Affton High Students Spend 24 Hours in Seatbelts

After classes ended at yesterday, the school’s Team Spirit Task Force drove its vehicles onto the school’s sidewalk to prepare for a long day ahead of them—in seatbelts.

For 24 hours, the students are staying buckled into their vehicles to promote safety and seatbelt awareness.

“To be a part of the task force, you have to be nominated. We only take four students from every grade. It’s considered an honor” said junior Michelle Green. “When Rachel passed away last month, a lot of students wanted to get involved.”

Affton High freshman Rachel Bequette and Sean Mitchell Blair of Mehlville returning from the Mardi Gras celebration in Soulard on March 6. Blair died instantly, but Bequette lingered in a coma for 11 days before dying.

“The students who died were wearing their seatbelts in the crash,” said resource officer Val Krause, the adult sponsor for Bucklefest. “But still…”

“What we’re doing is important because we’re proving a point,” said senior Christy Mizerny. “If we can wear a seatbelt for 24 hours, you can for the five minutes it takes to get to the grocery store.”

The students spent the week gathering pledges and selling T-shirts.

“We don’t have a final total yet, but we expect them to raise over $1,000,” said Krause. “It’s great for the kids to be able to raise the money, and we donate it back to various events over the school year.”

The Team Spirit Task Force also spent the week monitoring which students were wearing seatbelts on the morning drive to school. Students with no seatbelt were made to wear a safety vest for the duration of the school day.

“I think it helped,” said sophomore Scott Schroer. “The first few days, we gave out a lot of vests, but today not many. I think people are learning.”

Officer Krause’s predecessor Paul Hoggatt, who now teaches English at Affton High School, started Bucklefest in 2004.

“We went to (Missouri Department of Transportation) training in 2003, and Carol Hoormann from Lindbergh High School decided to hold a bucklefest that year,” said Hoggatt. “We decided to hold one as well, and it received a lot of support.”

Team Spirit Task Force students, equipped with Game Boys, portable DVD players, cellphones, and laptops made their way into the vehicles for the beginning of a very long day.