Golden Valley students will take part in this years Every 15
minutes simulation.    

[view:node_ad=5]On November 6th and 7th, 2008, the Santa Clarita Valley
Sheriff's Station and Golden Valley High School will join in partnership
to conduct the Bi-Annual "Every 15 Minutes" program.

This program aims to show the consequences associated with
drinking alcohol, reckless driving and poor life choices.  The main goal is to educate all individuals
regarding the severe dangers awaiting those who make these choices,
particularly those related to reckless driving, street racing and drinking
alcohol and driving.

Deputies will join forces with school officials and selected
students to "drive" the message home.  Approximately 18
students and teachers will be taken from classes on the 6th, as if they had
been "lost" in a tragic incident. They will be joined by 7
other student program participants at a driving under the influence
(D.U.I.) simulated collision scene, which will be set up in front of the school
for the junior and senior classes to view, depicting fatalities and serious
injuries to several students. 

The injured students will be taken to a local
hospital.  The scene will include a flyover by the Los Angeles County
Sheriff Department's Aero Bureau – Air 5 Rescue Helicopter, simulating an air
lift of a critically injured student.  The drunk driver will be arrested
and will be taken to the Santa Clarita Superior Court where a simulated
conviction for manslaughter will occur.

Participating students will then visit the Santa Clarita
Valley Youth Grove at Central Park and the
Eternal Valley Mortuary.  They will then visit a local hotel for dinner,
where community members, who have experienced real-life drunk driving
related tragedies in their family, and counselors will speak to them about
how it feels to lose a loved one in a drunk driving related
incident.  

The student participants will also write a letter to be
given to their parents that begins with this phrase:  "Yesterday I
was killed by a drunk driver and I never got to tell you…."  

On November 7th an assembly will be held at Golden Valley High School for the entire junior and
senior class where several guest speakers, who had family members killed
in crashes in the Santa Clarita Valley in past years, will speak. 
City of Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar will
also speak to the students.

For ways to participate or contribute in the event contact Deputy
David Shoemaker at (661) 799-5110.