Students in Grade 11 and 12 at Creston Valley Secondary School had a party but not the kind you may expect.
The PARTY program (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth) is all about preventing accidental deaths among youth.
Sara Van Ry, PARTY organizer said preventable accidents are the leading cause of death and disability for 15 to 24-year-olds and they’re hoping the program will inspire youth to pause before making a decision that could impact their life.
The PARTY program features stories from healthcare professionals and survivors passing on their experiences to the kids.
Van Ry said they wanted to make sure that there was no judgment but it was for students to learn.
“There is no judgment here, we are not coming here to wag our fingers and say you’re a teenager you make bad decisions. No way. This is just about helping people pause, helping people learn from the mistakes of other people.”
Van Ry said they had a lot of support from parents, students and teachers.
“We got some great support from parents, wonderful support from the schools and our professionals and survivors. We are so grateful for their support. People came in on their workday, taking time off work to come talk.”
The PARTY program runs from Nov. 16-17.