Young drivers to benefit from DVD program

This week Oak Park High School sophomores will receive a packet that could save their lives.

"Life is Too Important," a 20minute video created by Oak Park students, tells the story of Oak Park graduate Chris Ruhle, whose life was cut short 13 years ago by a drunken driver. The video is being distributed before spring break in the hopes that students and parents will have time to view the DVD together.

This is the third distribution of the video since it was made three years ago. The video was created by a group of advanced peer counselors led by two former Oak Park students, Michael Phillips and Brian Hunt. Phillips is now a junior at UCLA and Hunt is a junior at USC.

Ruhle was a senior at the University of Arizona and engaged to be married when he was killed in February 1996. In San Luis Obispo with friends, his car was hit by a vehicle traveling at 90 mph that had drifted into Ruhle's lane. Ruhle and a passenger were killed; the driver of the other vehicle survived.

The project is funded by the families of Michael Phillips and Brian Hunt—parents Mark and Sandy Phillips, and Steve and Judy Hunt—along with the support and endorsement of the Oak Park High School Parent-Faculty Club and administration.

"We were moved by the video and the loss felt by the Ruhle family. But much beyond that, we were all struck by our own part as parents in this drama," Mark Phillips said. "Chris Ruhle was not struck and killed by a student but by an adult. While it's important to get the message out to our high schoolers not to drink—and let's face it, they do drink—but just as important, we wanted to get a similar message out to the parents in our community, who are far more likely to be behind the wheel."

The Hunt and Phillips families thought the video would be most effective watched at home by parents and their newly licensed children. The hope is that the story will initiate discussion. Sophomore English teachers request that each student and parent offer a collective reflective journal entry to fulfill one of the required weekly journal entry assignments for class.

"We would hope that the students will take the time to watch this. We encourage the parents to watch it with their students and talk about it afterwards," PFC President Gloria Morl said. "If it makes an impact on at least one student, then I think that everyone's time has not been wasted."

Response from earlier recipients has been positive, said Tess Wilkoff, peer counselor adviser and Oak Park guidance counselor.

"The authentic, open and sensitive style of communication that highlights the tone of the video is at the core of this work," wrote Wilkoff in a letter that accompanies the DVD. "By collectively expressing concern for not only ourselves as students, and for our own children as parents, but for all of our friends and for all of our children, we strengthen our potential to save lives."

Mark Phillips commended the PFC and the Oak Park sophomore English teachers for their support.

"It has really been an effort to which many have contributed and continue to contribute," Mark Phillips said. "We're proud of what our school district, our community and Ms. Wilkoff have done."