Lake Zurich High students witness mock accidents before prom
About 900 Lake Zurich High School juniors and seniors watched in silence Wednesday as firefighters used the "Jaws of Life to free classmates from two cars involved in a drunken driving "accident."
It was all part of a pre-prom demonstration on the dangers of drinking and driving coordinated by the school and the Lake Zurich police and fire departments.
"We generally have very positive feedback from the kids and that it does have an affect on them. They do take the lessons with them as best as they possibly can," said Assistant Principal Ryan Rubenstein.
Seven drama class students were staged with realistic-looking injuries. Two played corpses, and one impaired driver went through the process of being arrested.
This was a multijurisdictional and multiagency response including police and fire departments from Wauconda, Long Grove and Countryside as well as the Lake County coroner's office.
"It was powerful to see it all go down," said senior Lauren Delatere after watching the event. "Hearing about it is completely different from seeing it."
Anti-drinking events also are being held at Libertyville and Vernon Hills high schools in advance of prom.
On Wednesday, around 300 Vernon Hills High School students donned fatal vision goggles and drove golf carts through an obstacle course. Students also had a chance to make a healthy choice by pledging to be drug- and alcohol-free. Those students are entered into a drawing to win a driving school trip or a football autographed by the Chicago Bears.
Other events planned are the AAA impairment driving simulator at Vernon Hills High School and guest speakers at both campuses.