Graduates warned about dangers of drunken driving

Jace Radke

Friday, June 5, 1998 | 10:17 a.m.

With Thursday marking the last day of classes for Las Vegas high school students, seniors have one thing on their minds.

"We are going to party hard," said Jason Clements, a Cimarron-Memorial senior. "We finally made it and now it's all about the parties."

For the 7,500 graduates of the Clark County School District, celebrating may be the first order of business. For police, parents and teachers, graduation often means concern over parties resulting in drinking and driving.

In 1996 the Nevada Highway Patrol averaged 41 DUI stops a week, but that number jumped to 52 during the week of high school graduation. Last year there was less of a jump -- the average was 39 DUI stops a week with 42 stops during the graduation week.

"The averages may not be that different during this week but these students still need to be careful when they go out to celebrate graduation," NHP Trooper Scott Flabi said. "They need to remember what they've been told a million times about wearing their seatbelts and staying away from the alcohol."

Gary Kaempfer, a social studies teacher and softball coach at Cimarron-Memorial, said he always becomes a little more concerned about his students at this time of year.

"You worry about what they are planning on doing to celebrate even though they're smart kids, because they may have friends that aren't," Kaempfer said. "With the availability of liquor ... drunk driving is always a concern."

Availability of alcohol and students abilities to make responsible decisions regarding its use are what concern Susie Martin, mother of senior Sarah Schoppmann, another Cimarron-Memorial student.

"I'll definitely be worried about her and her friends," Martin said. "I know that they are going to drink so I just told them to make sure it's at someone's house and that they don't go anywhere else."

Schoppmann plans on having a good time over the weekend, but she also plans on being careful.

"Drunk driving scares me to death and I won't get into the car with someone who has been drinking," Schoppmann said. "I've had too many friends that have been killed because of drunk driving."

One of Schoppmann's friends she was referring to is Cheyenne High School senior Theresa Schroeder who was killed when her car was hit by a drunk driver on Jan. 1. Schoppmann carries that reminder with her but does not know if some of her other friends realize the dangers that drunk driving poses.

"There are going to be a lot of crazy parties this weekend and a lot of people are going in with the attitude that they are out of school and they can do anything," Schoppmann said. "I just don't think that students think about it."

Clements disagreed saying that he feels that a majority of the students know to be careful.

"If I saw someone trying to drive drunk I'd stop them and so would a lot of people," Clements said. "The important thing is to stay with people that you know at the parties."

Concern for students going to and from graduation parties is what has spurred the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to come up with its "Grad Night" activity. The activity began at 9 p.m. and ran until 5:30 this morning. This year's stops include Grand Slam Canyon, Peter Piper's Pizza, Las Vegas Mini-Grand Prix and the Santa Fe hotel-casino bowling alley and ice skating rink.

According to activity chaperone Margaret Terry, 275 students signed up for the excursion.

"I feel a lot better knowing where my kids are and that they will be with drivers that are not drinking," said Terrie Buck, mother of senior Kelly Buck. "Every year we get a few more kids going with us, even kids that aren't members of the church."