Sirens pierced through the air while students and staff looked on at the gruesome scene before them. Many had tears in their eyes as the victims unleashed blood-curdling screams of pain and grief. An emotional Mrs. Salle wailed, heartbroken for her “daughter,” but kept at arm’s length by law enforcement officials. There were too many victims that day–taken away in an ambulance, poised to be air-lifted to the hospital by helicopter, or loaded into the hearse to be transported to the funeral home. Thankfully, this scene was a staged one, an elaborate and poignant DUI renenactment meant to touch the hearts and minds of the entire WMHS community. It worked. WMHS has not had a DUI reenactment in several years and much credit is due to Ms. Theresa Fernbacher, a senior here at the high school. This tremendous event would not have been possible without her. “I was at a CASA dinner talking to police officers about the ‘Dizzy Challenge;’ they brought it up to coordinate a meeting with the school and I ended up coordinating the whole event,” Fernbacher said. Fernbacher, the oldest of three children, is planning to attend Stockton University in the fall, majoring in event planning, mainly corporate events. This event surely showcased her skill in this area and is a testament to her abilities, her drive, and her passion. Even when she was unable to meet with staff members in person to coordinate particulars of the reenactment, she would Skype and do video chats to ensure every detail was attended to and covered in a timely fashion. Fernbacher says, “ …lots of hours, almost every night, were spent calling people so everyone knew their responsibilities before, during, and after the event. I can’t even count the hours, but it was so worth it.” Many thanks are extended to the EMTs, police officers, firemen, helicopter crew, funeral home director, the News12 news crew, the salvage/wreck yard owners who provided the cars, the teachers, staff, students and surely countless others who are not listed, but not unnoticed, who invested a great deal of time and energy into such a worthwhile presentation. While it was quite difficult to watch, that is the point. Principal Paul Gorski issued this heartfelt statement, “It was such a moving event because you had all different persepctives. You had the student actors and they really put the young adult persepective into it as a young adult can relate to. We as adults and parents related very much to Ms. Salle–that was very emotional for me personally when she came out of the car and yelled, ‘My baby! My baby!’” Though Mr. Gorski’s children are very young, he shares the notion that this is every parent’s worst nightmare. “In that event,” he continued, “there was something everyone could directly relate to. That’s why it was so powerful. If it were just teachers and staff trying to teach a lesson, it wouldn’t have been as impactful; it would have been just another lecture worn thin.” As students quickly approach prom weekend, graduation and all the festivities connected to such milestone events, may the impact of the reenactment images remain with them. Hopefully the reenactment was a not-so-subtle message for students and adults alike not to drink and drive. The consequences thereof can be life-altering …or life-ending. Fernbacher believes that this event will become one that takes place every two years. She has given over a binder full of planning details to Mrs. Reda who is going to take the reigns on this program. Fernbacher states that the event would not have been successful without the assistance of Ms. Gwinnet, Mrs. Reda, Mrs. Potzer and Mr. Gorski, “They were all wonderful; I couldn’t have done it without them.” At the conclusion of the reenactment, there were several students who went around the school as part of the “Every 15 Minutes” program. With white faces and t-shirts stating the purpose of their silence, students walked the halls representing those who lose their lives, one every fifteen minutes, due to drinking and driving or texting and driving. The purpose is to send a message about personal safety and the “responsibility of making mature decisions when lives are involved” (http://www.everyfifteenminutes.org/aboutus/). Another component of the programs Fernbacher arranged is the “Dizzy Challenge”. The “Dizzy Challenge” campaign is designed to raise awareness and prevent substance abuse in our community. Community members are challenged to spin around multiple times with their heads down and then attempt to walk or run in a straight line. This is intended to simulate the effects of substances on individuals during a sobriety test. Follow #dizzychallenge on Facebook and Instagram. Students can complete the challenge, then upload the video and nominate three other groups or friends to participate. You can also check out the video of the DUI reenactment at www.youtu.be/ywDPdtBlmbQ. Inside the auditorium the freshman and sophomore classes were met by Detective Darnsteadt and two young men who have walked the dark path of addiction, suffering through years of pain and loss, but who, thankfully, have emerged on the other side. Now the two are healthy again, and hoping to make a difference in the lives of young people by sharing their stories. Students listened attentively as the men told tales of their addictions, how they progressed from one drug to the other, resorted to stealing, losing most of what they valued in life like sports, jobs, friendships, and family members. They shared the most difficult of details including failing classes and being kicked out of school, being arrested and times of trial like living out of a shed in the backyard. The courage these two men demonstrated in addressing an auditorium full of teenagers is admirable. With the assistance of Detective Darnsteadt, both are in recovery and doing well.