It's not too late! There's still time to apply for
SADD SPEAKs! This intensive advocacy training program is open to SADD students currently in their sophomore or junior year in high school, and includes a four-day advocacy training program this summer in Washington, DC. All costs (including airfare, hotel, meals, and training) are covered, with participants asked to pay
only $100. We're selecting 16-20 outstanding students to participate, but the application deadline is
Monday, April 15! So don't wait - apply now. You can learn more and download the application
by clicking here.
The arrival of spring also brings proms. SADD chapters work hard every year to keep students safe at this memorable event. Need some activity ideas? Check out our
Prom Toolkit, which features our
Think About It ... Prom and Graduation Season campaign as well as simpler activity ideas - and don't forget the
Prom Kit for sale in the SADD Store that's stuffed with giveaway items!
Remember that while mock car crashes are fun to put on and attract media coverage, studies show that they're very limited in their impact on behavior. Take a comprehensive approach, using the mock car crash as just one piece of a larger prevention education strategy.
Check the Toolkit for more information.
April 26-28 is
Global Youth Service Day. GYSD is the largest youth-driven service event in the world, with thousands of youth service projects taking place around the globe. If you're holding a service event in your school or community, make sure to register it on the
gysd.org website, so your hard work gets recognized! Looking for service ideas? See our
SADD Serves: Youth Giving Back toolkit, which
you can download here.
April is
Distracted Driving Awareness Month. If your chapter is looking for something to do,
AT&T's It Can Wait campaign is a good place to start. The
itcanwait.com website features personal stories, student-created PSAs, and more. You can also
download resources for schools, including fact sheets, parent-teen contracts, event and activity ideas, and more. AT&T's
The Last Text 10-minute documentary is compelling and can be shown in class using a laptop and projector. AT&T has also introduced a virtual distracted driving simulator. You can use this simple online simulator (available at
itcanwaitsimulator.org) at an event on a laptop or purchase an inexpensive wheel-and-pedals gaming kit online to make it more realistic. We hope your chapter continues working on this important safety issue.
April is also
Alcohol Awareness Month. MADD has designated April 21 as
PowerTalk 21 day - a day for parents to talk to teens about underage drinking. You'll find tips for parents, how to start the conversation, and more at the
PowerTalk 21 website.
Above the Influence has a new, fully-revised
ATI Activities Toolkit available, with brand-new activities! ATI is best-known as a messaging campaign for teens, with more than 1 million "likes" on Facebook and compelling PSAs - but ATI activities are just as great! The ATI Activities Toolkit is packed full of easy-to-implement and fun activities that engage students and make a difference. New activities are
Picture It, which features a discussion about the pressures and risks around prom and graduation season, then asks teens to share photos of these events; and
D.Driver, which uses video games and real-life scenarios to help teens understand the risks of driving impaired or distracted. To download the new ATI Activities Toolkit,
click here.
May 1 is the
National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. On May 1, please promote the
National Day Quiz to your school - found on
StayTeen.org - and join the hundreds of thousands of teens who take part each year in this eye-opening quiz. For more information about the day,
click here.
May is
Global Youth Traffic Safety Month, and there's a lot going on! We encourage all SADD chapters to hold a traffic safety event during May - a safe driving rally, seat belt survey, quick-click challenge, distracted driving pledge drive, or whatever else you'd like to do. You can also participate in the
Long Short Walk to call attention to the issue. What is your chapter going to do?
The federal government's
StopBullying.gov program now has
a new Tumblr page filled with motivational messages. Check it out, and if you have a Tumblr account make sure to follow the page and share! The main
StopBullying.gov website also has lots of great resources, stories, and ideas for things your chapter can do to reduce bullying in your school.
