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"I have a
story to tell; not aimed to motivate, inspire and/or uplift
lives; rather, to change via honesty and responsibility, lives
of those and those around them."
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A CRASH almost
took Sarah OUT OF THE PICTURE,
She was
riding with an impaired, teen driver.
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 Sarah
Jackson is a 2001 graduate of Middlebury High School. In her
freshman year she was involved in a car crash as a passenger
riding with an impaired teen driver. She is alive today
because she was wearing her safety belt. Now she is sharing
her experience with her peers and others in the hopes that her
story will prevent further tragedies.
Sarah is the spokesperson for the
"Stay In The Picture -
Buckle Up"
campaign sponsored by the Vermont Teen Leadership
Safety Program (VTLSP) and the Governor's Highway Safety
Program.
As the spokesperson
for the "Stay In The Picture - Buckle Up"
campaign Sarah is
available to speak to school classes, assembly programs,
health fairs, or other community prevention programs. Her 30
minute PowerPoint slide show is a powerful reality check for
all. |
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Stay in the picture,
BUCKLE UP. |
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A safety
belt saved my life in the crash.
I was sitting in the front passenger seat.
The airbags didn't deploy.
The Jaws of Life was used to get me out. |
June 12, 1998: a day she will never forget: When 15 year
old, Sarah Jackson, climbed into a car with an underage
drinking driver, she didn’t know that choices can impact
dreams. The driver lost control and Sarah sustained a
severe traumatic brain injury. She was in a coma for 3 ˝
weeks and underwent four months of rehabilitation.
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This personal and serious presentation quiets all
audiences. Describing her grueling hospital and
rehabilitation stay, she completes with a video, slide
show, and a personally made photo journalism banner.
Sarah’s journey guides young people through a devastating
ordeal they couldn’t otherwise imagine: accepting and
living with brain injury, the grueling hospital stay and
rehabilitation process: relearning basic motor skills
(tying a shoe, buttoning pants, holding silverware) and
the social challenge of resuming school life.
While it is still a struggle for Sarah to hold her breath
underwater, accepting who she has now become, the
withdrawals from her friends and the activities she can no
longer complete are new obstacles the stand in her way.
Having to take notes in school is a challenge for her, as
the crash has affected her ability to write. Much of her
audience becomes concerned with the fact that her friends
treated her so poorly after the crash. Others comment on
her strength, bravery, inspiration and willingness to
teach others. Sarah is a role model for all people, as
they can see the devastating struggles that she has pulled
herself through.
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Today, Sarah has become a leader in this Nation’s efforts
to promote traffic safety. She has spoken to over 15
organizations and a countless number of elementary,
middle, high schools and colleges Nationwide.
“One Life,
One Captain,”
is the name of her presentation as she
teaches students personal responsibility, healthy choices
and that wearing a safety belt can save their life, too.
Sarah is available to speak to your organization in hopes
to help the audience members help themselves. |
Signing
posters at National SADD |
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The following are just some of the many
organizations/schools she has spoken to: Mothers Against
Drunk Driving (MADD),
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), National
Student Safety Program (NSSP), National Organization of
Youth Safety (NOYS) and the MADD International Candlelight
Vigil.
Speaking to Sarah’s peers across the country is what gives
her hope. Kids listen to her as she can relate to their
age group. Sarah is able to present at your school or
organization with her program, “One
Life, One Captain.”
Now a wife and
mother of two, visit Sarah's blog at
http://www.usandmom.wordpress.com where she speaks
about her journey of parenting and a new self-discovery.
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Watch Videos |
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"You're Getting
Better Every Day" Testimonials ...
Book Reviews
"Seriously, so good. Its raw and real. People all over the world need to read this book!"
... Amanda Hurlbert, Student
"This is the best book I have ever read!"
... Misty Davidson, Student
"Sarah! I just finished your memoir, I couldn't put it down! It was just amazing to read everything about you from those years. I guess I just wanted to tell you I think you're the most amazing and fearless person I have the privilege of knowing."
... Megan Atkins, Student
"It was amazing! Thank you for sharing your journey. It was hard to hear your moms words, an experience that no parent wants to go through. Watching your growth through your own words was truly amazing. It seems like you are in a really good place now."
... Sue Leggett, Teacher
"OMG, Sarah!! I just read your entire book in one afternoon!! Could not put it down! What an inspiration! You are an amazing young woman! ... Lise Davidson, Parent
Sarah V.
Jackson Speaking Testimonials ...
Presentation Reviews
“I want to thank you for a presentation that will impact the over 400 conference participants for many years to come. Your honesty and passion really came through. I know that your experience impacted the participants in ways we don’t even realize. Your personal tragedy points out how one decision can change your entire life. Our hope is that each of the participants will come to realize how important every decision we make is and pass this lesson on to others.” ...
Penny Wells, Students Against Destructive Decisions
“The struggles that you have had to endure as a result of the alcohol related crash that you were in are undoubtedly immense. It takes a very strong and courageous individual to speak about such a painful and personal incident as the one you experienced. Your willingness to share your personal story with others, however, leads to a very powerful message on how the consequences of one small decision, to get in a car with a drinking driver, can ultimately change your entire life.” ... AmeriCorps
“The disabilities from the injuries in the crash that Sarah has had to overcome give her message a powerful reality check for others. Her straightforward manner about the choices she made and the consequences she and her family face offer a moving and compelling testimony.” ...
Jan Meeker, National Student Safety Program
“Your story is a ‘true triumph of the human spirit’. Although doors in our lives may be closed for some (un)explainable reasons, God opens up new doors for us. Your message and outlook on life are an inspiration for all who hear your story.” ...
George F. Surber, Connetquot High School, NY |
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