For immediate release
For more information, contact
Bonnie Prigge
or
Caitlin Jones
Photo submitted by Maries County Advocate Photographer Laura Schiermeier
ST. JAMES—The Central District Coalition for Roadway Safety and Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) awarded Vienna High School a $300 grant to assist with expenses of its docudrama. Docudramas enable students to have a tangible example and experience of the ramifications of impaired and distracted driving and the importance of making good choices.
At the beginning of March, Vienna High School students participated in the alcohol poisoning docudrama that deals with underage drinking, as well as parents allowing such parties to take place on their property. Students gather one evening to act out a party, allowed with parent permission, while it is filmed. The parent wandered around the party, taking keys and “keeping track” of the situation. One young lady then has too much to drink and is taken to a nearby truck to “sleep it off.” Ultimately, the teen aspirates on her own vomit and dies. The parent is then arrested and taken to jail. At an assembly, students watched the video of the performance, which was then followed by a eulogy, a plea to students about the use of alcohol and the consequences that can happen from underage consumption of alcohol.
“The students watched this attentively, and hopefully we impressed upon them the dangers associated with underage drinking, drinking and driving, and the consequences for parents in such cases,” said Mag Roberts MRPC docudrama coordinator.
MRPC coordinates the Project Graduation/Docudrama mini-grant initiative through a grant from the Central District Coalition for Roadway Safety. Vienna and St. James High Schools were awarded grants to assist with docudramas, however St. James was not able to hold its event because of school closure due to COVID-19.
MRPC, through the Statewide Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, provides docudrama and safety day planning assistance to schools across the state.
Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Gasconade County Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel serves as chairman of the board. A professional staff of 34 offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.
To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.
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