Images/Imagenes; No. 1302; Teenage Drunk Driving

<v Announcer>This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Victoria <v Announcer>Foundation. <v Mauricio Gerson>Saludos y bienvenidos a Imagenes. Soy Mauricio Gerson, soy anfitrión. <v Mauricio Gerson>In this episode, we'll focus on the steps are being taken in order

<v Mauricio Gerson>to prevent the tragic results of teenagers drunk and driving. <v Mauricio Gerson>We'll feature a dance performance by students of the Newark School <v Mauricio Gerson>of the Arts, and we'll discuss innovative approaches for the rehabilitation <v Mauricio Gerson>of juvenile delinquents. <v Stevie Wonder>Are you ready to talk about it? Are you ready to talk about it? You got a lot of energy while we talk about it, and a lot of energy <v Stevie Wonder>to encourage these people not to drink and drive and drive and drink. <v Stevie Wonder>Because after all, I'm on the road too. <v Music>[Stevie Wonder's "Don't Drive Drunk"] <v Mauricio Gerson>Every year, over 5000 teenagers are killed in auto accidents caused by

<v Mauricio Gerson>drinking and driving. <v Mauricio Gerson>This great loss of young lives has launched many campaigns and has become a <v Mauricio Gerson>national concern. <v Hector del Valle>I'm 20 years old and I got into my accident at 17 years old <v Hector del Valle>after drinking a bottle of Amoretta, a 6 pack beer, got into my <v Hector del Valle>car that I just finished fixing that night, rode down the highway <v Hector del Valle>about 11 o'clock. <v Hector del Valle>I was drunk at the time and I just wanted to go out and have a good time, get a bite to <v Hector del Valle>eat. Ended up running into two cars and a brick wall. <v Hector del Valle>Left me paralyzed from the chest down. <v Mauricio Gerson>Hector del Valle, a socially active teenager from Dover, New Jersey enjoyed very much the <v Mauricio Gerson>outdoor life and nature. <v Mauricio Gerson>As a student he achieved a great deal in academics and was regarded as an outstanding <v Mauricio Gerson>athlete. But though drinking and driving put a damper on Hector's life, it did

<v Mauricio Gerson>not destroy his love for mankind. <v Mauricio Gerson>Today, he has a new mission. <v Hector del Valle>My main goal in life now is to talk kids out of drinking and driving. <v Mauricio Gerson>Hector is now a member of Sober Fest, an organization that on a yearly basis gathers <v Mauricio Gerson>some 1700 teenagers to warrant them on the dangers of driving drunk. <v Music>[Unnamed man singing: All the time ran out, 2 drinks ago.] <v Hector del Valle>Soberfest means a lot to me. <v Hector del Valle>Number one, it means saving a lot of lives, saving lives all around New Jersey <v Hector del Valle>and hopefully saving lives in the world. <v Hector del Valle>Today I would change places with any one of you. <v Hector del Valle>Don't waste it on one night, and that's all it takes. <v Hector del Valle>You know, there's so much out there. <v Hector del Valle>There really is, there's so much out there. <v Hector del Valle>And anybody can do anything they really want to do. <v Unidentified attendee>We got too much ahead of us to end up dead. <v Unidentified attendee>Some of the things they were saying were really scary, but it was enlightening.

<v Mauricio Gerson>Studies show that almost half of all male high school seniors are problem drinkers. <v Mauricio Gerson>83 percent of the students who attended Soberfest said they would not get <v Mauricio Gerson>into a car with someone who thinks he can drive drunk. <v Hector del Valle>They just feel that it's not going to happen to them. <v Hector del Valle>And I had the same attitude, I just felt that it didn't happen to me. <v Hector del Valle>And again, I've had friends that died <v Hector del Valle>and they're, you know, we don't see each other for the longest time. <v Hector del Valle>And then the only time that we get to see everybody up close is at a funeral when that <v Hector del Valle>friend happens to die. And that's, that's the sad point for me, <v Hector del Valle>because I wish I could have all seen these people on another situation or <v Hector del Valle>another place where it didn't have to be a funeral home. <v Hector del Valle>You know, I wish I could've just saw them at a place, getting together, having a good <v Hector del Valle>time and not having to drink. <v Hector del Valle>People, you know, watching the news or just people themselves, when they, when

<v Hector del Valle>they're, when they see a plane crash or when they just see just <v Hector del Valle>this big, any other big topic, you know, they're attracted to that. <v Hector del Valle>And they're saying, gee, I wish I can help these people that just crashed or anything <v Hector del Valle>like that. But what we have in reality is people dying every 20 minutes <v Hector del Valle>on the road from drinking and driving. <v Hector del Valle>And that doesn't even attract us because it doesn't happen to us. <v Hector del Valle>We just go with that attitude that that stuff just doesn't happen to me <v Hector del Valle>and other people I just think are more scared of planes than they are of drinking and <v Hector del Valle>driving, because a lot of people, when they're drunk, they feel that they can <v Hector del Valle>drive better when they're drunk. <v Hector del Valle>But when they hit a brick wall, when they hit cars, they all blame it on, <v Hector del Valle>gee, if I wasn't drunk, I wouldn't have been there. <v Mauricio Gerson>Another individual interested in saving lives is Frank Kosala, a former <v Mauricio Gerson>driver education instructor. <v Mauricio Gerson>Frank Acocella received much recognition as one of the leading forces behind the <v Mauricio Gerson>institution of a very successful program, at Riverdale High School.

<v Mauricio Gerson>The program brought students, parents and teachers together to work as a unit <v Mauricio Gerson>in the fight against drinking and driving. <v Frank Kosala>The title of the program was Alcohol Awareness. <v Frank Kosala>That was our objective. Alcohol awareness. <v Frank Kosala>And we sure made the people in Riverdale, the state of New Jersey and I guess the <v Frank Kosala>country aware of the problem. <v Frank Kosala>It wasn't only because of our efforts. But it had an awful lot to do with it. <v Frank Kosala>I would like to see every school have a similar program, whether it's this program <v Frank Kosala>or something like it, so that they attack or fight this problem <v Frank Kosala>from the grassroots and they get students, parents, teachers, <v Frank Kosala>community, whatever is necessary involved because it is <v Frank Kosala>not a problem that can be fought by one individual or small groups of <v Frank Kosala>individuals. Is, is a national problem a worldwide problem. <v Frank Kosala>I don't think any school can say or any community can say we don't have a problem.

<v Frank Kosala>There is some type of a problem, no matter how small or how large. <v Frank Kosala>And I think one of the most important things is that you're able to get across to the <v Frank Kosala>students. First of all, don't get involved in a situation like this at an early age. <v Frank Kosala>Secondly, what to do if you are involved or relatives are involved or <v Frank Kosala>friends are involved, where you can go, where you can get help, how you could eliminate <v Frank Kosala>the problem and not be involved in something that would be terminal, <v Frank Kosala>a death, an accident, whatever. <v Frank Kosala>We find that youngsters are great imitators. <v Frank Kosala>Youngsters many times follow along pretty much with what their brothers and sisters <v Frank Kosala>do, but also what their parents do sometimes. <v Frank Kosala>And we find this out many times that when youngsters are <v Frank Kosala>involved in drugs or, and alcohol abuse, <v Frank Kosala>that many times the parent or someone close to them within the family <v Frank Kosala>has been involved or is involved. <v Frank Kosala>And this becomes a very difficult situation because then when you have recognized

<v Frank Kosala>that fact and you're trying to treat it, you have to treat not only the youngster, <v Frank Kosala>but the entire family and everyone involved. <v Frank Kosala>And that becomes a little bit complicated because they, they have to want to be helped. <v Frank Kosala>But eventually it comes down to that. And when they do, then <v Frank Kosala>the social workers and the counselors and psychologists and so forth are able then <v Frank Kosala>to do the things that they need to do with these people. <v Hector del Valle>Yeah, I've seen it with my own eyes, a parent giving a little child a can of beer <v Hector del Valle>and saying that that's okay. So later on, when he is a teenager, 13 or 14 years <v Hector del Valle>old, he feel that it's okay to goout drinking with his friends because he might <v Hector del Valle>remember doing it when he was little kid. <v Frank Kosala>Drinking and driving is a bad thing, <v Frank Kosala>as we all know, but sometimes the youngsters use this as an instrument <v Frank Kosala>by which they can then take the final step and commit suicide. <v Frank Kosala>We never know the reasons why youngsters will commit suicide. <v Frank Kosala>It could be a variety of reasons.

<v Frank Kosala>Not doing well in school, not being received <v Frank Kosala>by their peers, not having a boyfriend or breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, <v Frank Kosala>not getting along with parents or brothers or sisters, whatever it might be. <v Frank Kosala>At that time, they might use a substance, whether it be alcohol <v Frank Kosala>or drugs, to give themselves a feeling of importance <v Frank Kosala>or give them self-confidence. <v Frank Kosala>And many times it leads to a disastrous ending. <v Frank Kosala>And the vehicle becomes a vehicle of death. <v Mauricio Gerson>State and national laws are helping cut down on the numbers of teenage drunk <v Mauricio Gerson>drivers. But the best idea is to stop them before they start. <v Mauricio Gerson>To stress the importance of avoiding alcohol while driving, many <v Mauricio Gerson>new commercials are appearing on the air. <v Mauricio Gerson>One of the best is a video by singer Stevie Wonder. <v Music>[Stevie Wonder's "Don't Drive Drunk.] <v Police officer in commercial>How much have you had to drink tonight.

<v Drunk driver in commercial>A little bit. <v Police officer in commercial>A little bit too much, all right? <v Friend in commercial>Come on, Mark. Let me drive. <v Mark in commercial>Forget it, I'm driving. <v Friend 2 in commercial>Come on Mark, give me the keys. <v Mark in commercial>Would you guys get off my back? I'm fine? <v Friend 2 in commercial>We're not going to let him drive. <v Friend in commercial>Mark, for the last time, give me the keys. <v Mark in commercial>No way. <v Mark in commercial>What kind of friends are you? <v Stevie Wonder in commercial>Look, give him the keys. <v Stevie Wonder in commercial>Please. <v Stevie Wonder>Hopefully, it would be a song that would be picked up and people would hear the lyric <v Stevie Wonder>and it will encourage them to not drive <v Stevie Wonder>if they were going to drink and to encourage people not to use any <v Stevie Wonder>sort of form of alcohol or drugs as a way of <v Stevie Wonder>solving their problems because it doesn't. <v Hector del Valle>And see my two legs walk or see my two legs move

<v Hector del Valle>and go outside and see everybody having a good time <v Hector del Valle>not drinking, and just for somebody come up and say, say, <v Hector del Valle>hey, Hector, have you heard that there hasn't been a crash from drinking and driving in <v Hector del Valle>the past year? <v Hector del Valle>And this would feel like all this media attention that I've gotten was just one <v Hector del Valle>big dream and then to wake up one day and just walk off <v Hector del Valle>my bed and find out that we never had trouble with drinking and driving. <v Mauricio Gerson>We hope that today's teenagers and the future generations will know exactly what <v Mauricio Gerson>they have to do about drinking and driving. <v Mauricio Gerson>We'll return with a Newark School of the Arts performance dance in the park. <v Mauricio Gerson>El arte y la cultura se mantienen vivos en los niños. Con este pensamiento, Roberto Artiaga, instructor de baile de la escuela de artes en la comunidad de Newark diseña sus bailes <v Mauricio Gerson>creando un sentimiento positivo en una de las comunidades más pobres de la ciudad de Newark, New Jersey.

<v Roberto Artiaga>Esta escuela va a tener la función de comenzar a nutrir de forma profesional todas las compañías del país. ?inaudible? a comenzar a desarollar nuestros propios bailarines, <v Roberto Artiaga>nuestros propios maestros, nuestros propios músicos, y trata de lanzarlo a todos los niveles, o los importantes niveles, que en este momento no hemos tenido. <v Roberto Artiaga>Vamos a preparar los estudiantes que pueden ?inaudible? prepararse para llevar cualquier parte del arte que ?inaudible? quieren. <v Roberto Artiaga>Broadway. Una orquesta sinfónica. <v Roberto Artiaga>Metropolitan Opera House, o cualquier otra compañía. <v Roberto Artiaga>Erróneamente, ?inauidble? pensaba que el arte solamente para una clase priveligiada.

<v Roberto Artiaga>No. El arte es para todo el mundo, y <v Roberto Artiaga>tenemos la mejor oportunidad de introducir a las comunidades latinas que en este momento no han tenido la oportunidad porque realmente los latinos <v Roberto Artiaga>tenemos una ?inaudible? increíble. <v Roberto Artiaga>Las culturas indias no influyeron las islas caribeñas de la misma manera que influyeron las culturas indias en el continento americano. Las culturas no son semejantes, no son <v Roberto Artiaga>iguales, tienen ?inaudible? características después de la colonización, pero mantiene raizes totalmente diferente. En este caso, usando las faldas, si ?inaudible? como podemos <v Roberto Artiaga>ver, en esta secuencia de baile de las mujeres ?inaudible? hacen uso dedicado de sus faldas. <v Music>[traditional dance music, speeding up as dance goes on] <v Roberto Artiaga>Este baile que ?inaudible? "La Zandunga" es un baile mexicana. Y ha sido recreado por primera vez con la compañía de Silvia Lozano, la cual es una maravillosa interpretación. Este <v Roberto Artiaga>baile solo refiere un baile popular y un baile divertimento, y en este caso hecho con muchas muchachas. Esta coreografía fue estreno mundial para este programa de televisión y <v Roberto Artiaga>representamos uno de los amores de Zeus, el dios principal dentro del Partenón griego. Este dios representa Adonai, en forma de lluvia oro para ?inaudible? conseguir amor. Los

<v Roberto Artiaga>estudiantes por el conocimiento no tienen modelo ?inaudible? seguir, es dificíl para un estudiante que no ha tenido la oportunidad nunca de ?inaudible? una obra de teatro o a <v Roberto Artiaga>verse un ?inaudible? ballet sabe que desean. Por eso que muy importante presentar a los estudiantes personas profesionales o una persona adulta que pueda enseñar un actitud <v Roberto Artiaga>?inaudible? profesional porque en esta manera los estudiantes ?inaudible? stimulado a seguir los patrones que le estámos mostrando y realmente toma mucho más interés. Esta es una <v Roberto Artiaga>de las características por la cual tratamos de desarollar este baile con este estudiantes Judith Ashman, que realmente es un labor increíble. <v Roberto Artiaga>El tercer baile ?inaudible? técnico donde tres estudiantes desplegan una secuencia técnica donde van entre ?inaudible? pasos de diferentes combinaciones para resultar en, en un <v Roberto Artiaga>cuadro ?inaudible? pintoresco. Tenemos ?inaudible? de artistas que son pobres, que fueron pobres, y que han logrado el estrellado. Entonces ¿cómo limitaron a nuestros hijos porque <v Roberto Artiaga>sean muy pobre? No. Vamos a progresar. El límite está dentro la propia familia, dentro del propio individuo. ?Inaudible? posibilidades y tienen los recursos, lo único que <v Roberto Artiaga>necesitamos es que la familia no apoya que no ?inaudible? con sus hijos que ?inaudible? algo más del ambiente de su casa, del la calle, y del parque donde van a jugar. <v Music>[light, airy music that transitions to the show's transition theme after Roberto finishes talking].

<v Mauricio Gerson>A characteristic of the teenage years is a search for challenges and

<v Mauricio Gerson>adventures. However, some youngsters fulfill these need <v Mauricio Gerson>by engaging in dangerous and illegal activities. <v Mauricio Gerson>We visit at Skillman a rehabilitation center for juvenile delinquents <v Mauricio Gerson>where teamwork, peer pressure, and a strong desire to succeed in sports <v Mauricio Gerson>are helping these youngsters to put their energies in the right direction. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>You have a beam. You've got to get everybody over this beam. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>You have 9 guys. You have 1 minute to plan how you get every person over. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>You can't use the sides. Okay? You can't use the two treeson the side, all you can use is <v Kevin Cavanaugh>this. <v Group of kids>[strategizing amongst the boys] <v Kevin Cavanaugh>Remember, <v Kevin Cavanaugh>to spot them. Careful. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>Got to watch the spot. <v Group of kids>Get up. Let's do it Sanchez. <v Group of kids>Spot him, spot him, spot him. Good

<v Group of kids>job, good job. <v Group of kids>Spot yourself. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>Here you go, get 2 more, go, go. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>15 seconds. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>Not bad. Not bad at all. Good job. <v Mauricio Gerson>Now what's, what's important about this exercise? <v Mauricio Gerson>What kind of skill are they developing? <v Kid 1>Teamwork. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>Let's just circle up and talk about it a little bit. <v Kid 1>We develop teamwork out of this. <v Kid 1>We, you know, we improving our attitudes. <v Kid 1>Don't catch additude to doing this, and you know, we work as a team. <v Kid 1>So we all, you know, get over. <v Kid 1>You know, we've got time for this. <v Mauricio Gerson>How do you feel about working together? <v Kid 1>It was wonderful. <v Kid 2>Since you've got to work with people that have problems. <v Kid 2>A way to solve your problems is they bring you out here. <v Kid 2>You know, do things to get things off your mind, you know, enjoy freedom, <v Kid 2>working with other people. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>Okay, gentlemen, just one other thing, is there- We say survival skills. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>Now a lot of you guys would be going back wherever, you know, to Patterson, <v Kevin Cavanaugh>Candem, Trenton, Jersey City, Plainfield, wherever

<v Kevin Cavanaugh>you might be going. Can you see where this goes anywhere else? <v Kevin Cavanaugh>Like back at home where you can work together more. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>And there's times when your family has pulled together as a, as a team. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>It might just be a simple thing like cooking dinner, you know. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>I know for me, my family, when I come home, I'm tired and I bring my daughter home. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>And sometimes I don't feel like cooking dinner, but my wife's worked all day. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>So, you know, I cook dinner. I have to wash the dishes. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>And my my daughter helps out every way she can. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>So I'm sure it's the same way in your family. <v Mauricio Gerson>How about in your neighborhood in terms of the no littering <v Mauricio Gerson>or keeping graffiti off the walls? <v Mauricio Gerson>Keeping a clean neighborhood. Is that a team work? <v Group of kids>Yes, it is. <v Mauricio Gerson>Are you planning to utilize these skills back in your neighborhoods <v Mauricio Gerson>and teach others how you can work in teams? <v Group of kids>Yes. Those who want to learn. <v Mauricio Gerson>The most exciting challenge we found in the obstacle course is the high cord, where <v Mauricio Gerson>youngsters have to climb 25 feet through an incline log and cross <v Mauricio Gerson>over and 80 feet long monkey bridge.

<v Encouraging man>You've got it Asoto, you've got this. <v Encouraging man>Way to go, Asoto, you've got it. You've got it. <v Mauricio Gerson>As we can see an organized team effort is essential, if not vital in this <v Mauricio Gerson>exercise. <v Encouraging man>Good job. Way to go. <v Encouraging man>Let's hear it for him. <v Off-camera group>[cheers and encouragement] <v Encouraging man>Well let's see how far he can go. <v Encouraging man 2>Way to go Asoto. <v Encouraging man>Make sure to lock those calves. Go pretty careful on the side. <v Encouraging man>Okay. <v Encouraging man>All right. Just walk along. <v Encouraging man>It's like you're ?inaudible? <v Encouraging man>right?

<v Frank Gripp>In New Jersey, there's approximately a thousand kids that are committed to our division. <v Frank Gripp>These kids can be assigned to any 1 of our 2 training schools, any 1 of our <v Frank Gripp>secure facilities or 1 of our 35 residential <v Frank Gripp>or day programs. Assignment is based on the need that a particular <v Frank Gripp>child might have in terms of schooling, in terms of <v Frank Gripp>personality, makeup, things that he would need in terms of vocational. <v Frank Gripp>Assignments come according to offense and his ability to handle <v Frank Gripp>the situation. The kids, fairly decent kids, very verbal kid <v Frank Gripp>needs to respond to his own peers to change <v Frank Gripp>his behavior. Who would be considered for one of our residential programs? <v Frank Gripp>Skillman, which you see, you see here today, is 1 of the <v Frank Gripp>training schools. It's geared towards kids who are 14, 15, 16 years <v Frank Gripp>old, who who have committed serious offense in the state of New Jersey, <v Frank Gripp>but are young enough to be worked with through a variety of activities.

<v George Yetchak>What we're trying to do is work with these kids, improve their self-esteem, <v George Yetchak>and we're doing that through our sports program, along with <v George Yetchak>our outdoor Outward Bound course. <v George Yetchak>And I think what we're doing is taking the kids out and them that they can be successful. <v George Yetchak>Most of the kids here probably would not be able to play sports if they were <v George Yetchak>in their community. And what we've done is to take the kids <v George Yetchak>and tell them that, you know, you can play, you're going to go to school and <v George Yetchak>we make it work so that this way, if they succeed here, that maybe when they go back <v George Yetchak>to their community, they will return to school and can play sports. <v Teenager>I played my freshman year in Montclair. <v Teenager>Then, you know, after that I started getting, you know, a little trouble, you know, sort <v Teenager>of playing around, you know, start hanging out late in all to types of hours. <v Teenager>And that's where, you know, I really went wrong. I think, you know, if I were to really <v Teenager>stay with sports, you know, that I you know, I would have been a lot than what I am now. <v Teenager>You know, it's like at the bottom of it right now.

<v Teenager>But, you know, I believe in myself and I can believe I can bring myself back up. <v Teenager>And, you know, I can share some of my experiences with somebody else and help them out, <v Teenager>you know, where they wouldn't have to, you know, been through, you know, go through what <v Teenager>I've been through. <v Mauricio Gerson>Skillman has provided this youngster with an opportunity to renew his self-confidence, <v Mauricio Gerson>as well as a model to follow, a former student who now plays professional <v Mauricio Gerson>football. <v Teenager>I admire him a lot, you know, because he came you know, he came from, you know, I would <v Teenager>say at the bottom of the pit, you know, I mean, you know, he really, you know, made <v Teenager>something of himself, you know, that's, you know, he's very, you know, he's been a, you <v Teenager>know, pretty big influence on myself and my brother, too you know. <v Frank Gripp>3 years ago, the division became overwhelmed by the number of kids <v Frank Gripp>coming in to it. As a matter of fact, we had a backlog of almost 200 kids. <v Frank Gripp>We realized at that point in time that kids are being committed because there were not <v Frank Gripp>alternatives for them. There were not alternatives at a local level. <v Frank Gripp>In a 3 year period, we have begun an all out approach <v Frank Gripp>in getting DYFS to work more closely with us, developing

<v Frank Gripp>our own resources in the community to get the kids before they reach the status <v Frank Gripp>of being committed. A kid who gets thrown out of school will <v Frank Gripp>get into trouble. However, if you provide an alternative to that school system in the <v Frank Gripp>community, most of the time they won't come into our larger training school <v Frank Gripp>systems. <v Mauricio Gerson>In order to develop alternatives to incarceration for youth, a special youth advocacy <v Mauricio Gerson>project was established where teams composed by project staff and members of <v Mauricio Gerson>local agencies will review and recommend non-correctional alternatives <v Mauricio Gerson>for many troubled youth. This could foster more coordination among youth service <v Mauricio Gerson>agencies and free additional resources for community based programs. <v Frank Gripp>This has been a new approach in the last 2 years and we're continuing to pursue it rather <v Frank Gripp>aggressively because it does keep kids from coming in. <v Frank Gripp>It does keep kids from having the bearing, the status <v Frank Gripp>of being committed to Department of Corrections. <v Kevin Cavanaugh>All right, gentleman. Good job today.

<v Mauricio Gerson>As in all groups, some of these youngsters will surface as leaders. <v Mauricio Gerson>Others will become followers. <v Mauricio Gerson>In either situation, it is important to understand that we have to provide <v Mauricio Gerson>them with positive challenges that will fulfill their needs. <v Mauricio Gerson>Hasta pronto. <v Music>[Kids singing a song together] <v Announcer>This program was made possible in part by a grant from the Victoria <v Announcer>Foundation.