AHS hosts Ghost Out event to raise awareness on impaired driving

“We lost our son/brother, Anthony “Apple” Hawkins, to a drunk driver in September 2016. This tragedy, like so many dunk driving crashes, could/should have been prevented. There is not a day that goes by the we don’t miss him terribly. This crash didn’t just affect our immediate family, I has had ripple effects throughout our local community. A memorial cross still sits on 316 where the crash happened. Since that time, we have felt led to educate people on the seriousness of drunk driving. We have mostly spoken with our local community. We work with MADD and through them we have spoken throughout the state and on a national level. We have heard to many ties this will never happen in our small community. Everyone will be surprised how often it happens. Thank you to SkillsUSA, Ms. Pugh and Apalachee High School for the opportunity to present at the Ghost Out. Care enough to prevent the unbearable,” said Al and Debby Hawkins and Alida Reiner.

Myles Wrecker Service, Barrow County Emergency Services and Captain Locke; the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office and Lt. Witte, Life Flight services and all others that assisted helped make the event possible.

“We are extremely thankful to work with a community that cares about the safety of our students,” said SkillsUSA advisor Amanda Pugh.

“Ghost Out is a meaningful and impactful event, and I’m so proud of SkillsUSA and the community for planning and producing a moving moment for our upperclassmen. While we spend a lot of time focusing on academics at AHS, it’s also essential to remind students how precious they are and how their choices impact themselves and the lives of other people,” said AHS Principal Jessica Rehberg.

“The Ghost Out was a somber reminder about the importance of student safety on Prom Night. Hearing the testimony of parents that lost loved ones to drunk driving, along with seeing a simulated drunk driving accident is a memory that I know will stay with students for years,” said AHS teacher Benjamin Byrd.

Trauma make-up artists were Mike Rose, Jennifer Fancher and Nalie Byssanithe.

Student participants were TJ Ballard, Wyatt Carter, Melany Fernandez, Emily Fowler, Marcelo Macias, Armondo Martinez, Kyra Medina, Raelyn Ridgeway, Kevin Salcedo, Kailey Shakeri, Anthony Vasquez, Arelys Velez-Martinez, Alyssa Willer, Gracie Witte, Lily Woody, Koreen Mathis, Cheyenne Yang and Kemon Yang.