Celebrate Smart This Graduation Season

 
 

Graduation season is in full swing, with more ceremonies tonight and parties throughout the coming weeks to celebrate the class of 2014. Oregon-Davis High School Principal Tim Pletcher is finishing his first year at the school. He recently shared a personal experience with members of the student body about a former student he taught and coached at South Bend Washington High School who was killed by a drunk driver.

“You guys make decisions, you go out, you have a good time, you have fun, and I always tell you the only thing you can control is yourself, your decisions,” Pletcher said. “Well, here’s a kid who was making decent decisions. He was hanging out with his friends. They were enjoying a moment. He was on his way home, but because somebody else made a decision it affected him, and affected his family, his friends, a community and a school.”

Pletcher encouraged the students to think about the potential consequences of their decisions and always pay attention to what is going on around them. He said they can always be the person who makes the right choice and right decision.

Pletcher added any tragedy involving a student touches the entire community.

There’s nothing more heartbreaking than opening up a newspaper, listening to a news report or watching the news at night and hearing another story about some teenager who lost their life for some senseless reason,” Pletcher told the O-D students. “We don’t want it. We want to see you guys here next year. We want to see you guys come back five years from now and tell us all the great things you’ve been doing with your life. The bottom line is make those good decisions.”

Designate a driver if you plan to drink, or make arrangements to spend the night where you are or have a sober friend pick you up.