DATE: Sunday, September 21, 1997            TAG: 9709190298

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 13   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LEWIS KRAUSKOPF, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   79 lines

MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION TO COMBAT DRUNK DRIVING BURBANK SHOW COMING TO OSCAR SMITH, GREAT BRIDGE, INDIAN RIVER HIGH SCHOOLS.

WHAT DO BASEBALL legend Cal Ripken Jr., rock singer Dan Haseltine of Jars of Clay, and actor Kirk Cameron have in common?

A) They're all in a multimedia presentation that tours nationwide.

B) They're all going to be featured in Chesapeake high-school assemblies.

C) They all speak out against underage drinking.

Answer: All of the above.

A multimedia performance will be shown this fall at assemblies at Oscar Smith, Great Bridge and Indian River high schools with the focus on improving teen choices and cutting back on drinking and driving.

The presentation - called ``Take The Lead'' - will be put on Nov. 24-25 by Motivational Media Assemblies, a nonprofit education company based in Burbank, Calif. The company has been showing its traveling multimedia assemblies to schoolchildren nationwide for the past 12 years, said Southeast Scheduling director David Beaver.

And what, exactly, does multimedia mean? Basically, it's a mish-mash of pop culture. MMA mixes lyrics from chart-topping music, scenes from hit television shows and movies, and celebrity interviews into one ``rock-u-mentary,'' shown on three 10-foot-by-43-foot video screens in surround sound.

This kind of performance makes a social message more palatable for youth, Beaver says.

``It uses what the kids know,'' he said. ``The media, newspapers, TV, videos - that's what the kids are plugged into.''

But despite its teen-friendly presentation, the content of the show - which was co-produced with Mothers Against Drunk Driving - is not all laughs. Included in ``Take The Lead'' is a real-life story of a man speaking in front of an audience about how his driving a car drunk killed his friends, who were passengers in the car. It's heart-wrenching stuff, said MMA's Bud Yoakum, that has evoked many tears from teens before.

``It's not a hard-hitting message, but a very somber message,'' Yoakum said.

Said Beaver: ``It's about the freedom of right decisions in regards to underage drinking versus the life sentences of wrong decisions.''

``Take The Lead,'' which runs about 40 minutes, is one of five multimedia programs that MMA presents. Three are for high school/middle school students, and two are for elementary school. The high-school programs focuses on drug awareness and alcohol abuse, while the elementary-school shows concentrate on conflict resolution and character development, Yoakum said.

In addition to the performances, MMA provides a support curriculum for teachers to reinforce the messages conveyed by the multimedia shows.

The school system plans to use the lessons in driver's education courses, said Ann W. Myers, who supervises drug education and driver's ed classes for Chesapeake schools.

The school system funded the assemblies through a $1,500 grant from the Department of Motor Vehicles, Myers said.

MMA gives shows in every state. The company employs 11 vans that travel the country packed with video screens, speakers and whatever else is needed for the performances.

Beaver said MMA put on assemblies in 3,000 schools during the 1996-97 school year. But the company needed to do every one to stay afloat financially, he said.

Virginia is one of the states where MMA's presentations are in high demand, said Beaver, who estimates that there were between 100-150 shown at schools throughout the state last year.

Norfolk schools are some of the satisfied MMA customers, said Evelyn Williamson, supervisor of alcohol and other drug programs. Norfolk high school students watched ``Take The Lead'' in March prior to prom night, she said.

The multimedia show is not the only effort the school system is making to improve driving safety.

Beginning in October, Drive Smart Hampton Roads will sponsor a ``Battle of the Belts'' - a six-week competition throughout the area in which the schools that have the highest seat-belt usage will be awarded grants. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY C.KNAPP

Singer Dan Haseltine speaks out against underage drinking in the

film.

AP Photo

Baltimore Orioles star Cal Ripken is featered in ``Take The Lead.''

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu