Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / May 5, 2022, edition 1 / Page 6
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A6 THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY, THURSDAY, MAY 5,2022 School Students see dangers, consequences of impaired driving Officials staged mock DWI crash at high school Friday BY JOHN FOLEY Correspondent At first, there was shock on the faces the 200-plus students no of as Perquimans County High School Principal Mickey Drew discussed the dan gers of drunk driving at the school’s morning as sembly. With prom and gradu ation parties just around the corner, a lecture from the principal about the hazards of driving while impaired — and the toll it takes on young lives — seemed kind of expected. “Here are some num bers to think about,” Drew told students on Friday of last week. “Twenty-five percent of teenage driv ers who die in car crash es have blood-alcohol concentrations of .01 or higher. One-third of all fa tal car crashes in the U.S. involve alcohol. Twice as many fatal car crashes oc cur during the weekend and car crashes are the leading cause of death in teens. Finally, eight teens die each day in the U.S. due to drinking and driv ing.” Assistant District Attor ney Jeffrey Moreland also spoke to the students, out lining the criminal penal ties and financial costs of getting a DWI. He enticed audience participation by offering snack prizes for correct answers to ques tions related to drunk driving. While tossing a snack to a student who correctly answered a question, Mo reland gave this advice: “Do not drink underage, but if you do, absolutely do not drink and drive. If you call any responsible adult in your life for a ride, because you’ve had too much to drink, I promise you have made the right decision.” The mood in the gym throughout the presen tations, even given the seriousness of the topic, seemed light. But all that changed when a 911 emer gency call was broadcast in the gym. There had been a car ac cident, students learned, and it appeared to involve high school students. Students were quickly ushered to the school park ing lot where an extensively damaged car, driven by stu dent Collin Throckmorton, had collided head-on with a light pole. Three other stu dents — DJ Levesque, Tori Williamson and Heaven Tripp — had been passen gers in Throckmorton’s car. For the next 90 min utes, Perquimans County first responders — sher iff’s deputies, firefighters, emergency medical ser vice personnel and emer gency management staff — worked the scene of the crash. They were joined by school staff, student members of the Perquim ans County High School Fire Academy, Sentara Healthcare’s Nightingale air ambulance personnel and Miller & Van Essend elft Funeral Home staff. The “crash” in fact wasn’t real: it was a mock event staged to demon strate the horrors that can result from drinking and driving. But the first responders and other par ticipants did their best to simulate what a real DWI accident would look like — complete with simulat ed blood, broken bones, open wounds, use of the “Jaws of Life” to extract victims and DWI sobriety tests. Even though it wasn’t real, students did show signs of shock as they watched Levesque being placed on a gurney in a zippered black body bag and driven off in the back of a coroner’s hearse. Simultaneously, the Nightingale helicopter landed across the parking JOHN FOLEY PHOTO Perquimans Emergency Medical Services personnel prepare student Heaven Tripp to be airlifted by Nightingale air ambulance during a mock driving-while- impaired vehicle crash event at Perquimans County High School, Friday. lot, waiting for Tripp, who was “critically injured” in the wreck. Williamson, riding in the passenger seat behind Throckmor ton, .was taken by ambu lance for treatment. As the helicopter carry ing Tripp lifted off, Drew gave students six points to remember: “Know who you traveling with and what their plans are key are ask be- fore leaving with them,” he said. “Have a plan for how you are getting home safely before you leave. Establish an emergency contact that will not be a part of your plans unless needed. Continuing, he said: “Make sure you can stay where you arrive if need ed to avoid drinking and driving. Do not assume ev eryone is OK to drive. Ask before getting into a car. Have a number for a cab, Uber, or Lyft before leav ing with someone else in case you need a ride. And remember, your parents would rather get a call from you than they would a visit from the sheriff at 2:30 (a.m.)” Perquimans Emergency Services Public Informa tion Officer Julie Solesbee also gave students some thing to consider as the helicopter lifted off. “Passengers in the vehi cle that survive the crash will always carry guilt because they lived, even if they were not driving the vehicle,” she said. “An accident like this will not only impact your life, it will impact your family, friends, teachers, and the entire community. Please make smart decisions, not only for this weekend, but in the future as well.” Chows Perquimans Sif Habitat forHumanity Restore Open Tues., Thurs., Sat. 9 am to I pm Only Flat Screen TVs will be accepted NO Paint or mattresses accepted Pick-ups by appointment only HG named Beta School of Merit Kindergarten, pre-K registration underway at Central Elementary From staff reports Perquimans County Schools announced this week that Hertford Gram- 2022-23 school year at Per quimans Central School. To enroll in kindergarten, children must be 5 by Aug. 31. To enroll in pre-K, chil dren must be 4 by that date. Enrollment packets may be picked up at Perquimans Central School and at the Perquimans County Schools Central Office. Enrollment packets are also available online at www.pqschools. org. To schedule an appoint ment for a screening, call either 252426-5741 or 252- 426-5332. JOHN FOLEY PHOTO Hertford Fire Department firefighters and staff with Miller & Van Essendelft Funeral Home lift a gurney containing the “body” of student DJ Levesque into a waiting hearse during a mock driving-while-impaired crash event at Perquimans County High School, Friday. INVITATION ATTENTION PARENTS OF PRIVATE/ HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES IN PERQUIMANS COUNTY A meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 4:00pm in person at the Per quimans County Schools Central Office, for private/homeschool representatives and parents of private/homeschool students with disabilities. The purpose of this meeting is to allow these parties an opportunity to consult with representatives from Perquimans Coun ty Schools about the proportionate share of federal funds that are available for regular and special education services for the 2022- 2023 school year. Please contact Dr. Kanika Griffin, Chief Academic Officer of Student Services or Mr. James Bunch, Assistant Su perintendent at 252-426-5741 if additional information is needed. 1370 N. Broad St., Edenton 482-2686 mar School is a 2021-22 Na tional Beta School of Merit. The school earned the recognition by offering Na tional Beta membership to students in all eligible grades. National Junior Beta includes grades 4-8 and Na tional Senior Beta includes grades 9-12. The National Beta School of Merit award is given to honor a club’s dedication and commitment to aca demic excellence, a press release states. To qualify, a school must include mem bers in Beta Club from all eligible grade levels. This year, only 3,380 Beta Clubs across the country received the award. “I am extremely proud of Mrs. Rebecca Creech, our media coordinator, and Mrs. Ashley Miller, our school counselor, for their dedi cation to helping us build student leaders at Hertford Grammar School,” Princi pal John Lassiter said. “The four pillars of the BETA club are service, character, lead ership, and achievement. They model those attributes for our students and help our junior BETAs cultivate those skills in themselves.” According to Lassiter, Creech was the founding adviser for Hertford Gram mar’s Beta Club program last year and she and Miller are co-advisors this year. The Perquimans schools also announced that regis tration for kindergarten and pre-K has started for the 252-435-5005 THE HERTFORD HUB PACKAGING THIFFIH© MINTING Office SUPPltfS MAILGOXti NOTARY Copits ANO MOKt 127 N. Church St. Hertford, NC 27944 NOTARY \ SERVICES £ There is always a notary at your service, no appointment needed. 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The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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May 5, 2022, edition 1
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