The Sharon Education Foundation (SEF) invites the Sharon Public Schools’ faculty and administration, the public and the media to attend its Opening Reception and the kickoff of the “It Can Wait” program, an anti-texting and distracted driving campaign on Thursday, October 24th, 2013. The event will take place from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Sharon High School library.
The Opening Reception program will begin with an exhibit of the 14 exciting and innovative SEF grants awarded to teachers and staff in Sharon Public Schools followed by the presentation of the Lee Flaxer Award to Officer Michael Hocking, School Resource Officer. This award is given in the spirit of Lee Flaxer, who served as principal of Heights Elementary School for many years. She was an outstanding leader who demonstrated that compassion and caring were essential to a positive learning atmosphere. Officer Hocking was instrumental in developing the original DNT TXT N DRV campaign with the SEF board in 2009. Hocking was selected to receive the Lee Flaxer Award for his work with middle- and high-school students and their families, offering friendship, guidance and a safe place to discuss and address key issues.
The statistics on distracted driving are sobering:
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· 11 teen deaths a day are attributed to texting and driving
· Looking away for 5 seconds while going 55 mph is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field
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· An estimated 23% of auto accidents involve cell phones (texting, calling or reaching for a device while driving) and 1.6 million accidents per year are caused by distracted drivers
What can parents and the community do to help teens and all drivers understand the risks of texting while driving and how can we help change their behavior? The evening’s presentation includes a screening of “The Last Text” a powerful message that features true stories of people whose lives have been drastically altered by texting and driving. All will be invited to sign a “No Texting and Driving Pledge” and learn about the newest (and free) cellphone apps for holding texts while driving and letting people know you’ll get back to them when the car is off. You can also experience the latest technology to simulate the experience of just how distracted you are when texting behind the wheel.
Light refreshments will be served so please RSVP to RSVP@sharonedfound.org. Additional information on the SEF Opening Reception is available on the SEF website at www.sharonedfound.org.