Alcohol dangers driven home Speakers at meeting tell personal tales of losing teens too young. Thursday, May 24, 2007 • By DANIEL HAUSMANN • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | Vicki Cummings spoke about her son missing graduation, the prom and his chance to start at quarterback for Easton in the 100th Thanksgiving showdown with Phillipsburg. "All these dreams are gone," Cummings said. "I'd rather be visiting Michael's college choice for next year. It's all gone because of a preventable incident." Cummings lost her son in a March 2006 drunken-driving wreck; Amanda Schultz, a 16-year-old from Palmer Township, also died in the crash. On Wednesday night, Cummings shared her painful chapter with parents of Phillipsburg High School students. Parents had to attend the meeting in order to pick up their kids' senior banquet tickets. Wednesday night's town hall was part of a larger push by administrators and municipal officials to get kids thinking safe. A dozen area youngsters have been killed in crashes in the past two years. Senior Ashley Matlock spoke about her experiences and warned Phillipsburg parents about destructive teen decisions. Matlock lost her sister Amber in a February 2006 double-fatal crash. Amber Matlock and Charles Slack were killed when their car careened across a rain-slicked Route 22 into a bus carrying the Holy Cross College men's basketball team. "You feel like your world is completely upside down," Matlock said. Another recurring theme was administrators reminding parents about an incident at Seaside Heights last year. After the 2006 senior banquet, about 200 students descended on the shore resort town. According to administrators, there were widespread reports of drinking, drug use, sexual misconduct and at least one drunken-driving arrest. According to their investigation, administrators said many of the rooms and some of the alcohol were purchased by parents. Still some parents weren't pleased with the mandatory nature of the town hall. "I understand what they're trying to do but sometimes I think they're trying to tell a parent how to raise their child," Debbie Varga said. "The kids should be here, not the parents." Joanne Tersigni sat next to Varga. Despite the fact her daughter is skipping the senior banquet, Tersigni came anyway. She felt the school wasn't going far enough. "It should be for all parents, not just senior banquet parents," Tersigni said. Cummings and Matlock were approached by school officials to participate. Matlock has spoken to her classmates before but this was Cummings' first public speech. "It's a matter of getting my thoughts together," Cummings said. "Maybe Michael's giving me a little shove from behind." Cummings said she wants to get more involved in programs like this and said she feels like she's "on a mission to help other parents." She was pleased with Phillipsburg's mandatory attendance policy. "This district is phenomenal," Cummings said. "They are making the best effort to protect their kids and I hope this spring all the districts around us do the same." The presentation included information from police and Lopatcong Mayor Doug Steinhardt on the legal issues involved in teen drinking. Steinhardt pointed out it's illegal for adults to provide a space for kids to drink, including rented hotel rooms. Phillipsburg police Officer Shawn Carmody said fines and penalties take a back seat to personal safety. "Anyone who facilitates this behavior thinking 'nothing is going to happen to my child:' You're wrong," Carmody said. Reporter Daniel Hausmann can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at dhausmann@express-times.com. © 2007 The Express-Times. Used with permission.