taP You're It
On April 9, Waverly High School students listened to an inspiring assembly put on by the creators of taP - The Alexis PROJECT.
The presentation wasn’t like your normal “preach” speech before prom and graduation season.
Todd and Jaimi Calfee started the foundation after their 18 year old daughter, Alexis Calfee, and her boyfriend, Chris Oberg, were killed by a drunk driver on Sept. 9, 2011.
Waverly High Resource officer, Amanda May, brought the Calfees in for more than a pre-prom warning about destructive decisions.
“I’ve known Lexi since she was seven, and when this happened to her, it was devastating for her friends and family,” May said. “I think their story has a good impact on kids because it was a drunk driving incident and kids don’t realize that their decisions can be destructive.”
Bringing in the Calfees really shocked the District 145 High School students and teachers, and showed them a real taste of reality can really be.
“The assembly wasn’t like all our other ones,” junior Carson Hoover said. “I think the assembly will really make students think twice before they drive drunk or with someone else who is.”
The family aspect of the assembly played a part in getting the students attention and pulling them in.
“His love for his daughter and his family's struggles after her death give us all a glimpse of how life can change in an instant,” Principal Ryan Ricenbaw said.
Drunk Driving is something that can be changed so easily. The people that don’t take it seriously because they think it will never happen to them are the people that could make the most impact on this tragic topic.
“Their story opened up a lot of new perspective for everyone,” junior Amanda Ochsner said. “Some people didn’t take it seriously because they think something like that would never happen to them.”
With their story catching the ears of many teens, the Calfees are making a difference with the hardship they went through, one step at a time.
For more information about the Calfees story or for more recources to help prevent drunk driving visit https://www.thealexisproject.org/ and for more information on drunk driving contact Deputy Sheriff Amanda May at 402-441-6500.
