When I started attending Lisbon High School, I decided to join S.A.D.D. S.A.D.D. does not mean that I am “sad.” S.A.D.D. stands for students against destructive decisions. The whole purpose of S.A.D.D. is for teens to convince other teens not to drink and drive or do drugs or make decisions that can hurt themselves or other people. S.A.D.D. is more effective because it is not adults trying to get the message out, it is the students.

S.A.D.D. has been around for more than 25 years. Some of the ways S.A.D.D. has helped is by hosting mock car crashes to show teens what drinking and driving can do to you. Members of S.A.D.D. also made a few PSAs, which stands for public service announcements. These announcements were about drinking and driving, driving people other than family after you’ve just gotten your license, and driving while mad. These days, text messaging while driving could be added to the list.

Lisbon’s Detective Bernie McAllister and Pauline Mathieu are in charge of S.A.D.D. at Lisbon High School. The S.A.D.D. group holds two meetings a month before school to discuss how we are going to make a difference this year.

Two weeks ago, from November 14-16, 30 members and adult chaperones from our S.A.D.D. group took a trip to Kieve. Kieve is a leadership development school in Nobleboro, Maine that helps kids learn how to make the right decisions. The S.A.D.D. group was there for three days. Even though it rained the whole time, we were still able to accomplish most of the team building activities. We also had guest speakers come in and talk to us to help us set goals and give us ideas for things we can do this year to help teens. Kieve wasn’t just work, it was a lot of fun, too. While we were there, we got to go on the ropes courses which were scary, but a lot of fun. I think Kieve was very helpful and I can’t wait to go again next year.

I think more teens should join S.A.D.D. at their school because I think the more people we have, the safer we will all be.