At least 500 juniors and seniors at Mount Si High School crowded onto the football field at 8:30 a.m. for the ASB-sponsored annual Think and Drive event.

Students participated in a golf-cart obstacle course, which simulated the dangers of texting and distracted driving, and later strapped on alcohol-simulating goggles to gain perspective from various levels of intoxication.

Senior Lyndsi Messa, head chair of the campus life committee with the Mount Si Associated Student Body, organized the impaired driving assembly and declared it a success.

“I think some students take the assembly more seriously than others,” Messa began, “and obviously there’s going to be some who are jokesters, but overall I think the assembly went very well… It’s a good way to get kids involved and thinking about it and having fun at the same time.”

The Think and Drive assembly has been a Mount Si High School staple for more than a decade, geared toward students prepping for prom. Think and Drive events include this year’s field exercise as well as a mock crash, which are held on alternating years, so juniors and seniors from each class will see both events.

Snoqualmie’s community policing coordinator, Nigel Draveling, has worked for the Snoqualmie Police Department for 15 years and has participated in the mock-crash exercise, but this was his first time to attend the field event.

“A lot of changes are going to come into their lives,” Draveling said, referring to the last few weeks for school leading up to college and summer.

“That’s why they call it Think and Drive week. It’s so they can really start seeing some effects (driving impaired) can have on the rest of their lives… It’s super important to teach them the dangers of drinking and driving, along with distracted driving.”

McKenna Fedora and classmates strap on beer goggles, during Mount Si High School’s Think and Drive assembly last week. Wearing the goggles, which simulate the vision of an intoxicated person, the students attempt to perform a variety of tasks. – Allyce Andrew / Staff Photo

For legal reasons, law enforcement officers can’t exactly tell students the benefit of having a designated driver for legal reasons, so they left students with a heavy-handed no-drinking message.

Draveling urged that there’s a zero-tolerance for any underage drinking or drug use, and reminded students that any passengers under the age of 21 with a designated driver can get cited for any level or kind of intoxication, whether it’s marijuana or alcohol.

Trooper Jonathan Lever, a recruiter for the Washington State Patrol, was assisting with the program and reminded students that the decisions they make now will affect them throughout their professional careers and lives – whether it’s through social media or criminal records.

“If you want to do law enforcement, plan now. Be mature,” Lever urged.

Lever manned the DUI mobile unit parked on-site and allowed students to check out the inside of a holding cell and breathalyzers. He said this unit will be around all summer, especially for big events, and wanted to give students a chance to see what it looked like from the inside.

“It’s the time of prom and graduation,” he continued, “and those have traditionally been times where we’ve had traffic fatalities, injuries, mayhem – so we’re just trying to convey to the students, do not drink and drive, so we can keep the road safe for everyone. That’s our main goal: To keep everybody safe.”

“That’s why they call it Think and Drive week. It’s so they can really start seeing some effects (driving impaired) can have on the rest of their lives… It’s super important to teach them the dangers of drinking and driving, along with distracted driving.”

For legal reasons, law enforcement officers can’t exactly tell students the benefit of having a designated driver, so they left students with a strong no-drinking message.

Draveling said there’s a zero-tolerance for any underage drinking or drug use, and reminded students that any passengers under the age of 21 with a designated driver can get cited for any level or kind of intoxication, whether it’s marijuana or alcohol.

Trooper Jonathan Lever, a recruiter for the Washington State Patrol, was assisting with the program and reminded students that the decisions they make now will affect them throughout their professional careers and lives — whether it’s through social media or criminal records.

“If you want to do law enforcement, plan now. Be mature,” Lever urged.

Lever manned the DUI mobile unit parked on-site and allowed students to check out the inside of a holding cell and Breathalyzers.

He said this unit will be around all summer, especially for big events, and wanted to give students a chance to see what it looked like from the inside.

“It’s the time of prom and graduation,” he continued, “and those have traditionally been times where we’ve had traffic fatalities, injuries, mayhem — so we’re just trying to convey to the students, do not drink and drive, so we can keep the road safe for everyone. That’s our main goal: To keep everybody safe.”

Senior Caitlin Maralack tries to throw a ball while wearing “beer goggles” that simulate intoxication, during last week’s Think and Drive assembly at Mount Si High School. – Allyce Andrew / Staff Photo