THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 7, 1996 TAG: 9606050116
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOHN-HENRY DOUCETTE, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 58 lines
Indian River High School is Hampton Roads' finalist in a national competition designed to discourage the use of drugs and alcohol by teenagers.
It is the fourth time in five years the school has been a winner in the contest, which particularly targets drunken driving.
Prom Promise, a program sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, began in 1990 as a way to help students confront problems related to teen drug and alcohol use by having students sign a pledge not to use drugs or drink, especially not on prom night.
The pledges are backed up by activities designed by students to remind their peers of the importance of keeping their promise.
Indian River was awarded $1,000 for organizing the most successful program among large schools in Hampton Roads.
This is a special win for the school because Indian River's program, headed by adviser Betty P. Weaver, almost fell by the wayside this school year in the wake of the tragic death of a young student who had been the program's driving force in 1995.
Roben Moss, 18, was in her first week of college last year when she drove past a truck on the interstate, apparently lost control of her vehicle and drove off the road. Her accident was not alcohol-related, but news of the death took the wind out of Weaver as the 1995-1996 Prom Promise was just about to begin.
``I don't know why God took her,'' said Weaver. ``Maybe they needed somebody to organize heaven because, let me tell you, that little girl meant a lot to people around here.''
The loss caused Weaver to lose enthusiasm for Prom Promise, but students encouraged her to continue the program in Moss' memory.
``We planted a dogwood tree in the senior courtyard in her name,'' said Weaver. And this Indian River's 1996 effort in Prom Promise was dedicated to the young woman who had led it the year before.
The campaign focused on the three weeks leading up to the school's May 10 prom. The school kept a scrapbook of events to promote awareness.
According to Weaver, the school figured 95.2 percent of all students signed a written pledge to avoid drugs and stay alcohol-free.
``It was the entire student body,'' she explained. ``Not just the seniors.''
One of the school's efforts involved dressing a student up like the grim reaper.
``Twenty-five people a day die at the hands of a drunken driver,'' said Weaver. ``So we had a guy go around as the reaper for a week tagging 25 people a day, and those people had to be quiet for the rest of the day. It was meant to remind the kids what it would be like if that person was one of the 25 killed.
``It was meant to make them think what it would be like to lose them.''
That and Indian River's other efforts paid off. Prom weekend came and went, and there were no reported incidents with students from the school.
More importantly, everyone returned to school.
``We like to have them back on Monday morning,'' said Weaver.
According to contest officials, nearly 4,000 schools across the country participated in Prom Promise this year. That number includes 243 Virginia Schools. by CNB