Manteca High Senior Getting a Glimpse into the Future

By Liam Venegas

By BAO LUU
The Tower 

As high school seniors prepared for graduation, many looked forward to the next chapter of their lives.  

However, for students involved in the E-15 program, the journey ahead involved more than just planning for the future it was also about reflecting on their responsibility as young adults. 

The E-15 event, an intense and impactful drunk-driving awareness program, brought the harsh realities of impaired driving into sharp focus, offering students a wake-up call before they stepped into the adult world. 

With the sound of sirens blaring and emergency responders rushing to the scene, high school seniors from Manteca witnessed the chilling consequences of drunk driving firsthand.  

The E-15 event, an annual program aimed at educating students about the dangers of impaired driving, created an experience that was as real as it could get without actual tragedy. 

From simulated crash scenes to mock funerals, the event was designed to leave a lasting impression on students, challenging them to rethink their choices behind the wheel.  

As graduation approached, the lessons learned through E-15 were more than just academic they were life lessons that could save lives. 

For Anderson, a senior at Manteca High School, participating in the E-15 program was a powerful way to prepare for life after high school. 

“I wanted to join E-15 because I knew it was a program that involved both our city council and local police department, and it included all of the high schools in the district,” she said.  

“It was a cool opportunity to be part of something so important to so many different schools.” 

Anderson said the event addressed a serious societal issue – drunk driving. 

“Drunk driving awareness was a really big deal,” she said. “I wanted to do something about it. It was a chance to be part of something that could truly make a difference.” 

As the event drew near, Anderson said she looked forward to seeing the impact firsthand. 

“I thought it was going to be a wake-up call for some people,” she said. “It was really good timing to have this event before we graduated because it was like learning a life lesson, but without the real casualties.” 

Sterrie McLeod, a local firefighter who had been part of the E-15 program for nearly two decades, said he had seen firsthand the impact the event had on students. 

“The main goal of E-15 was to make sure that students understood the real-world consequences of impaired driving. This wasn’t just an abstract idea it was something that could change lives,” he said. 

Sterrie’s experience responding to real-life drunk driving accidents deeply shaped his commitment to the program. 

“I had been with families who lost loved ones in accidents caused by drunk driving. These weren’t just stories they were real people, real families,” he said. “The crash simulations and the funeral reenactments we did during E-15 were based on real events. We wanted students to understand that this was a reality, not a statistic.” 

For Sterrie, planning E-15 was a labor of love. 

“This event took months of planning. We worked with a variety of local agencies like CHP, Manteca PD, Manteca District Ambulance, and local hospitals to make sure we were doing everything we could to make it as realistic as possible,” he said. 

He also said the event brought together both students and the community. 

“We were fortunate to have the resources we did, but it took dedicated people coming together to make it happen. From securing locations to fundraising, there was so much that went into it,” he said. 

Anderson agreed with the importance of the event. 

“It wasn’t just about being told not to drink and drive; it was about seeing the consequences and understanding that something like this could happen to anyone,” she said. “The event showed how serious it was, and it was hard to ignore that.” 

While the event was difficult to experience, Anderson said it provided a valuable lesson. 

“It was kind of like learning from a mistake but without the real-life tragedy,” she said. “It was definitely one of the most effective ways to learn about the dangers of drunk driving.” 

Sterrie said he was passionate about E-15 not only because of its educational value but also because of the personal impact it could have on students. 

“If we could just help one person make the right decision not to get behind the wheel when they were drunk or to take the keys from someone else then it was all worth it,” he said. 

He said E-15 was not about telling students what to do but about giving them the tools and knowledge to make better choices. 

“I wasn’t there to preach at them, but I wanted them to understand the gravity of their choices,” he said. “I wanted to give them the opportunity to make an informed decision that could change the course of their lives.” 

Anderson said she supported this approach. 

“It was about showing us that we had options,” she said. “We didn’t have to drink and drive. We didn’t have to let our friends do it. The event taught us that we had a responsibility to ourselves and to each other.” 

As the E-15 event approached, both Sterrie and Anderson said they felt a sense of anticipation. 

“I was excited to see how students would react,” he said. “Every year was different, but it was always impactful. We had some new people involved that year, and it was going to be another great event.” 

Anderson said she felt the same. 

“It was going to be a wake-up call for a lot of people, and I thought it would really stick with us after we graduated,” she said. “It was a powerful lesson that we would carry with us into adulthood.” 

For both Sterrie and Anderson, the importance of the E-15 program could not be overstated. It wasn’t just an event it was a life-changing experience that prepared students to make safer decisions as they stepped into the world beyond high school.