Image 1 / 2
Middlesboro High School (MHS) students will likely remember this weekend as it will mark a milestone in their lives — it’s their prom weekend.
Students were reminded of the repercussions of alcohol and drug abuse during the Friday afternoon “Ghost Out” school assembly.
The assembly was a culmination of a week of awareness activities and reminders. Students took a strong message home with them for the weekend, a message delivered by their peers, a judge, a representative from Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), the Bell County Deputy Coroner and one of their teachers.
Middlesboro Independent School Superintendent Darryl Wilder — who was in attendance on Friday afternoon — said, “We started this when I was the principal at the high school.” Wilder added that the school assembly touches his heart personally each time that he watches it.
Throughout the preceding school day, a silent character dressed as the grim reaper goes into different classrooms and “takes” students. Those students are on stage during the assembly with the grim reaper. Each has a candle burning until Bell County Deputy Coroner Bill Bisceglia tells the fictional stories of their deaths due to alcohol or drug abuse and then the students’ candles are blown out and the student is “laid to rest”. Local emergency responders participate in the act by covering each student with a sheet.
Student Hannah Spangler read a poem to her peers to open the assembly. Judge Robert Costanzo followed Spangler, sharing some of the tragic stories that he is aware of. Judge Costanzo also informed students of how driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can affect the lives of a teenager.
“If you use drugs or alcohol and drive under the age of 21, you will lose your drivers license, you can count on that,” he said.
Judge Costanzo calls driving under the influence “pulling a stupid trick” and says that it can result in the loss of driving privileges, mandatory drug and alcohol education classes, hardships in finding employment; when the results of the driving under the influence don’t lead to permanent injuries or death- which is the ultimate price.
“It amazes me everyday, the excuses that I hear,” Costanzo said. “Here’s my favorite, ‘Well, the doctor prescribed that to me.’”
Costanzo completed his message by congratulating seniors and by saying, “Guys, you’re just now beginning your lives, don’t waste them.”
MHS Senior A.J. Jones read a fictional account to his peers — “Please God, I’m only 17.”
Pam Tripp followed Jones with her own personal experience of loss. Tripp spent many years in law enforcement until a tragic event changed her life. Tripp’s 17-year-old daughter, Amy was killed by a drunk driver. Tripp now speaks out against the decision to drink and drive, and is a representative for MADD. The night that her daughter died, Tripp said, “My worst fear became my worst nightmare and I live that everyday. I speak for Amy now. I speak for her because she is not here and able to speak for herself. I don’t want this to happen to any of you.”
Coroner Bisceglia was dressed down for the event, to prove a point. “I usually wear a suit when I attend these programs,” Bisceglia said. “Today, I wanted to show you how I would look, what your parents would see if I had to knock on their doors at three or four in the morning.”
“I just think this is a great program,” Superintendent Wilder said.
Brandy Calvert is the Senior Staff Writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. Contact her via e-mail at bmurray@middlesborodailynews.com.
Above: The grim reaper fictitiously claimed the lives of several students during the ‘Ghost Out’ school assembly at Middlesboro High School on Friday afternoon.
Also, Bell County Deputy Coroner Bill Bisceglia addressed Middlesboro High School students during the ‘Ghost Our’ school assembly on Friday. (BRANDY CALVERT/ Daily News)
Post a Comment
