‘Every 15 Minutes’ portrays risks of driving under the influence with intense, emotional display
By Molly Burke and Claire Stevens,
BlueDevilHUB.com Staff-
Students clustered around the scene of a horrific car accident on Oak Ave Tuesday morning, watching as two Davis High students were taken away for medical treatment, one in a helicopter, and a third in a police car. The ‘accident’, however, was not an actual crash and the students were not actually injured.
The scene unfolding after second period was a part of the ‘Every 15 Minutes’ program, an experience meant to raise awareness of the real costs associated with drunk driving.
Nevertheless, the bloody scene elicited real reactions from some Davis High students, who watched solemnly as senior Tiya Kamba-Griffin and junior Emma Dean were removed from the wreckage and sophomore Trey Doten, who played the ‘drunk driver’ was taken away in a police car.
Others took the display less seriously as they laughed or took videos and pictures of the scene.
Many students knew the accident was fake due to an email sent to parents the night before that explained the program.
Real police, fire and medical personnel volunteered their time to bring the scene to life.
The rest of the day continued with one student being periodically pulled from their classroom and having an ‘obituary’ read aloud every 15 minutes, representing the statistic that someone died in an alcohol-related crash every 15 minutes that was true when the program started.
“We wanted to find people that we knew had outreach to plenty of social groups,” said senior Sean O’Hara, who helped plan the program.
The students involved in the program are currently unable to contact peers or parents, simulating the way it feels to lose someone in an accident. The will participate in a retreat for the night at which they will learn more about the program.
The program will conclude today with an assembly after second period featuring parent speakers, a student-made film and a speaker from Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
