NEWS RELEASE

December 3, 2007

For more information:

Tracy McMillan, Snohomish County DUI Task Force Coordinator, 425-418-3410 |

Kathy Sandoz, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs Lieutenant Commander Kathy Sandoz, 425-304-5107

Mary Waggoner, Director of Communications, Everett Public Schools, 425-385-4049

Everett High students get important holiday reminder

On Tuesday, December 4, 2007at 8:19 AM, students at Everett High School

will learn the tragic consequences possible from underage drinking and

impaired driving. The Snohomish County DUI Task Force and the family of

Hannah Zylstra are partnering to bring a school program to all of the school's

1,600 students - in an effort to prevent a repeat of what happened to the

Zlystra family in December 2006.

Sixteen year -old Hannah Zylstra drank alcohol at a friend's house party, drove

impaired, and lost control of her vehicle not far from her home. She died at the

crash scene. Her parents were notified of her death on Christmas Eve. Her

younger sister Emily, who was in the car with Hannah, will tell students about

the day that changed her life; her father Fred will also speak to Everett High

students.

"It is important that our students are safe and make good, safe choices -

whether they are on campus or away from campus," said EHS Principal

Catherine Matthews. "This program is an important one for students to hear,

and we appreciate the county's help and the Zylstra family's courage to bring

it to us. I too, have been personally touched by the devastation caused by

driving impaired. My best friend and her brother were both killed in college by

a drunk driver."

Tracy McMillan, Snohomish County DUI and Traffic Safety Task Force

Coordinator said, "This family has started speaking for the Snohomish County

DUI Victim Panel to try to save lives. They have also donated Hannah's car to

the DUI and Traffic Safety Task Force, and we displayed it at the Monroe Fair

this last August. They truly are making a difference and are an awesome

family. It's just so tragic that it happened in the first place. Impaired driving is preventable - it is not an accident."

Hannah's car will be on display in front of Civic Auditorium the morning of the assembly. From there, the Navy will take the car

to Naval Station Everett that afternoon. Although the Navy's plans are not final, Hannah's car will be displayed again on the

station dock or on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln to help remind sailors to drive safe - all year and during the holidays.

The assembly was featured in the December 5, 2007

edition of

The Herald

and the December 12, 2007 edition of the

Everett

Tribune

.

everett

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http://www.everett.k12.wa.us/everett/12-3-07

5/18/2009