The scene is a grisly one. A badly wrecked car lies overturned on the side of the road. Police, firefighters and ambulances arrive to extract several students from the car. The teen-agers are put in body bags and taken away -- as their high school watches.

A mock drunk driving accident was one of a few educational techniques used during the fourth annual Students Against Drunk Driving conference held Wednesday at the Boalsburg Elks Country Club.

"We thought it was a graphic way (to relay the message)," said Indiana County Red Cross Executive Director Sally Zellem. "It becomes real."

More than 300 students and advisers from more than 50 central Pennsylvania high schools attended the conference.

A badly damaged station wagon displaying the sign "Don't make this trip your last -- buckle up and don't drink and drive" greeted students as they arrived for the meeting.

Events included four informational workshops for SADD members: leadership skills, having fun without drinking, advising skills and how to develop a mock accident.

The purpose of the conference was to provide a forum for SADD members to hear about drunk driving laws and other schools' SADD programs, said Joe Zbieg, Clearfield and Jefferson counties coordinator.

SADD was originated in 1981 by Robert Anastas of Massachusetts. Anastas, a hockey coach, lost two of his players in a drunk driving accident and began the first SADD chapter. Now, thousands of chapters exist nationwide, said Somerset Coordinator Mary Ann Bowman.

"We feel it's really good to talk to other schools and get ideas for our chapter," said Scott Maslanik, SADD chapter president at Tussey Mountain High School.

The students at the convention were nominated by their classmates.

"I feel it's great that all the schools can get together, exchange ideas and help each other out," said Daniel May, SADD chapter president at Bellefonte High School.

Representatives of Mothers Against Drunk Driving also attended. Centre County MADD President Dott Smith said both groups work together.