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Pomperaug High School Hosts “DUI: The Hard Truth” a Live Program on Teenage Driving Under the Influence On Thursday, April 12, Pomperaug High School (PHS) will present a very important event that could save lives. “DUI: The Hard Truth”, a live program on teenage driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, will be presented in the PHS auditorium at 7:00 p.m. Students and parents alike are urged to attend this important event presented free of charge to the Region 15 community. “DUI: The Hard Truth”, is an awareness initiative hosted and developed by Ralph Anthony Miro, a career Paramedic and EMS/ Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, from Waterbury Hospital. Mr. Miro tours the state along with several other speakers, visiting high schools, universities and civic groups with his program in order to educate students and their families. In his 2006 Graduate School Master’s Thesis on this subject, Mr. Miro cites education as the key to reducing DUI-related accidents and fatalities. “The Hard Truth is designed as a three-pronged approach,” Mr. Miro explains. An unvarnished view of the potential traumatic injuries sustained in a DUI crash, the candid reflections of a DUI offender, and a victims parent describing in agonizing detail the experience of losing loved ones. This program is a tough, direct, no-nonsense approach to DUI awareness, which in our experience is the most effective way to reach teenage hearts and minds regarding this pervasive problem,” he said. The live program is candid and graphic using grim, crime scene forensic photos. A woman tells of identifying her sisters body at a morgue after a drunk driver caused her instant death. A young man tells how some “fun” led to the death of his two best friends. Hear how one teenage boy got drunk and horrifyingly changed the lives of others after hitting another car head on. The presentation of the 75-minute program at PHS will be the subject of a new educational video produced and directed by Southbury resident, Scott Sniffen. Mr. Sniffen, himself the parent of two teenagers, has produced numerous award-winning, internationally distributed substance abuse education programs, which have been shown to millions of students. Mr. Sniffen’s cameras will be rolling during the live program as well as during a question and answer session that will follow. Footage from the Q&A and audience reactions to the program may be included in Mr. Sniffen’s video. The educational film is being produced in association with HRM Video, Inc. HRM will also distribute the video and copies will be available to the Region 15 community upon its completion. “We are thankful to Mr. Miro for bringing his stirring and thought provoking program to Region 15 and to Mr. Sniffen who will document the event for future generations of students,” said School Superintendent, Dr. Frank Sippy. “Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young people 15 to 20 years of age. Drinking while driving raises the odds that there will be a tragic accident, and we want to do all we can to prevent the senseless loss of human life.” Due to its graphic nature, the program is recommended for students ages 13 and older. “I urge students of Region 15 to come alone, come with a group of friends or come as a family,” said Mr. Sniffen. “Parents, please don’t say to yourself, ‘Not my kid’. It may not be your child that drinks and drives, but it may be your child that becomes injured or worse yet, dies from events involving drugs, alcohol and driving. Let’s try to prevent our worst nightmare,” he says.
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