ESPHS Students Against Destructive Decisions

The Cause

Ecole St. Patrick High School (ESPHS) proudly supports a student-led organization, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), also known as Students Against Drinking and Driving. Since 1994, this dedicated group has been the only active SADD chapter in the Northwest Territories, advocating for safer communities across the Yellowknife and the NWT. Among their achievements, SADD students successfully campaigned to lower the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit in the NWT. ESPHS has not had a typical school year since Covid-19 in 2020, from evacuations from wildfires to online learning. This has resulted in the ESPHS SADD losing the traction that it gained in 2019. Students have been working tirelessly to recruit new students to their cause of making roads in the NWT safer for everyone. In June 2024, ESPHS SADD students were invited to attend a SADD conference in Aotearoa (New Zealand) in April 2025. This conference is ran by Kaitiaki o Ara/SADD NZ, to connect students across New Zealand for the overall goal of advocating for road safety. New Zealand faces similar issues of road safety as we do in the NWT, extremely high rates of young people dying and getting seriously injured due to reckless driving. Collaborating with Kaitiaki o Ara/SADD NZ will give students from NZ and students from ESPHS a chance to build tangible resources that can be used in communities in both New Zealand and in Yellowknife. These resources built at the conference will be used by ESPHS SADD to reach more people within our community and potentially in the whole NWT. ESPHS SADD wants to use this opportunity of collaboration with Kaitiaki o Ara to come up with idea and build culturally relevant resources that could bring about more change to road and public safety in the NWT. By investing in these young leaders, we are not only supporting their growth but also enhancing the safety and well-being of our entire community.

Who Will it Benefit?

The impact of this initiative will extend far beyond the students directly involved in this SADD trip. By attending the 3 day conference and collaborating with their peers in New Zealand, these young leaders will gain valuable skills and insights that will benefit the entire community of Yellowknife and the NWT.

As we are bringing our SADD student leaders, they are going to share their knowledge and resources with the younger SADD students at ESPHS. This will inspire the next generation of student leaders and increase the overall culture of safety, responsibility, and awareness among youth, who are the most at-risk group for impaired and distracted driving. ESPHS SADD works within the community, the students work at events held in the community and they organize safe ride homes for people. ESPHS holds events for children and their families, such as Oc-sober-fest, a Hallowe'en event. This international collaboration with like-minded individuals will help our ESPHS SADD students with more ways to help our community. Kaitiaki o Ora/SADD NZ works alongside their local Maori communities to develop local relevant materials. This is something that we aspire to bring to ESPHS SADD and to Yellowknife.

The ripple effect of this initiative will be felt by families across the NWT. By empowering young people to take a stand against impaired driving and make informed decisions, we are helping to ensure that future generations grow up in safer environments. The lessons learned and the resources developed through this collaboration will have a lasting impact on the health and safety of our community for years to come. This initiative sets a precedent for other communities in the NWT, demonstrating the power of youth-led advocacy and international collaboration. The success of this program could inspire other regions to adopt similar approaches, leading to a wider impact across the territory and contributing to a culture of safety and responsibility throughout the NWT.