by Jennifer Heathcock - email
LINDALE (KYTX) - Students in Lindale take time away from the classroom to learn more about life choices. CBS 19's Jennifer Heathcock was there and has more on the message delivered to students.
Lindale ISD invited a group of speakers, including the aunt of a Columbine shooting victim, to talk to students about life choices, and how decisions they make today can have an impact on their lives.
"You have the power to change someone's life."
Debbie Phillips speaks to Lindale Junior High students Tuesday morning, delivering a message about problems young teens face today.
"Sexual misconduct, alcoholism, addictions...a lot of kids are already addicted to things adults usually deal with, but now kids are really struggling."
It was a motivational message, combined with history. Phillips' niece was the first killed in the shooting at Columbine High School nearly ten years ago. It's an event many of these students aren't old enough to remember.
"It's just heart wrenching, just to think about it, and you want to do everything you can to prevent something like that."
Students say the best way to prevent those kinds of situations is to treat others, and themselves, with respect.
"I think it changed my perspective a lot about how we treat people around us every day," said student Hayley Spires.
"I try to be as nice to people as I can now, but I think I'll open up more to people," said student Dylan Bacon.
It's a message Phillips hopes becomes universal to teens across the nation, so they can learn to make decisions that will have a positive outcome on their lives.
"Our biggest issue is we have broken hearts. We forgot how to treat each other and love and respect."
Phillips and the other speakers spend about 250 days on the road a year.
