The Juniors and Seniors attended the None 4 Under 21 Program at Kent State University to encourage students to make positive decisions during prom and graduation season.  The students listened to a firefighter who was on the scene of a trauma accident, a man who served prison time for a DUI and a father who lost his son from a destructive decision.  The bright side of the program was David Osborne won second place in the poster competition.  Lexie Figinsky and River Reese received honorable mention for their posters.

The none under 21 field trip is put on by the Portage County Health Department and Elk & Elk. Juniors and Seniors had to attend this field to be able to attend prom. There, the students listened to 3 speakers, Antony Fairbanks, a first responder at an accident scene that involved teenagers submerged in a flipped car in Trumbull County, Brian Rosenburg who took the life while driving distracted, and Marc Streem whose 14-year-old son was killed in a distracted driving accident. The speakers talked about how important it is to not get distracted while driving and taught them the impact it could have on their life and other’s lives. Mrs. Reyes and Officer Ruse also attended this field trio with the students.

Mrs. Reyes states, “The event is very emotional and impactful to the students because they hear the first hand account from speakers and what they experienced due to distracted driving.”

After the event the students got to have lunch at the Kent State Student Center and walk around the campus. David Osborne won second place in the poster contest and the school received $750 to use towards prom. The students learned about the consequences of distracted driving.

Katie Byers, a senior, states, “My favorite thing I learned was that one mistake can have major consequences no matter who you are. Drinking and driving can affect everyone, and you can pay the price whether you’re at fault or not. That’s why it’s important to raise awareness and teach responsibility!”

Mrs. Reyes also says, “There are over 1800 students throughout Mahoning, Trumbull and Portage County that attend at Kent State University.”

Katie Byers also says, “I would go again if I could. It was nice to spend a day on Kent campus with my friends and listen to the speakers.”