Meet Kirsten Stevenson,
Chagrin Falls High School Senior

With long, confident strides and an outstretched hand, 18-year-old Chagrin Falls High School senior and member of Parkside Church, Kirsten Stevenson greets me with a friendly smile and firm handshake. After briefly getting to know Kirsten, it is easy to see why she was tapped as a student leader to participate in this year's drunk-driving awareness assembly, "Your Life, Your Choice,"  organized by the Chagrin Falls Police Department and held at Parkside Church this past Tuesday.

Senior prom and graduation season, and their accompanying parties, is right around the corner and "Your Life, Your Choice" seeks to educate students about the consequences of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Approximately 1,400 students from 9 area high schools filled Parkside's auditorium to listen to cautionary tales from former and currently incarcerated inmates serving sentences for vehicular homicide stemming from drunk driving, as well as poignant stories from drunk-driving-accident victims and their families.

Although Kirsten has not been touched personally by drunk driving, her school's assistant principal knew that she would be a good student representative. "Kirsten represents all the fine qualities in so many of our graduating seniors," explains Chagrin Falls High School Assistant Principal, Dr. William Koons.  "She is bright, articulate, athletic, and multi-talented.  Kirsten is the type of student every high school strives to create."  Kirsten was asked to read a poem and a letter written by the parents of Chagrin Falls Chief of Police, Charles Brosius, whose brother was killed by a drunk driver.

Of the many issues that challenge high schoolers, drinking is one of the most significant and difficult with which to deal. Kirsten, who does not drink, acknowledges that she is in the minority when it comes to drinking among her peers. "It's one of the things that separates me from my peers," says Kirsten. "People ask me all the time, 'Why don't you drink? Why don't you do this?'  It's not easy, but I feel like God can really use those challenges to bring you closer to Him." Kirsten credits her tight-knit group of friends from Parkside's high school ministry, Student Impact. "I have a really solid group of Christian friends from Parkside. While most of them don't go to my school, they're the people I call for my encouragement. They keep me accountable and pray for me.  God definitely put those girls in my life at a key time."

A Day in the Life

The life of a high school student is busy. School starts at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 2:50, then sports practice usually runs from 3:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon. For Kirsten, the fall and spring were especially busy because she captains both the girls' cross country and track teams, but "takes a break" in the winter to play guard for the girls' basketball team. In addition to her academic and athletic commitments, Kirsten is also the president of The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a bible-study group that meets twice a month before school starts, and a member of the Chagrin Falls Superintendent's Advisory Committee.

"I don't have a lot of free time, but when I do have some I like to go shopping and to the movies, or go out to eat with friends. I like to read, but don't have time to read as much as I'd like to," adds Kirsten. "I also babysit and attend Student Impact [Parkside's High School Youth Group]."

What's Next

Senior prom is right around the corner and Kirsten will be attending with a friend, but it's the after-prom that is the real draw. "After-prom is from 12:00 a.m. to 4:00," explains Kirsten. "The junior moms put it on and it's really extravagant. They have all these awesome prizes, and it's just a lot of fun."

In the fall, Kirsten will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she hopes to study nursing.  Consistent with her future plans, Kirsten will be shadowing a labor and delivery nurse at the University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital for her senior project.  However, she is quick to note that her plans may change regarding her intended major.

We're Not Invincible

Last year, a friend of Kirsten attended the "Your Life, Your Choice" assembly and remarked that it was eye-opening to think that they were not as invincible as they think they are.  Kirsten agrees, "People my age definitely think they are invincible.  They can act recklessly, and in general, I think my generation doesn't really think about consequences when they're out."  Kirsten admits that she is probably more of a rule follower than some of her peers, but she also relies on her faith and her parents, Jim and Barbara Stevenson, to help her think about these issues.  "I think my faith makes me respect my parents more which makes me more conscious of rules and consequences."

How You Can Pray

Kirsten seeks direction for her future and encouragement that she will go as God leads her.  She also asks "that, at UNC, I will make a really good group of Christian friends to support me in my faith and help me grow. I'm definitely someone who needs the encouragement of other people when it comes to my faith.  That's how the Holy Spirit gets to me, I think."

For more information about next year's "Your Life, Your Choice" assembly, please contact Officers Richard Goldsmith or Amber Dacek with the Chagrin Falls Police Department at 440.247.7321.

Text and photos by Julie Hahn