Students involved in the Friday Night Live club at El Modena High School recently took an after-hours field trip to the headquarters of the Orange Police Department.
Their mission? To thank local officers for their efforts to reduce impaired driving in the city.
“It’s nice to say ‘thank-you’ and that we appreciate everything they do, especially keeping our streets safe from impaired drivers,” said FNL president Angie Sustaeta, a senior at El Modena.
Joined by representatives from the nonprofit Waymakers, the students delivered a presentation at the start of an Orange Police briefing on April 6. The visit, which included a tour of the station, was tied to the club’s efforts to serve the community by combating alcohol and drug use.
In addition to praising officers for setting up life-saving DUI checkpoints, students thanked the department for promoting Responsible Beverage Service training to businesses that serve alcohol. These trainings teach bar and restaurant staff how to prevent sales of alcoholic beverages to minors and individuals who are intoxicated, as well as how to prevent violations of alcohol laws and rules.
Club members said it’s important to acknowledge law enforcement for the important work they do in these areas.
“I wanted to participate in the event because I feel like people find it intimidating or don’t know how to express their thankfulness toward people that work for the law,” said senior Jason Bea.
The Orange County Friday Night Live Partnership encourages young people to take the lead on alcohol and drug prevention activities at school and in their communities.
Administered by OCDE and funded by the Orange County Health Care Agency’s Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Team, the partnership also provides opportunities to develop skills in the areas of leadership, communication, team-building and problem-solving. Its programs include Friday Night Live at the high school level, Club Live at the middle schools level and Friday Night Live Kids in the upper elementary grades.
For more information, visit www.ocde.us/OCFNLP.
