Lifelong consequences from split-second decisions

Courier News, Home News Tribune, myCentralJersey.com

By Michael Ritter

Reggie and Eavan are two young people with tremendous talents and good looks. Both were raised with strong, positive values in their homes. Although one is from the suburbs in Morris County and the other from an urban setting in Atlantic County, their split-second choices have caused their lives to intersect.

Reggie and Eavan participate in a program called Project PRIDE (Promoting Responsibility in Drug Education). A major initiative of the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC), the program brings minimum custody offenders from state prisons to schools and community agencies to discuss first-hand the consequences of destructive decisions.

Eavan grew up in Morris County, where she played basketball and softball and was involved with dance. At age 10, she endured a major tragedy when her father passed away from a sudden heart attack in their home. According to Eavan, she never discussed her feelings and sense of loss with her mother, siblings or school counselors. Instead, she turned to using alcohol and other drugs to suppress her feelings of loss. However, she maintained good grades and was able to hide her alcohol and drug use from her mother and school personnel.

One night, after having a few drinks at a party, she received a call about another party. She decided to drive to the other party with a close friend. On the way, Eavan struck a tree. Her friend was killed in the crash. Eavan is now serving a five-year prison sentence at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women.

Reggie had the dream of making it big in the music business. He loved to write and perform a variety of music. Despite living in the neighborhood that was not the best, Reggie was raised with great values and morals by a loving mother and father.

At age 14, seeking attention from his peers, Reggie began to drink alcohol. Shortly thereafter, he started making destructive decisions. He was arrested as a juvenile and school and his music took a back seat to his drug use and partying. One night, desperate for money and under the influence of alcohol and drugs, he took the advice of a few of his so-called friends and committed a robbery. As a result, Reggie is now serving a seven-year prison sentence at the Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility.

Both Eavan and Reggie are volunteers in the Project PRIDE program. The goal of the Project PRIDE program is to reduce the use of alcohol and drugs by our youth. The NJDOC offers this program as a free service to all schools and communities in New Jersey.

Reggie and Eavan will be featured speakers at the Somerset’s Initiative for Partying Safely (SIPS)/Healthy Options for Prevention and Education (HOPE) Community Forum on Wednesday, April 28, from 6-8 p.m., at Raritan Valley Community College.

Michael Ritter is specialized programs coordinator for the state Department of Corrections Office of Education Services.