STUDENT MEMBERSHIP ON THE RISE IN CLUB PROMOTING WISE DECISIONS

POWDER SPRINGS - A newly formed program at a local Cobb County high school
aims to stop students from making destructive decisions.

As membership continues to grow for McEachern High School's Students
Against Destructive Decisions, parents, students and teachers are
encouraging students to refrain from immoral and illegal acts.

"Making students aware that we care about their safety can really make a
difference," said Genie Ricks, a McEachern High School math teacher and one
of SADD's four coordinators.

Ms. Ricks said SADD, which is commonly known as Students Against Drunk
Driving, changed its name to include a larger scope of teenage issues,
including drug use, immoral behavior and teen pregnancy.

"It's still part of the national organization, Students Against Drunk
Driving; we just decided to call it Students Against Destructive Decisions
to include more," she said.

Ms. Ricks said SADD started last year at McEachern, but the program failed
to make an impression on the students as it has this year.

"We have 42 students signed up this year, and we are expecting a membership
of about 300 by the end of the school year," she said. "We have more
students interested in joining the club just about every week."

Ms. Ricks said SADD's mission is to deter students from drinking and
driving and using illegal drugs, while encouraging them to wear seatbelts,
obey the law and act morally.

"It has become very popular among the students here, and the faculty has
been nothing but supportive," she said.

McEachern High School Principal Tommy Farr had nothing but positive words
for Ms. Ricks and the SADD program.

"The students see a need to band together in order to promote safe driving
and prevent students their age from drinking and driving," he said. "The
kids want to do everything they can to prevent more accidents, and it's
nice to see them come together the way that they have."

With only a $3 membership fee, Ms. Ricks said, students meet every
Wednesday after school to discuss new and innovative ideas to get their
message across.

"We are slowly feeling our way to try and find out exactly what we can do
and how we can do it," she said. "We are always looking for something new
and different."

Ms. Ricks said several of the programs they have hosted this year included
Red Ribbon Week in October, during which each student who participated wore
a ribbon with a message explaining why drugs are bad.

"I remember one of the ribbons said, 'If you want a future, don't do
drugs,'" she said. "It was small, but it worked."

Ms. Ricks said SADD also gave out coupons on a number of occasions, trying
to get students to join and encourage others not to partake in illicit
activities.

"We are trying to involve all the students that we can," she said.