As part of a public health class, eight clinical nursing students, in cooperation with various groups in Madison County, will present a “Ghost Out” program at Berea Community School on Friday, March 31.

“The class recognized a significant need to address teen safety, including increasing awareness and preventing teenagers from driving impaired,” said Elaine Waters, assistant nursing professor. “We want teens to hear the message about the dangers and consequences not only to themselves but to their family and loved ones, concerning driving while impaired or riding with someone impaired.”

“Ghost Out” is an all-day event that simulates the loss of students due to impaired driving.

During the morning, pre-selected students from the high school will be taken out of the classroom by an individual dressed as the grim reaper. The students will write their own obituary and when they return to the classroom, they will not be allowed to communicate with anyone. This process will occur every 30 minutes, to represent the regularity of deaths due to impaired driving.

During the afternoon, students will be able to visit information booths, use impaired driving goggles, and sign pledge cards against driving or riding with anyone impaired.

A school assembly will then feature speakers David Pence, coordinator at the Department of Criminal Justice Training, and Madison County Coroner Jimmy Cornelison. The pre-selected students’ obituaries will also be read.

The program at Berea Community High School will be the third “Ghost Out” that the public health class at Eastern has conducted in schools over the past several spring semesters.

“We conduct the program in the spring because it is close to prom and graduation,” said Waters. “Such events are huge in a young person’s life and that’s when many episodes of impaired driving or dangerous behavior with driving occur.”

In preparation for the event, the public health class partnered with several community groups: Madison County Health Department, Madison County Safety Coalition, Community Partnership, Madison County School System, Drive Smart Program of the Kentucky Department of Transportation, Area Substance Abuse Policy Board (ASAP) and Berea City Police.

The class also sent letters to faculty and parents of the high school students, explaining the process and purpose of “Ghost Out.”

A public service announcement contest is also being sponsored by the class and the winning student from the high school will receive $200.

“The nursing students have really planned and implemented the program, in collaboration with the partners,” said Waters. “Through this, they can understand how to deliver a population focus care, but also what it means to develop a common goal with other partners around.”

For more information on “Ghost Out” or the public health class, contact Waters at (859) 622-1970 or elaine.waters@eku.edu.