From Bullying to Texting While Driving: A Week at El Toro High Is Devoted to Teen Problems

During this coming week at , one question will be on the campus's collective mind: "What if?"

What if everyone made safe decisions? What if bullying stopped? What if people were nicer to one another?

Events centered around such themes will be held each day of the week, Activities Director Kathryn Scheidler said. ASB students came up with the idea and executed it.

"We have a lot of unity and Charger pride at this school, so I think it's going to be really big," Scheidler said. "We don't have these real big problems like bullying like some schools do, so I think it's just going to remind everybody of how important we are to each other."

On Monday, a video will be shown in classrooms addressing the dangers of text-messaging while driving. During snack period, students will be able to sign pledges saying they won't text while behind the wheel and will be able to purchase thumb bands to remind themselves of the pledge.

On Tuesday, students will discuss a video about bullying. And on Wednesday, they'll get the chance to write compliments on strips of paper that will be looped together to make a long chain to be displayed on campus.

Motivational speaker Tyler Durman will talk with the student body during an assembly and hold a discussion with school staff during lunch on Thursday. He has visited the school over the years and received rave reviews, Scheidler said, but will be new to students on campus now.

Charger Unity Day will top it all off Friday. Students are urged to wear blue and gold and during snack will participate in a school-wide relay race and scavenger hunt.

The idea for the week came out of a desire to address the topic of bullying when it was in the national headlines earlier in the school year. Then an episode of Extreme Home Makeover, in which a house was rebuilt for the family of a girl who died in an accident that involved text messaging, inspired Scheidler and the ASB students to expand the scope of the event they'd been planning.

"It's more of a proactive thing," Scheidler said. "It's important we take the time to say nice things to each other, and it's important that we think about safety and don't text and drive."

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