DATE: Sunday, May 4, 1997                   TAG: 9705040081

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B8   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY PHYLLIS SPEIDELL, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   84 lines

COMPETITION SHARPENS STUDENTS' DRIVING SKILLS ONE GOAL IS TO RELAY THE SERIOUSNESS OF GETTING BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A CAR.

Thank goodness it was only a practice run.

Katie Copeland, 17, was nervous enough as she edged her green Hyundai around a maze of orange cones in Lakeland High School's safe-driving contest.

``Oh, you are too close, sweetie,'' said Katie's co-pilot, teammate and mother, Prentis Copeland. ``Oops, no, yes - now you will be fine.''

The Copelands were one of 10 student-parent teams competing for prizes and trophies in Lakeland's third annual driving competition.

Each team maneuvered the family car around an obstacle course set up by the Suffolk police in the school parking lot. The course, similar to those used in police driver training classes, focused on parallel parking, backing up, turning around, and negotiating a serpentine route in a continuous motion.

Officer Allan K. Iverson Jr. had designed the course and stayed to run the competition.

``This helps people learn where the four points of their car are - important because newer cars are designed aerodynamically, but not so you can see where the corners are,'' he said.

OK, all right, where is that cone? Oops, I cut too sharp, sorry about that'' said Katie, peering through the rear window, as she backed into a narrow alley of cones.

``That's OK, that's why we are practicing,'' Mom reassured.

Thanks to a grant from the Virginia Department of Education, Lakeland driver education instructor Martha ``Kay'' Kinsey was able to include parents in this year's contest, a follow-up to a special parent night program last fall.

Suffolk merchants pitched in to contribute prizes and refreshments for the event. And for students whose parents weren't able to come, sales personnel from Barton Ford in Suffolk filled in.

``Our goal is to better educate our students that are about to embark on one of the most life-threatening ventures they will undertake, make learning enjoyable, and have them understand the seriousness of getting behind the wheel,'' Kinsey said. ``We feel that this can only become a reality with the support of parents.''

Once Prentis Copeland realized that she too would have to drive the course, she slipped into the driver's seat, eager for a practice run.

``Is your seat belt fastened? Don't get too close to the cones, and don't get nervous,'' Katie coached from the passenger's side.

``You sound like you don't trust me, but thank you for reminding me,'' Mom said as she adjusted the mirrors for takeoff.

``That's what I am here for,'' Katie answered as they glided into the parallel parking station. ``Ooh, straighten up a little bit, blow your horn, reverse, yes. You got it, Mama; that was very nice.''

``I was surprised and a little nervous that I would be driving, too,'' Prentis Copeland said. ``We parents are supposed to know how to drive, and you can't let the kids see you screw up.''

After the dry runs, the teams headed for a classroom to tackle the paper-and-pencil test of their driving knowledge.

Most of the students were Lakeland sophomores and juniors who had recently completed their driver training classes, but the mom-and-pop halves of the teams were dreading the test.

``I haven't taken a test since I got my license 23 years ago,'' Glenn Branchaud said.

Beaming parents slapped high fives when the written test scores were tallied. ``Well, a 92 isn't too bad,'' one relieved parent said. ``He got a 100,'' Krissy Branchaud said, pointing proudly at her father.

After lunch, the competition started in earnest.

Driving rains swamping the practice sessions had cleared, the sky was blue, and the engines started. One at a time, the teams pulled into the course.

At the event's finale, all the road scores and the written test scores for parents and students were totaled, adding up to the best scores Kinsey has seen in the contest's history.

The winner was Darius Bryant, who drove with Mike Lang of Barton Ford. Second place went to Christy Jackson, who drove with Pete Chaet of Barton Ford. Glenn and Krissy Branchaud captured third place.

As for Katie and her mom, they scored 94.7 out of a possible 100 and placed seventh. ILLUSTRATION: GARY C. KNAPP photos

Above, Katie Copeland, a student at Suffolk's Lakeland High, backs

through traffic cones as her mother, Prentis, coaches. Suffolk

police officer Allan K. Iverson Jr. holds a cone as Katie nicks it,

which wasn't uncommon Saturday, judging from the looks of some of

the cones, at left.

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