By AMBROSIA SARABIA, Imperial Valley Press Staff Writer
Thursday, December 15, 2005 3:06 PM PST

High school students face dangers every day as they gain independence and take risks.

As teens start to drive, they might take chances behind the wheel — chances that might endanger themselves and others.

As they go out with friends, they may face questions whether to try drinking, smoking or even drugs.

On Wednesday, students from throughout the Imperial Valley gathered at the Imperial Valley Expo for a seminar meant to get them to consider their own safety as they venture into the world.

CUAUHTEMOC BELTRAN PHOTO FROM LEFT: Israel Mercado, 17, Sergio Romo, 17, Daisy Gonzalez, 15, and Alberto Medina, 16, of Sam Webb High School in Holtville make a human knot while learning teamwork and communication skills Wednesday at the Imperial Valley Expo in Imperial.

The safety seminar was put on by the Imperial County Office of Education Student Well-Being & Family Resources Department through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the U.S. Business, Transportation and Housing Agency.

The day-long event started with a variety of icebreakers that helped the 29 participants get to know each other.

“The team-building activities help to form a bond,” said Antonio Gomez, student safety coordinator for the Student Well-Being & Family Resources Department.

Students from Calexico High School, Brawley Union High School, Holtville High School and Sam Webb High School in Holtville listened to speakers in the Plaza de la Cultura in the expo.

“I really learned a lot,” said sophomore Isaac Leyva, 16, of Holtville High.

Lectures were given on topics such as driver safety, chemical dependency, media messages and manipulation and effects of chemicals on families.

Monica Martinez, a prevention specialist for ICOE’s Student Well-Being & Family Resources Department, covered the topic of media messages and manipulation.

“There are lots of reasons teens start doing drugs and many times they are not aware of the power the media has on them,” Martinez said. “We focus on the skills they need to analyze messages to realize they aren’t always true.”

Prevention specialist Rosanne Curiel of the Student Well-Being & Family Resources Department discussed chemical dependency and how families can cope with the addiction.

California Highway Patrol Officer Robert Gonzalez focused on driver safety and driving under the influence of chemical substances.

Isaelen Ortiz, a senior at Calexico High, plans to share what she learned about driving under the influence with her classmates.

“Seniors need to know about the risks of alcohol and tell others,” the 17-year-old said. “Many times other people are the ones that take the risk when driving and not the ones under the influence.”

Many of the students were eager to convey what they learned to other classmates as a majority of the students who joined in the event are members of their schools’ Friday Night Live clubs.

Friday Night Live allows teens to get involved in activities to help promote well-being by abstaining from drugs and alcohol.

“The club is good since it helps some teens get through high school with less difficulty,” sophomore and FNL member Jasmine Epps of Brawley Union High said.

Six of the eight schools in the county have the club.

“My goal is to get one on all eight of the campuses,” Gomez said.

Until then, counselors, teachers and prevention specialists hope the teens will be able to spread their knowledge of safety to other teens by word of mouth and activities through FNL.

Wednesday’s safety seminar was aimed at relaying new information to all in attendance.

“If they walk away with one thing, I hope they can find there are fun things to do without using tobacco, alcohol or other drugs,” Gomez said.

The 16-year-old Epps added, “I learned a lot about safety. It can really help me not make mistakes.”

> Staff Writer Ambrosia Sarabia can be reached at 337-3452 or asarabia@ivpressonline.com