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Posted September 16, 2003

Howards Grove students enroll in 'beat the heat'

By Sue Mroz

Howards Grove High School students with a passion for high-performance cars have the opportunity to enroll in a unique, handson after-school program, known as "Beat the Heat." The word "heat" is slang for law enforcement officers.

Beat the Heat, a nationwide youth drug, alcohol, and safe driving awareness program with over 200 chapters in the United States and Canada, is a unique way to reach high school youth.

Throughout the school year, police officers volunteer their off-duty time one day each week to help students build a racecar after school.

During the summer, the car is taken in a trailor to the Wisconsin International Raceway, where the students race every other Friday evening to try to "Beat the Heat," in a quarter-mile drag races on the straightaway track in a controlled environment.

Police officers drive the restored car, while students use their own high-performance cars.

The Beat the Heat program was established in 1984. Brent Muller of the Brillion Police Department introduced the program in Wisconsin in 1993.

Locally, Nathan Hatch, a Sheboygan County Sheriff's Department Deputy, spearheaded the formation of the Howards Grove High School Chapter, which was initiated in August. Hatch is president of the chapter. Three other Sheboygan County deputies serve as chapter officers. They are: Jason Liermann, Vice President; Matt Spence, treasurer and Adam Walter, secretary.

Hatch stressed that the Sheboygan County Sheriff's Department is not officially affiliated with the program. Beat the Heat is administered and supported by some Sheboygan County deputies on their off-duty time. No tax dollars are used in the program.

However, the program was initiated with the support of several Sheboygan County Sheriff's deputies, Howards Grove High School Officials and the Northeast Wisconsin Beat the Heat Inc., comprised of 13 chapters.

"Beat the Heat has created an excellent opportunity for Sheriff's deputies and other interested volunteers to work with teens who might not normally view law enforcement officers as their friends," said Hatch, noting that he himself raced in 1993, through a Beat the Heat chapter at Menasha High School.

"They offten view law enforcement officers as just engaging in llaw-enforcement activities, expecially with young people," he added. "As a sheriff's deputy, I know we are always looking for ways to build positive relationships with our youth."

Teens who are not normally attracted to some of the existing extra-cirricular programs at school can now enjoy their first friendly contact with police officers by sharing a common interest in high-performance vehicles.

"In several communities that have had the Beat the Heat programs for some time, the experience is overwhelmingly successful," Hatch noted. "We expect the same from our program in Howards Grove."

The program is open to any student at the 10th through 12th grade levels who is living in the Howards Grove School District and attending Hwards Grove High School. Participants must follow two simple rules - stay in school and stay out of trouble.

A driver's license is not required to join, but it is required for to be eligible to race. Through Beat the Heat, students learn skills in mechanics, marketing, organization, teamwork, applied math and craftmanship. Beloning to the organization too is a good resume builder for those planning to become mechanics or police officers.

In order for the program to succeed, "We need to work as a team - including deputies, students, parents, the shool system and the community," Hatch stressed. "Together we are beginning a voyage into an innovative program that will prove to be fun, exciting, and rewarding for everyone."

The program is safe and educational and aims to discourage teens from racing on public highways. It accomplishes four important goals:

• It educates student participants about the real problems associated with alcohol and other drug use.
• It educates everyone about the horrors of alcohol or drug impaired driving and promotes safe driving habits.
• It promotes better understanding between the sheriff's department and young people of the community.
• It informs the general public that drag racing is not street racing and that everyone who desires to race can do so at the track, but not on the street.

Funding for the Beat the Heat Program is achieved entirely through tax-deductible contributions of cach, labor, services, gift certificates and products from area clubs and businesses. It is also obtained through grants.

Student participants will also raise money through fundraisers, such as brat fries, car washes, and through sales of a special offer through Domino's Pizza in Sheboygan.

A number of local community businesses have already come forward with support through pledges, donations and sponsorship. "To help encourage contributions to Beat the Heat, we have compiled a list of benefits available," Hatch said.

Based on the amount of the contribution, benefits may include:

• A letter or certficate of appreciation
• The contributor's name appearing in the local newspaper at least twice during the year.
• The contributor's name appearing on the Internet in the home page sponsor section.
• The contributor's name being displayed on the Beat the Heats's large contributor board, which is displayed at all events and appearances.

For contributors wishing to be annual sponsors, or for those who make a substantial contribution, spots will be available for the company's name on the vehicle used to pull the racecar, the trailor for the racecar, and possible on the racecar itself.

"Our vehicle will be of show quality and will appear at events throughout Wisconsin," he said.

Howards Grove High Scholl students who were interested in joining the chapter signed up last week. Hatch is meeting with them some day this week during their lunch period for further planning. "I will let them know about the commitment they must make if they plan to participate in Beat the Heat," he said.

Hatch noted that whether or not they are able to obtain the sheriff's department drug-seized 1967 Camero wither through a donation or purchase remains up in the air. "Our long-term goal if we get enough donations is to purchase a second vehicle," he said. "This would be made into a student-race vehicle. Students would have the option to race in that vehicle or in their own cars."

For further information about Beat the Heat, phone Nathan Hatch at 803-9645. To make a financial contribution, make checks payable to Howards Grove Chapter Beat the Heat.