The Every Fifteen Minutes Program derived it's name from the 1990's statistical data that every fifteen minutes someone in the United States dies in an alcohol related traffic collision. Currently it is every thirty minutes. The original idea for the program was brought to the Chico Police Department's attention during a Problem-Oriented Policing Conference where a similar type of program was implemented in Spokane Washington. In 1996 the Chico Police Department and the Chico Unified School District established a seven-member task force who coordinated and implemented the Every Fifteen Minutes program.
This project was designed to dramatically instill in junior and senior high school students the dangers of driving under the influence. This program challenges students to consciously think about drinking, individual safety, and being responsible, so that they may make mature decisions.
Statement of Need
Currently, adolescent alcohol use is a growing concern in our nation. The majority of teenage substance abuse in our country is accompanied by driving under the influence or riding with an impaired driver. Today about 67% of teen-age passengers die in automobile crashes where the driver has been drinking (Shope, Jean T, 1998). "The crash rate for teenagers is higher than any other age group and alcohol related crashes are a leading cause of adolescent mortality and morbidity" (Copeland, Laura 1996). These results demonstrate that due to the high rates of drinking and driving amongst high school students, there is a need for alcohol awareness programs, like the Every Fifteen Minutes Program to be implemented in high schools around the nation.
Description of the Intervention
The first day of the event began with the grim reaper removing students from class every fifteen minutes. After each student was pulled from class, a police officer stepped inside the room, read the student's obituary, and left it on the white board all day for the student body to read. The grim reaper then escorted the student to a classroom designated for painting the living dead and the crash victim's faces. Once the living dead student's face was painted, they returned to class wearing an Every Fifteen Minutes shirt. These students were not allowed to speak to their classmates or other living dead students. Throughout this time the parents were contacted at their home or workplace and were given their child's death notification by a police officer.
The second half of the event began with a pre-recorded 911 call played over the intercom and the entire school running to the quad to see the mock car crash. Immediately the police, firefighters, and the paramedics arrived on the scene and proceeded with their job. The police arrested the driver and took her to jail and the passenger was rushed to the hospital in the ambulance. The bike victim was announced dead by the coroner and the mortician placed the victim in a body bag and transported him to the morgue in a hearse.
At the end of the day, the living dead and crash victims were all transported to an overnight retreat. Here the three high schools united, participated in several team-building activities, listened to guest speakers, and reflected on the day's events.
The second day of the program, each school put on an assembly where the Every Fifteen Minutes students and community members shared their experiences and life stories. It is at this assembly that the students reunite with their parents and friends for the first time since the prior day's event.
Evaluation of the Intervention
As a group we worked with one of the three high schools involved in this years Every Fifteen Minutes Program. Through our participation in helping with the program, we have all come to an agreement that this event makes a difference in student's lives. We believe the program impact's those who are directly involved as well as the observers.
This year a study was conducted across California to examine the lasting effects of the Every Fifteen Minutes Program. A Child Development professor at a university administered the study, which included a pre-test and a post test. The pre-test was administered during the beginning of the school year to survey students about alcohol usage. The post test will be administered after the Every Fifteen Minutes Program has occurred. This test will examine the affects the program had on student's lives and the decisions they have made about drinking and driving. Unfortunately these results will not be calculated for several weeks after the event. But we believe this program will have lasting results as shown by prior studies done on preventative programs nationwide.
Reflections on the Project
All four of us who helped with the year 2000's Every Fifteen Minutes Program highly recommend anyone to participate in the project. It is a great learning experience filled with a lot of emotions. This was an awesome event, where we were able to observe students from three rival schools come together, give each other support and encouragement. Through this project several bonds were established and special memories were made. This program definitely will have a lasting affect on the student's lives and choices in their future.
By doing this project we were introduced to several different agencies throughout the county. We met a lot of individuals and learned how to cooperate with several different personalities. One of the difficulties we experienced was attending all of the Every Fifteen Minutes Program meetings because of our busy schedules. Therefore, several of our ideas were not implemented into the program. Overall we had a great experience and learned a lot from the students and the individuals in the community.
References
Anonymous. Adolescent risk taking and decision-making. University.
Anonymous Poem. "Poem, Every Fifteen Minutes." 15, May. 1996.
Anonymous Poem.
Augustyn & Simmons-Morton. (1995). Adolescent drinking and driving: etiology and interpretation. Journal of Drug Education. 25(1), 41-59.
Babin, Caston & Dearing. (1991). The impact of a hospital based educational program on adolescent attitudes toward drinking and driving. Journal of Drug Education. 21(4), 349-359.
Beck K. and Lockhart, J. (1991, April). A model of parental involvement in adolescent drinking and driving. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 21, 35-51.
Beck K., Summons, G & Matthews, M. (1994). Monitoring parent concerns about teenage drinking and driving: a focus group interview approach. Silver Spring: Maryland.
Copeland. (1998). Factors in adolescent drinking: binge drinking, cigarette smoking, and gender. Journal of School Health. 66(7), 254.
Copeland, A. L. and Shope T. S. (1996, September). EBSCOhost. Wired, [online]. Available: http://www.epnet.com/bin/epwsatch/submit=textsession=fojw6dz/sot=1/st=1ftstb=13822/qb=2ftextfile: Factors in adolescent drinking/driving: binge drinking, cigarette smoking and gender.
Fichar, Klitzner & Stewart. (1993). Reducing under age drinking and its consequences. Alcohol Health and Research World. 17, 7-12. Retrieved September 17, 1999 from the World Wide Web. http//www.silk.nih.gov/silk/niaaal/publication/aa31.html.
Ingram, Scott W. (Apr/ May 1999). Teaming up against drug abuse. Current Health 2, 13-15. http://lw2fd.hotmail.msn.com/cgibin/nex...lang=&msg=MSG939325419 .18&direction=prev
May, Carl (1993). Resistance to peer group pressure: an inadequate basis for alcohol education. Health Education Research, Theory & Practice, 159-165.
Nusshaun, Annie. Letter.
Omalley & Johnson. (1999). Drinking and driving among United States high school seniors: 1984-1997. American Journal of Public Health. 89(5), 678.
Sheenan, Mary PhD; Schonfeld, Cynthia BSC; Ballard, Rob BHMS; Frank Schonfield MD; Najman, Jackob PhD; Siskind, Victor PhD ( 1996). A three year outcome evaluation of a theory based drinking and driving education program. Journal of Drug Education, 295-312.
Shope, Jean T., Waller, Patricia F., Lang, Sylvia W. (1996). Alcohol-related predictors of adolescent driving: gender differences in crashes and offenses. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 755-764.
Wilks, Jeffrey (1992). Adolescent views on risky and illegal alcohol use. Drug & Alcohol Review, 137-143.
Interviews
Administrator: Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriff; Colusa County Deputy Sheriff; Shasta Police Officer; Chico High School Program and Activities Director.
Direct Service Provider: Santa Cruz County High School Health Teacher; Tehema County High School Teacher; Shasta County Teacher and Activities Director;
Chico Police Officer.
Consumers: Santa Cruz County High School junior male and senior female; Tehema County High School Student; Shasta County High School Student/Victim of the Every Fifteen Minutes Program.
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