Cecil Hills High Feedback- 10/3/16

Name : Sailash

Message : Dear Michelle and the team,

Michelle, I am really sorry for your loss. I am hoping and praying that todays school group presentation at Bankstown Sport Club will make a difference to the young minds behind the wheels of their vehicles. I cannot thank you enough for the effort you are making and the courage with which you did that presentation.

Best wishes. Sailash Cecil Hills High School

Another student said......

"Such a powerful wake up call.... I HIGLY recommend this presentation.... It give you the different point of views about road safety and the consequences of not making the right choices on the road. This presentation is the BEST I have ever been to....."

Moorebank High Newsletter to parents following the ROADwhyz presentation on the 10th March 2016

RoadWhyz Excursion- On Thursday 10.3.16, Year 11 students attended the RoadWhyz presentation at Bankstown Sports Club. RoadWhyz is a volunteer run organisation that aims to teach young people about the importance of being a safe driver. Students heard from an experienced paramedic about the day to day impact attending motor vehicle crashes has had on his life. They heard how the loss of life impacts a mother from Michelle. Michelle lost her two sons in a road accident when the older brother lost control of the car, killing the two teenagers on impact. Through Michelle, they heard how the accident has impacted the younger sister they left behind and their friends. A police officer reminded students of the legal consequences of unsafe driving. It was a powerful lesson for students in realising their choices have consequences that reach beyond their own lives. Many students, male and female, were moved to tears by the testimonies of the paramedic and Michelle. To hear how their lives have changed by the choices people had made was powerful. Our hope is that the message from the excursion will stay with students and hopefully save lives well into the future.

A few students have shared their “take home” message, which shows the value of the excursion.

“A lot of stuff can happen in the blink of an eye or just sending a text (when driving). I learnt that you should never take your eyes off the road because you can lose your life or limbs or even your family. I learnt about the pain of a mother losing her kids and how hurt they (family and friends) all were. The sister’s strength in coping with the loss of her two brothers. Don’t ever exceed the speed limit, watch where you go and never drink and drive” – Tahlia

“After seeing visual representations of what would happen to ourselves or our passengers upon impact of a car crash, we view driver safety as an important factor as soon as we step into a car. We are now also more aware of our bad choices/decisions, which not only affect us but greatly affect our family and close friends. This program also opened our eyes to the real consequences of bad decisions on the roads, whether it be death, serious injury, mental trauma as well as a suspension from driving or loss of demerit points. What we will take from this experience is a higher level of consciousness when driving and the decisions we make. Never drink and drive or text, never speed and always think about those that love you.” – Aleisha and Jessie

“After today, I learnt that my decisions on the road impact more than myself. It impacts my family and friends. The consequences they will have to deal with due to my actions.” – Jayden

“Speak up as a passenger. Stay under the speed limit. Drive to the conditions. As a driver be cautious about the passenger’s safety.” – Keiran

“Always obey road rules. 100% focus when driving with other people in the car as you are responsible if anything happens.” – Daniel

“To always speak up when I feel my life is at risk (as a passenger), to follow road rules and never drive when I am not physically and/or mentally up to it.” – Kayla

As a teacher, this would have to be one of the most beneficial excursions I have ever supervised. The factual information was significant enough to cause change in students’ behaviour. However, seeing students comprehend how a few seconds of intended fun can turn to lifelong tragedy and heartache for those they love (and themselves) was clearly evident.

The students were amazing on the day. They showed respect to the presenters and consoled their friends who were extremely saddened by the stories they were hearing. A big thank you to Ms Eathorne who organised the excursion and the SASS staff for their help in the administration of the event (especially Mrs Lockwood). Thank you to Mr Mitchell, Ms Xenakis and Ms Nguyen for attending.

Ms Cassie Debreczeni – HT PDHPE

Feedback from Moorebank High 10th March 2016

"Hi Michelle,

Just wanted to message you to say thank you so much for today. I don't work Thursday's but was trying to get a babysitter for my kids so I could still come, however everything fell through. I would have loved to have met you. Regardless my phone has been buzzing all day with messages about how powerful, moving and successful the day was. Our students were truly moved and this message will stay with them for a long time to come. These days it seems to take more and more to try and get a message through to them and we are so appreciative that you and your team have taken the time and strength to deliver a program so close to your hearts. Below I include the newsletter article going home to parents about today's excursion. You can read the statements our students have made about the impact on them.

Once again, thank you and please keep us on your list for next year too. We will absolutely do our best to get more schools on board too"

Kind regards

Belinda PDHPE Teacher Moorebank High School

Feedback from Channel 7 news article - August 2015

HI Michelle,Thank you for your consideration, what you offer is amazing - you have selflessly created a powerful message to

teenagers and shared your experience, you are very courageous. I hope the government does give you funding, you have provided them with a solution to an ever growing problem they

have to manage. Thank you for sharing your experience and bringing realisation to many teenagers. I wish you well.

With kind regards, Deborah G                                      Location: Currumbin, on the southern Gold Coast

Name : Callie

Message : Hi there my name is Callie I attended Newcastle high during my finial year in 2010 I seen roadwhyz I just wanted to let you know I will aways r ember the lesion on that day thank you for making me realise the truth of road safety. I will never forget your story

Jacqui - I have seen this presentation twice, once at this exact hall and once at another school, both times the story hit so hard that it brought me to tears... It is an amazing presentation and should definitely be shown to every high school student who is at driving age...

Tegan - This group came to my high school in 2010; I'm not sure why it is only just making the news! Most powerful thing I had ever attended during high school! Needs to be shown to every student in high school, so they can make decisions about who they get in a car with.

Sarah - We did this at my school in 2004. It hit hard for some kids and was dismissed by a few. Having lost 13 friends in the course of my life due to motor vehicle accidents, I was already well aware of the repercussions of getting behind the wheel, be it that it is not always within your control if another vehicle causes it.

I got my L's when I was 17, I did my hours I knew how to drive. I put off getting my P's for 8yrs, purely because I didn't feel I was ready because of the reality I had already faced, I wasn't interested in having it.

It is such a race these days, to see who of your friends can get their license first. Just because you 'know' how to drive and can pass a driving test, it doesn't mean you are ready for that responsibility mentally. These courses should be part of the process to be able to get your P's. There are other things that I think should be changed to give teenagers the opportunity to become mature drivers without social pressure. The blood alcohol limit may be 0.00 for L's and P's but it does not stop their passengers from being intoxicated. That can be such a distraction. If the drinking age was raised, even a little, it would give young drivers time to adhere to road rules and gain experience. Maybe make the drinking age 20, which is the youngest you can be to get your full license.

Of course, not everyone gets their license straight away, so the drinking age would then be not as complimentary to those peoples skills as such, but the fact that they should likely have a job working side by side with older colleagues might give them more awareness. Yes, there are idiot drivers at every age, but we need to get young driver statistics down and things like this being introduced throughout every school in Australia would be a great start.

Lisa - This should be in every Australian school every child who is old enough to get there L should be made to watch it and again when they get there P's it needs to be drummed into there heads that when getting behind the wheel of a car is a big responsibility and they need to know there are other people on the road as well and what they do while driving effects them and other people on the road

Hi guys,

I attended a seminar at Singleton High School six years ago, I met Michelle & heard her story, as well as the many ambulance & police officers stories, after I walked out of our school hall that day, a part of me changed. i remember it like it was yesterday, I remember a ambulance officer telling us that some of us wouldn't make it to our 21st birthday, weren't they right over the past 6 years I've lost 11 friends to road fatalities, recent one being exactly 3 months ago this Friday I wish a lot of people will be effected like I was that day because then you know the message has gotten to them and it just might save their life or someone else's, young people don't realise that if they are killed in an accident it doesn't only effect their families but the emergency services that have to deal with it, I take my hat off to all emergency service workers, I know when it comes to going home at the end of a shift they cannot switch off what they have seen. Michelle is an inspirational, strong woman I hope her story gets through to everyone she is doing an amazing job🏼 Emmy