Katie House (far left) watches as Lexie Dutkewych tries her luck at texting while driving in a simulator. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Only a year since its founding, Bromfield’s Students Against Destructive Decisions chapter has gained a lot of interest and currently consists of more than 25 active members.
Bromfield student Katie House founded and initiated the local chapter of the national organization that promotes making positive decisions about drug use, bullying, distracted driving, and other life-threatening situations. One way SADD has promoted awareness within the Bromfield community was around the winter semi-formal dance, Snowball. Posters were hung discouraging students from making destructive decisions by reminding them to think about the serious consequences.
After she lost a close friend, Gracie James, to a distracted driving accident, House said, she wanted to prevent similar heartbreaking events from happening in the Harvard community.
Sophomore Carly Williams grimaces as she runs over a computer-animated pedestrian.
On Thursday, April 26, SADD hosted and sponsored a “texting simulator.” With financial support from both the Harvard Schools Trust and the Harvard Lions Club, representatives from PEER Awareness visited Bromfield to teach and discourage students from texting while driving. The SADD club estimated that 100 students would take advantage of the program and were surprised that more than 150 students used the simulator at some point during school, either during a study or lunch.
House said she was extremely pleased with the outcome of the event. One student came out of the simulator and said, “Maybe I shouldn’t text and drive…,” exactly the reaction SADD was looking for, House said.
Bromfield junior Nick George tried the texting simulator because, he said, he was interested to see how it worked and to see how realistic it was.
“The simulator made it very difficult to text and drive, so it definitely enforced not texting and driving,” George said. “I think it was a good idea to bring to Bromfield, but not necessarily something that is needed every year.”
The simulator is a car with computer controls hooked up to its pedals and steering wheel. While the car remains stationary, a monitor just beyond the windshield simulates motion with realistic road graphics. Participants said the technology made the consequences of distracted driving seem real.
“From the texting simulator, I learned that driving and texting can be really dangerous because it distracts you from the road,” said junior class president Clara Wang. “I killed someone [in the simulator] because I was texting, which is a caution to what could happen in real life.”
Before she graduates, House said, she wanted to ensure the club’s financial security so it can continue to promote good decision-making in the years to come. Last Friday, SADD hosted a PLURR (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect and Responsibility) Rave and raised over $1,000 to put toward future SADD events.
Despite the hard work, House said that being the president of SADD is gratifying.
“The most rewarding thing is the club’s effect on the community, and the message of SADD could stop one student from making a life-threatening decision,” she said. “The SADD club has the potential to save lives, and that fact is truly satisfying.”
