enjoy next year’s conference with my West Johnston SADD Club students. Thank you to all the advisors in the state for all of the good advice and new ideas for West Johnston SADD. I could not have done it without your help and guidance. I am so excited to be able to attend the SADD 2017 conference with my students, and I hope to see all of you there!”
COORDINATOR’S CORNER Thanks to all who worked so diligently to make sure we had an active, productive year with our programs. Every project or activity your chapter undertook was meaningful. Many thanks to the many advisors and SADD members who run effective programs but are not Harriett Southerland acknowledged. We know you are out there, and we offer our profound appreciation. During 2016-17, our chapters did projects to promote seat belt use, prevent distracted driving, and promote overall teen safe driving habits. You put on activities aimed at decreasing alcohol, tobacco and other drug use; bullying; violence; teen pregnancy; dating abuse; and teen suicide. You mentored younger students, provided car seats to the less fortunate, entertained the elderly in nursing homes, and collected food for the needy. Hopefully, after a relaxing summer vacation, everyone will return to school renewed and recommitted to doing their part to ensure that SADD remains a powerful force for youth empowerment and change. Hugs and kisses to the wonderful youth of the 201617 Student Advisory Board. It was a joy to work with such motivated, enthusiastic, dedicated, and creative youth. The work was hard, but they came through like troopers. To all our graduating seniors, NC SADD wishes you every good thing as you begin new chapters in your lives. We sincerely thank the chapters that attended the state conference. It is important that we come together to learn, share, and have fun. Conference is the place to meet people who do what you do. It’s the place for finding answers and offering solutions. It’s the place where you find understanding and support. The conference is also a celebration of you. Make it a priority for your chapter to attend the 2017 state conference. You will receive more information on the conference in the August issue of Connect. CHAPTER REGISTRATION Be sure to register or update your registration when school begins. Although you registered last term, the national office assumes you are no longer operating if you don't reregister. If nothing has changed since you 6
last registered, let the state coordinator know, and she will forward the information to the national office. You can register at http://sadd.force.com/registration. If you have any problems registering, contact the state coordinator at [email protected]. VISION ZERO INITIATIVE STILL NEEDS SHOES NC Vision Zero is a collaborative initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities on North Carolina roads. It can be difficult to mentally visualize the traffic fatalities we hear about in our state each year. We are helping to raise awareness and paint a picture by collecting old shoes to be used for educational exhibits across the state. Each pair of shoes represents a life lost on our roads. Some chapters brought shoes to the conference for donation last year, and we are asking you to do the same this year. We need lots of shoes! The shoes will not be worn, and should be old shoes you would throw away.
GET READY FOR THE STATE SADD CONFERENCE! The 35th Annual SADD Conference will be November 17-19, 2017 at the North Raleigh Hilton Midtown in Raleigh. Start getting your funds together. Ask an insurance company, law firm, or other agency if they will sponsor your chapter. Registration forms and fees will be sent to you by the end of August. This is our 35th Anniversary, so you don’t want to miss it!
Keep cool and enjoy your summer. 7
17-19 NC SADD Conference
8
