Lincoln-Way Central Hosts 'Road to Reality'

Lincoln-Way Central High School is sponsoring the “Road to Reality” project on September 16, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the high school in New Lenox.

“Road to Reality is an event targeting 10th grade students to raise awareness of the physical, emotional and legal consequences of underage use of alcohol and/or use of drugs and the possible consequences of those choices. Students will come to the high school and be greeted by a number of resource tables providing information, parenting help and activities. The purpose of this activity is to impact young people and their belief systems before they find themselves in a situation that requires them to make life-altering decisions.

“This year, as last year, we want to focus on high school sophomore students because we think “Road to Reality” is such a great program, the students are enrolled in drivers education, and the “Road to Reality” deals with making decisions about driving. However, all Lincoln-Way Central High School students are invited to come,” stated Steve Provis, principal of Lincoln-Way Central.

“Also this year, in cooperation with each other, Athletics and Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) are joining together to present a unified message of consequences of drinking and driving. During Homecoming Week, PPS invites Sophomore Athletic Teams to view Road to Reality,” added the principal.

High school students, community organizations and emergency personnel participate by role-playing scenes along the “Road” beginning with a teen party where students are drinking and make the unwise decision to get into a car. The next stop that students make along the tour is the “accident scene,” a result of the teen’s poor choice to drive while under the influence of alcohol. This scene will be complete with donated car, emergency personnel, Jaws of Life and law enforcement. The scene following the accident is an emergency room with local hospital ER staff and equipment. Next the group will observe the “regret room” where a teen expresses her deep remorse about the consequences associated with her poor decision-making. The group then goes to the “courthouse” scene and observes the sentencing of the teen driver for the DUI and involuntary manslaughter by a Will County Judge. The final scene is the “coroner” where the parents and students are made aware of the difficult job the coroner has when dealing with the emotions of parents of deceased underage drunk drivers.

The “Road to Reality” tours will begin in the Rosenquist Theater. While waiting for the tours to begin, the students will be able to browse the resource tables and talk to educators in the field of safety and substance abuse located in the cafeteria. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes. Six tours are available. The first tour leaves promptly at 4:30 p.m. followed by the next at 4:55 p.m. and then every twenty-five minutes. The last tour will leave at 6:35 p.m.

Students volunteering as actors and tour guides are: Abby Rose, Mary Kate Cullen, Amanda Minetti, McKenzie Hennessy, Ashley Korpitz, Michael DeGroot, Chad Strache, Nathan Chianelli, Cole Moss, Nicolette Esparza, Emily Fitzpatrick, Nina Traci, Emily Shepard, Nina Torres, Emma Wendt, Olivia Persin, Gabriela Gross, Rachael Peavler, Heather Widlacki, Sarah Ortman, Jordan Brown, Sarah Rushing, Katie Wozniak, Skylar Bojan, Kyle Farmer, Taylor McGovern and Kylie Cousins.

If you have any questions, please call Laurie Knick at 815-462-2255.