Lincoln-Way West 'Road to Reality' a Success

Lincoln-Way West High School’s fifth annual Road to Reality project drew many students and parents to the event on Wednesday, Sept. 17, as part of homecoming week at the high school.

“Road to Reality was a huge success. We had well over 500 students, parents and community members come through. This is at least 100 more people than we had attend last year. We had 45 students in the event, 12 staff members who helped run it, fourteen coaches and sponsors who brought their teams or activities through, six members of the New Lenox Fire department, six New Lenox Police Officers and cadets, seven Silver Cross Hospital staff members, Judge Petrungaro from Will County, and Superior Towing who donated the car for the accident scene,” said Christine Petrovski, school social worker at West and one of the co-sponsors of the event.

“Students, parents and community members walked through the school as they observed the six-scene re-enactment of a drunk driving car crash and the consequences that follow. The event targeted 7-12 grade students to raise awareness of the physical, emotional, and legal consequences of underage use of alcohol and/or use of drugs and possible consequences of those choices,” stated Dr. Monica Schmitt, principal.

Schmitt added, “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.”

“Many parents wrote that they thought this experience was so valuable, that it should be an all-school assembly. Students also noted how the experience was eye-opening for them,” noted Petrovski.

Petrovski added, one student wrote, “Road to Reality was so real and intense. I knew not to drink and drive, but this really put things into perspective for me.”

“We want to thank the many people involved in Road to Reality including: Lincoln-Way West students; Will County Judge Petrungaro; the New Lenox Police Department; the Will County Coroner; the New Lenox Fire Department; the Silver Cross Hospital doctors and nurses; and the Will County Sheriff’s Department,” stated Schmitt.

High school students, community organizations, and emergency personnel participated by role-playing scenes along the Road beginning with a teen party where students were drinking and made the unwise decision to get into a car. The next stop that students made along the tour was the “accident scene,” a result of the teen’s poor choice to drive while under the influence of alcohol. This scene was complete with a donated car, emergency personnel, the Jaws of Life, and law enforcement. The scene following the accident was in an emergency room with Silver Cross Hospital ER staff and equipment. The group of students and parents then proceeded to the “coroner” where the parents and students were made aware of the difficult job the coroner had when dealing with the emotions of the parents of the deceased. The final scene was the “courthouse” and the sentencing of the teen driver for the DUI and involuntary manslaughter by a Will County judge.

Photo: Lincoln-Way West student actors (left to right) Emma Hahs and Fiona Bowers act out their parts in the Road to Reality project which drew many students and parents to the event as part of Homecoming Week at the high school. Students, parents and community members walked through the school as they observed the six-scene re-enactment of a drunk driving car crash and the consequences that follow.