By Laeni Pelzer

Even though everything was fake, all the emotions were real. Watching two friends “die” from a fatal car accident and then sitting through a funeral for 38 classmates proved to be an emotional experience for the AHS junior and senior classes.

Every 15 Minutes is a national program, funded by a grant run by the Cass County Memorial Hospital.  They have been doing it every couple years, rotating between Griswold, CAM, and Atlantic.  This year they came to AHS asking to do it.

On Thursday, March 27,  junior and senior students chosen from a variety of groups and organizations, were pulled from their classes (one every 15 minutes) and pronounced dead from a fatal car accident. The students’ faces were painted white and they all wore a coroner’s tag to show that they were “dead.” They had to agree to be silent the rest of the day. Senior Brooke Fletcher said that it was “torture” not being able to talk.

At 2 p.m. a very graphic and detailed mock accident was set up in the school parking lot for the juniors and seniors. The students involved in the accident were senior Hailey Waters (drunk driver), junior Stephanie Freund (pedestrian), seniors Tyler Christensen, Megan Magers, Ethan Schmitt; and junior Tori Bruck (passengers). The police, ambulance, and fire department were summoned to the scene. At the scene Freund was pronounced dead.

Emergency responders continued to get everyone else safely out of the car. All of the victims were transported up to the hospital to be cared for. Christensen “died” at the hospital from injuries sustained during the accident. Christen said, “It was tough having to watch my parents cry over my death. I wanted to sit up and tell my mom I wasn’t really dead.”

Freund’s mom showed up to the scene and said her final goodbyes. This brought out some emotions in the crowd. Waters was then questioned a put under several tests a suspected drunk driver would be. She was then arrested and removed to the scene in handcuffs.

The 38 students who had been pulled from class throughout the day then went to the Cass County Court House where they watched Waters face trial. She was found guilty. Waters said, “It made me think about everything that could really happen. Thinking about how it made my parents feel killed me.”

Friday morning, March 28, a mock funeral was held for the 38 victims that had “died” the previous day. Christensen, Waters, junior Taylor Berns, and senior Abby Robinson all read statements they had written to their parents. This proved to take an emotional toll not only on them but also on the rest of the students and parents in the audience. Senior Dillion Cox said, “I cried like a little girl.”

The assembly also included a presentation by a woman from Glenwood whose husband was one of four motorcyclists killed by a drunk driver in 2010. She explained how the effects of a drunk driving accident ripple through many, many people’s lives.

At the close of the assembly, the “victims” were then reunited with their parents, involving a lot of hugs and tears.

Overall the program turned out to be very impacting and successful. Guidance Counselor Jennifer Thurston said, “I think overall it went well. I was really impressed with ALL of the juniors and seniors who witnessed and participated. They were all very respectful of the program.” Freund said, “I had a very positive experience and I hope everyone took something from it.” A majority of the student body agreed they will think twice before they drive impaired by texting or drinking.