Students work against destructive decisions
BY ZACH LEVINE Correspondent
Anew program has been jump-started at Sayreville War Memorial High School called SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions).

This student-run organization works to prevent such things as drinking, drug use, impaired driving, violence, depression and suicide.

"The main goal of SADD is to inform peers about the dangers of underage drinking and substance abuse," said the group's adviser, Genevieve Corrales, a Spanish teacher at the school. "We want to make the community aware of both, and also to educate adults on the extreme dangers, both physically and legally, if they supply minors with alcohol."

The program is being co-sponsored by DCH Auto Group, which is also backing a SADD chapter at Freehold High School.

Via a press release, DCH President Susan Scarola said, "We hope that our work with SADD will ensure that these high schools have functional chapters, as well as set the precedent for other businesses to get involved in their local communities."

During the month of October, SADD is planning three events around the Sayreville area to increase education against destructive decisions.

It will launch the Keep it Out of Cars campaign on Oct. 14 in Bloomfield, Corrales said, and from Oct. 20-24 will team up with REBEL for Take Back Our Bathroom, a week of nonsmoking awareness to try and stop people from smoking in the bathrooms.

"At the end of the month, we will be par- ticipating in Red Ribbon Week, at which time members will tie red ribbons around trees and cars in the parking lot, as a reminder to keep safe," Corrales said.

She said she believes that due to the availability of drugs and alcohol near the school, it is as a good a time as ever to be promoting this program.

"I think the importance of the school having a program like SADD is very simple, with so many local bars and clubs in such close proximity to the school that it puts our youth at risk," Corrales said. "Society has accepted alcohol, and kids think it's 'cool' to go out and get drunk, not realizing that alcohol leads to many destructive decisions. Today's youth believe it to be OK if they can drink two or three beers, since in their mind they are not drunk. They do not realize that they are breaking the law by drinking underage.

"Then by the time they turn 21, their tolerance will build, making them need more than just a drink in order to get that 'buzz' they are looking for, thus raising the BAC [blood-alcohol content] past the legal limit of .08," she said.

Students seem very encouraged by the program, as seen by the jump in membership from the beginning of the year. About 80 students have joined the group, up from the original 25 at the start of the school year.

Christina Macagnone, president of SADD in Sayreville, said in a press release that she enjoys being in SADD because it reinforces good decisions.

"The partnership with DCH shows that we can all come together to help others make better decisions. It's not always the popular decision, but it's the right decision," Christina said.