High School Students Subjected to a 'Rude Awakening'

This month in Middletown, a huge annual effort is underway at the high schools to impress on youth the serious consequences of a single bad decision. 

The privately-funded "Rude Awakening" program is timed to be presented days before the prom season at the township's two public high schools, Christian Brothers Academy, Mater Dei and the county High Tech High School on the Brookdale campus. 

"We try to express the dangers of drunk and drugged driving, and give the kids a different choice to make," said Sgt. Fred Deickmann, "and not to drive a car under the influence of alcohol."

Ptl. Nick Caprio organizes the events, which employs outdoor accident response demonstrations, hands-on activities and speakers to educate students about the about life-altering decision caused by alcohol and drug abuse. The students don special blurry goggles before getting behind the wheel of a golf cart course, to give them an understanding of how it feels to drive drunk.

At a separate assembly, the student learn in graphic detail what happens in a car crash, the hospital, the court room and how a DWI conviction can affect offenders for a lifetime. 

During the outdoor demonstration of response to an accident, students portray victims while Middletown police, volunteer fire and first aid and paramedics respond to the mock accident, and extricate the victims from the car using the Jaws of Life.

They take home a booklet entitled “Drug and Alcohol Awareness Facts” with facts about driving while intoxicated, underage drinking, illegal drug use and the penalties associated with each; the Graduated Driver’s License Program; and Crossroads at Croydon Hall, the township’s substance abuse program.