She has served as the parent center’s executive director since 2002, planning and coordinating all of its numerous programs, from large-group workshops for parents, such as the recent “Does Your Child Dream of Playing College Athletics?” seminar on the college recruitment process, to hands-on driver-education programs for students. For the student workshops, Tepfer brings a set of “drunken glasses” with her, and has students put them on and drive around the back parking lot of their school in a pedal cart. They swerve and knock down cones, unable to get their bearings. They laugh as they go, but the exercise helps them understand how debilitated a drunken driver is.

In addition, Tepfer collaborates with the North Bellmore Prevention Office, the Nassau County Traffic Safety Board, county police and the district attorney’s office. Assistant District Attorney Maureen McCormick is a regular at the seminars, as is Tom Gilberti, a retired county police officer.

McCormick reviews the legal trouble that a teen can face when caught drinking and driving. Defending a DWI charge can cost $10,000 to $25,000 on Long Island without a trial, McCormick tells students. If a case goes to trial, it can cost as much as $100,000.

Gilberti comes armed with statistics. Drivers are 23 times more likely to crash while texting and driving than when they are not, he tells students. At 60 mph, a car travels 90 feet in one second. Six thousand teens are killed annually in car accidents. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

With all of this in mind, Tepfer has long been on a mission to reduce the death toll, one student at a time. Her mantra is education, education, education.

She works closely with the Central High School District’s Meadowbrook Alternative Program. “Wendy has been absolutely amazing in writing grants and procuring funds so we have been able to bring myriad programs to our students,” said Susan Ellinghouse, MAP’s director. “Wendy has been absolutely amazing in giving our children so many opportunities. She’s just the most altruistic person I’ve ever met.”

Many MAP students are considered at risk