- December 15, 2025
Prom is over for Flagler Palm Coast High School, with Matanzas’ to follow. But it’s not too late to think about safety for the upcoming celebration season.
FPC Activities Director Cheryl Perry supplied the following information about the Student Government Association’s May 5 activity called “Destructive Decisions”:
Principal Jacob Oliva started the day with a brief explanation during his usual morning announcements. Then every 18 minutes, FPC Activities Director Cheryl Perry entered a classroom to say: “Another teen across America was just arrested or killed due to a destructive decision.”
One student in that class was asked to volunteer to be that teen and was given a tomb-stone-shaped sign featuring a Destructive Decision Statistic.
The classroom conversations have varied from drinking and driving, drug use, sexually transmitted diseases and date rape. The common factor ending each classroom visit was reminding students to think smart and make good decisions and protect each other.
Volunteers were asked to wear the signs all day, and although they went through their normal schedule the rest of the day, they were asked not to talk to anyone. A flyer was also left in that classroom to let every other class know it could have been them.
At the end of the day, the 20 volunteers reported to the courtyard to hold picket signs reminding everyone to be careful and make smart decisions.
Perry wrote via email to teachers: “Is it a little harsh? Maybe… but Monday morning could be even harsher if we don’t get these kids to think about their actions.
“We do not, however, want to be incentive to anyone who may be emotional affected, keeping in mind we have lost students in recent years. So if you notice a student in your classes that seems emotional distraught by the activity, please contact their guidance counselor.”
