Teen Maze 2011

On Wednesday and Thursday of this week I volunteered with the Teen Maze, an effort to show teens the responsibility of making right choices and consequences of not doing so.  It was wonderful, a much bigger deal than I had thought it would be! All ninth graders from all the schools came through in scheduled times. First there was a party scene with a rapper disc jockey, loud music, dancing, mock drinks and a skittles bowl (pretend prescription drugs), then they went to a mock crash scene, complete with real police, ambulance, fire truck, etc.(I was amazed at all the people who helped with this).  Some were "injured", "killed", sent to jail for drunk driving, etc. They had an ER, Judge and  Jail set up. When they came to my check in, Date 1 they were told they were having a date with someone who wants to have sex-they couldn't choose but were given either no(sent to abstinence/peer pressure) or yes (sent to drug store). From there they went to a check in where they had their first sexual experience(the volunteers threw confetti and blew an air horn to signify).  Some got pregnant, got an STD which explained thoroughly effects-some would die and had to observe themselves in an actual coffin-a preacher would have their funeral. The ones who got pregnant had to wear the bellies! They held babies that would not stop crying! They had to go through DFAC, Medicare, etc to see what their life would be like without their education. If they made it through everything alive, they would get to walk across the stage at graduation and be counseled on job opportunities. I was thoroughly impressed with this project and glad I could be a small part of it!.

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