American Heritage Schools’ Students Against Destructive Decisions Club Hosted Mothers Against Drunk Driving Power of You(th) Presentation
- Durée & Company
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
In an effort to bring awareness of the dangers of impaired driving ahead of prom night and graduation, American Heritage Schools’ Students Against Destructive Decisions(SADD) Club at its Broward Campus hosted Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)’s impactful “Power of You(th)®” presentation on campus for 11th and 12th grade students on April 2. The assembly was organized by Harlee Ross, a senior at American Heritage Schools who also serves as the SADD Club president.
Drunk driving deaths have increased by 31% over the past decade with someone being killed or injured in a drunk driving crash every 78 seconds. Drunk driving is a 100 percent preventable crime.
During the “Power of You(th)” presentation, American Heritage Schools’ seniors and juniors learned about the potentially deadly consequences of impaired driving. The DUI exposition featured a demonstration of what can happen if someone drives a car under the influence of drugs and alcohol. A DUI crashed car, provided by Guardian Fleet Services, was on campus for students to see first-hand examples of these dangers. Members from the Plantation Fire Department extracted mannequins from the mock car crash using the jaws of life tools while narrating the scene.
Notable executives from MADD were in attendance, including, Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale Founder Heather Geronemus. Victims Bryan and Amani Criales shared their personal stories about how their lives changed in an instant because of a wrong-way crash. Students also heard impactful stories and words from Geronemus and Ross.
On Dec. 13, 2015, a drunk driver was driving the wrong way on I-95, causing a high-speed, head-on collision that shattered the Criales’ lives. Amani’s husband, Bryan Criales, was driving to the Fort Lauderdale airport with his beloved sister Carmen Criales and their mother. Upon collision, Carmen died instantly. The crash left their mother critically injured and Bryan in a coma with a severe traumatic brain injury. After two months, Bryan woke up, unable to do basic activities of daily living. He’s had to re-learn everything, from walking to eating to talking, without his sister by his side. Throughout the years, with the help of doctors, therapy and special facilities, Bryan has made tremendous progress in gaining independence and confidence.
American Heritage Schools’ SADD Club, which was founded by Alumnus Harrison Ross in 2020, is a peer-to-peer education, prevention and activism organization dedicated to preventing destructive decisions, particularly underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving and more.
“Power of You(th)” is one of MADD’s programs that provides youth with research-based information on the dangers of underage drinking and drug use. It aims to prepare youth with the tools to resist peer pressure and empower them to take the next step and influence their friends to make the right choices.
“It is a great honor to work with MADD and our SADD Club to educate our students and bring awareness to the dangers of impaired and destructive driving, especially ahead of special life moments like prom and graduation,” said Dr. Doug Laurie, president of American Heritage Schools. “We are proud of our SADD Club students who helped organize this impactful presentation.”
“We are proud to work with American Heritage School’s SADD Club to once again host MADD’s Power of You(th) presentation on campus to educate students on the terrible tragedies that drunk driving causes,” said Geronemus. “This impactful presentation raises awareness and puts us one step closer to ending impaired driving, a 100 percent preventable crime.”
In South Florida, the local MADD affiliate’s annual Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K has raised more than $4 million since it was founded in 2011 by Heather Geronemus, whose late father, Dr. Robert Perry Geronemus, was struck and killed by a drunk driver in 2009. The local Southeast Florida Chapter will host its 14th Annual UKG & Salah Foundation Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K presented by the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County, which will take place on Sunday, April 27. Thousands of walkers, runners, strollers, wheelchairs and supporters of all ages will come together in downtown Fort Lauderdale to raise awareness and funds to end impaired driving for good. The in-person race will start near Huizenga Plaza at 7:30 a.m., or supporters can also participate in a virtual option. American Heritage Schools’ SADD Club will attend and volunteer at the race.
