Your Times to Remember Prom is about creating a lasting memory through expressing responsibility, invoking maturity and setting examples for all of your peers rom is a night to remember, or so they say. So why wouldn’t you want to remember it to the best of your ability? You spend so much time in preparation for this one event, from dresses to tuxes, from flowers to limos, to every other task necessary to create the perfect night. I can’t imagine not being able to recall what I did on my prom night. Prom is the night everyone looks forward to and has for gener- ations. When you’re talking to your parents or grandparents and ask them about their high school experience, most likely, prom will come up. It’s a night of celebration, friends, good food, fun danc- ing, and lots and lots of pictures. But picture this: it’s your prom night, and you’re going to an after-prom party. You’re really not sure who’s there, you haven’t ex- actly figured out a way home yet, and your parents don’t know where you are, but that’s okay, right? You just want to have some fun. How much is “some fun” worth though? If you don’t know the people, how do you know you can trust them? What if there was confusion about who was the designated driver, and all of a sud- den, everyone was too drunk to drive? What would you do? I understand how difficult it is to think of these situations. A lot of the time, it’s easy to say “that will never happen to me.” Unfor- tunately, the reality is, it really could. Of course, the outcome might not be that extreme—you may not die, but a car crash is still pos- sible, or jail time could even happen. Sometimes people argue that prom is just one night, and think- ing about these things brings down the fun of the night. Yes, it is just one night, and these are serious thoughts to have, but they’re important. It is entirely possible to still have fun while you’re sober! As a representative for SADD (Students Against Destructive De- cisions), an organization that promotes safe choices by teens, I can assure you that students all across the United States are having tons of fun without alcohol or drugs. On a wonderful night such as this one, remember to think of the big picture. One day, you’re going to want to share happy mem- ories from your prom night. So, choose wisely. Perhaps you could do something different after prom instead of the typical after- prom party. You could go out for food after, go bowling, go to the movies, or even just hang out with friends and have a movie night at one of your houses. These are the moments to remember. Prom time signifies that you’re getting older, and getting older means taking on more responsibility for yourself. That’s just it— you get to make your own decisions. I encourage you to think about how to make smart, healthy decisions this prom season, but be sure to have lots of fun doing so! Ⅺ P DEANNA BOUCHER 2011-2012 SADD National Student of the Year Lowell, Massachusetts SADD’S STUDENT OF THE YEAR A freshman at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Deanna Boucher of Lowell, Massachu- setts, serves as the youth spokesperson for SADD (Students Against Destruc- tive Decisions), the nation’s leading peer-to-peer youth prevention, education, and activism organization. As SADD National Student of the Year, Deanna holds a seat on the SADD National Board of Directors and chairs the 10-member SADD National Student Leadership Council. She also serves as a SADD spokesperson at various conferences, media events, and pub- lic occasions. This selection makes Deanna eligible for an internship at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in Washington, D.C., during the summer of 2012. A 2011 graduate of the Academy of Notre Dame in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, Deanna was active in SADD throughout high school, having served as both secretary and co-president of her local chap- ter. In addition, she served on the Massachusetts SADD Student Ad- visory Board (SAB) and on the 2010-2011 SADD National Student Leadership Council, helping to plan and implement a successful four- day SADD National Conference in Chicago, Illinois, in June 2011, em- powering other young people to help keep their peers safe and alive. Deanna is an avid dancer, artist, and photographer, and she en- joys volunteering and engaging in community service activities. 32 PAGEANTRY