STUDENTS GET TOGETHER TO BATTLE TOP KILLER OF TEENS

Joshua Starling knows this weekend some teens from his school will
drink, or do drugs and then climb behind the wheel of a car, rolling
the dice with their lives and those of any passenger or other motorist.

A desire to do something to change the final part of that scenario is
why the North Grenville District High School Grade 12 student spent
the day Wednesday with about 70 other high-school students at
Thousand Islands Secondary School.

"People don't admit it, but I've heard stories about drinking and
driving, or being stoned while driving," said Starling.

"So I want to try and help people out before someone gets really injured."

Wednesday's event was the annual conference for Region 8 of Ontario
Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID). Sam Latham, co-president
of the TISS chapter and Region 8 representative, said it's a chance
for students to brainstorm ideas about promoting their message.

It also lets them see they're not alone in what can be an uphill
fight because the reality, as OSAID executive director Matt Evans
told the group, is impaired driving remains the No. 1 killer of teens
in Ontario.

Students from high schools across eastern Ontario from Gananoque to
Cornwall and TISS and Ange-Gabriel in Brockville attended the
seminar, which featured workshops by Brockville police Sergeant Doug
Locke and OSAID volunteer Bev Toye.

"Now the big challenge is to take what they've learned from today,
implement it and get the message out there," said Latham, a Grade 12 student.

When they do, Evans urged them in an hour-long presentation that was
part stand-up comedy routine, part inspirational speech, not to be
fanatical about it. Otherwise, the message won't register.

OSAID has been in existence for two decades, but the fact remains
teens continue to die in impaired-related crashes. Evans, however,
said they are making a difference.

"The stats have gone down - they've gone down considerably," he told
The Recorder and Times.

He said speaking to groups of teens so keen to do something about the
issue is inspiring.

"You're trying to change the attitudes of a generation," he said.

According to Latham, one of the biggest hurdles OSAID groups face in
their schools is the perception they're out to spoil everyone's fun.

"We're not the organization that is against parties. We're not
against going out there and celebrating life with friends," he insisted.

"But once you've been to a party, we don't want you to go home in
your car while you are impaired."

The theme of this year's Region 8 conference was 'Lean On Me.'

For Kristina Dings, a Grade 12 student at North Dundas District High
School, that means providing support in tough times. Not lecturing -
that's what adults do.

"I definitely think there's a big difference between peer messages
and adult messages," Dings said.

In the words of TISS Grade 11 student Tahneen Williamson, "When it
comes from a student, it's different ... it's coming from the heart."

And even if there are some people who never will get it, Starling
left TISS armed with a sense of purpose after meeting the other OSAID members.

"I learned that you can make a difference - it doesn't really matter
your age," he said, adding, "Since I know there are always lots of
bush parties around if we can get the word out, there will be less
chance for a driving-related crash to happen."