On the sunny morning of Wednesday, May 2, the senior class of North Royalton High School gathered at Memorial Park. Sirens began to blare as ambulances and police vehicles rushed to the scene of two crashed vehicles that were revealed from underneath a tarp. Inside of those cars were eight of North Royalton’s senior students, with individuals passed out at the wheel and unmoving across the hood of the car. As paramedics began rushing to the scene with stretchers, the students in the audience began to gasp and whisper as they got views of their classmates covered in blood.
That blood was only cornstarch and maple syrup, but the impact was just as real. Students viewed the annual mock car crash to make them aware of the impact of their decisions at prom. The crash is organized by School Resource Officer Jon Karl, the Partnership for Healthy North Royalton, with help from the high school’s Students Together Against Negative Decisions (STAND) club. Eight seniors volunteered to be actors and actresses in the portrayal, which aided in making students more impacted by the consequences of driving under the influence.
“It was scary being a part of it, but I was motivated to get this message across to my fellow peers,” shared senior Angela Bucci.
I was honored to have been a reader for the mock crash, along with two of my classmates. As we spoke about the situation, our peers were rushed to ambulances and pulled out of cars while Cleveland Clinic’s Life Flight helicopter came and landed at the scene.
The mock crash included a script that told of the happenings of a realistic prom night: a student and his date, along with some friends, picked up some beers after prom. The driver believed there was no harm in drinking and driving and proceeded to get behind the wheel. Meanwhile, another car of sober girls were driving home from prom. The drunk driver collided with their car, killing his date, as well as the driver in the other car. The driver was taken away in handcuffs to the back of a police car as the other students were taken to the helicopter, ambulances, and, for the two who passed away, a Babbit-Bush Funeral Home hearse.
“Knowing that this is a situation that could actually happen is terrifying to me,” said senior Gracie Goodman.
“It was a shocking and worrisome experience. and I never want anyone to go through anything like that,” added senior Emma Glickberg.
As the scene took place, the other speakers and I shared a poem about driving under the influence, about what had happened in the crash, and how each student would be impacted. The story was detailed and personal, describing the dashed college dreams of our peers, and stating the family that they would leave behind. Portraying the crash with students from the class of 2018 was meant to make the incident more effective, with the hopes of influencing kids to make good decisions on prom night and always.
“All of my classmates seemed to be greatly affected by this mock crash. I had multiple friends come up to me after who told me that it looked so real and that they felt genuinely scared about the consequences,” said Glickberg.
“It’s one thing to talk about drunk driving, but it’s another when it’s played out right in front of you,” said senior Grace Morris. In addition to getting the message across to seniors about the dangers of intoxicated driving, the crash also impacted Morris, who learned “how awesome our first responders are. I am very grateful that if anything ever happened to me, these are the individuals who will be there when I need assistance.”
The demonstration brought students together to share in the realization and assurance of just how dangerous drinking and driving can be.
“I got to bond with my fellow classmates whom I have not talked to in a long time. This event brought us together in a way I never thought was possible and I’ll always cherish this memory,” said Morris.
North Royalton High School’s prom will take place on May 26, just six days before graduation. With the ending of this chapter of our lives so close, it is so important to emphasize the heartbreaking possible outcomes of drunk driving and negative decisions.
“A hasty choice can lead to a lifelong consequence,” stated Bucci.
“This is supposed to be one of the best times of our lives. Don’t end your life just as it is finally beginning,” said Glickberg.
“Please be smart about what you do during prom weekend. I understand that people want to have fun, but you can still have fun without risking your life. Driving under the influence is not something to joke about, and I hope it’s not even a consideration by anyone,” added Goodman.
Submitted by: Rachel Pavelich,
North Royalton Class of 2018