Think then act, students tell peers

[attach]787[/attach]Students at Northern Secondary School are learning where to draw their stupid line.

The smart idea behind it is to get teens to think about the potential consequences of their actions to avoid hurting themselves or others.

The student-led SmartRisk leadership program is using a $2,000 grant from State Farm Insurance to promote safe decision making.

The program is a peer-based organization dedicated to educating students about safety through positive messages and personal empowerment.

Students say the program is successful because it puts the power to choose in their own hands.

“I think it empowers students with the positive messaging to take (risk) into consideration more,” said student organizer Emma Henderson. “It gives students the power to really look at the situation themselves. It really makes people think more about (risk).”

Fellow organizer Hannah Kraicer-Melamed agreed.

“I really like the positive messaging at SmartRisk,” she said. “It’s much more appealing to the student body because many of the organizations that work with kids are really preachy.”

In the past, organizers conducted classroom presentations about safety, shared stories of close calls and painted a mural in the school’s foyer. With the grant, organizers intend to conduct a safety survey, increase promotion around the school and host a video game competition.

To launch the campaign, dubbed Project Ignition, students invited Mothers Against Drunk Driving to present a video called Wasted to several packed assemblies. The video illustrates the extreme consequences that can spawn from the decision to drive while intoxicated.

MADD field representative Albert Veira said more than a million Canadian students will watch the video this year.

“We’re taking a message that is relevant and important to students across the country,” he said. “In a split second, everything can change for you.”

Veira hopes the assembly will open up a dialogue between students and their families about safety.

Guidance counsellor and staff organizer Karen McIntyre said the goal is for students to avoid lapsed judgment, resulting in fewer accidents.

“At the end of this year, we are hoping that SmartRisk is a common name amongst the student body and that they do think about their choices,” she said.