by Alexia Sebers
Every 15 minutes someone dies from an alcohol related collision in the United States.
On March 23, 21 students from PHS were absent to represent being killed by an alcohol related accident; their obituaries were read aloud in a chosen class. They were only seen to reenact a car crash on the corner of Bassett Street and Broadway Street at noon on Monday.
The crash scenario: After partying at the Russian River all day, a group of students regroup at the high school for various reasons. A student (Zoe Whitesides) calls a fellow friend (Ricky Sims), who is drunk for notes, and he comes to bring her the notes. When Sims reaches the school a student (Danny Cox) runs out in front of his car so, Sims swerves to miss Cox and hits a parked car. In the car two students talk to friends and the driver’s (Brittany Potts) leg is hit and bleeds copiously. Sims’s car continues on, slamming into another student’s parked car, and hit two more students, one girl (Haley Ross) who is thrown, and another (Braeden Ross) who gets trapped under the car and dies instantly. Potts is taken away in an ambulance, H. Ross in a helicopter, and B. Ross in a coroner’s truck. The other witnesses on scene are questioned by policemen, while Sims gets sobriety tests and is finally taken away in handcuffs.
The funeral (assembly): The next day, the 21 students, following a casket, enter the student, teacher, and parent packed gym to watch the film of the party/crash scene. After that, a parent who lost a child and a doctor speak about the effects of drunk driving on other people. Then three parents read their goodbye letters to their children (Rebecca Yungert, Connie Ross, fix mom), and three students stand to read their letters to their parents (Brian Fix, Alexia Sebers, and Rocco Cunningham). The funeral/assembly concludes with a message from Principal Brian Howard.
“The program was really intense, and hopefully really helpful. I hope everyone walked away with a changed attitude,” said participant and senior Brittany Potts.