On April 27th Park City High School held the annual senior class docudrama. The Docudrama is put on every year by drama students and faculty. The Park City Police and Fire Department help to reenact a scene of teenage drunk driving and the horrible outcome that can take place.
This year, Rebeca Sands, Caleb Figge, Stephanie Lewis, and Jacob Grodnik were the actors portraying the role of the students in the accident. The skit begins with a voice-over of the students leaving a party after graduation and sets the scene as they enter the car clearly under the influence of alcohol. The tarp was then removed from two cars involved in a head on collision. In the drivers seat sat Jacob, the passenger seat empty where Stephanie's lifeless body once sat, and in the back sat Caleb and Rebeca were full of fear. Quickly onto the scene approached two fire trucks, two ambulances and two police cars to attend to the four students and the mother and child they had hit (the mother played by Jenny O'Day, PTSO member).
Senior, Jungyoon Kim looked forward to the docudrama because he heard of the great but emotional experience the class of 2008 had. Park City High students can relate the trauma to their real life after the deaths of five Park City High students.
The reality was shown through the improvisation by students and the real life procedures performed by the police and fire department. The cars that were used in the scene are donated by the junk yard and some even damaged by similar accidents.
The officials first escorted Jacob out of the vehicle while questioning him on his intake of alcohol. They then began a sobriety test while spotting Stephanie's body sprawled across the hood of the car, and announced her dead at the scene by covering her with a blanket. Next, they took the mother out on a stretcher while life flight was called to the scene, she was then taken into the helicopter and her son, unhurt, was comforted inside a police car. With Caleb and Rebecca still in the back seat the fire department began removing the roof of the students car in order to get them out safely. With the wounded students being attended to, Jacob was placed in handcuffs and charged with manslaughter and up to twenty years in prison at age eighteen. Meanwhile the students watching from the stands were in awe to see the reality that could happen to one of their own peers. Adding to the building emotion, a hearse appeared on the scene to take Stephanie's body away.
The senior class was then led to the Eccles Center for a closure of Stephanie's "death" and presentation by guest speakers. Upon entrance into the Eccles, students were given a flashback of the incident by hearing the voice-over on the speakers once more. To begin the "memorial", a guest speaker and police officer shared a personal story about a close a friend of his who he lost to a similar accident at age fifteen. Relating to students, a Park City Firefighter talked to the seniors about the consequences of distracted driving, he said "Students may say I've got to get to El Chubasco or Jakes fast, but the decisions you make, big or small, may not be worth it." He teaches the students that "Someone else will have to live with your decisions."
Continuing the scene, Jacob appeared at the podium for an apology and explanation of his actions, he began by saying, "I just want to begin by saying I'm sorry to Stephanie's family." Next PTSO member, Jenny O'Day and child from the scene talked to students about drunk driving. O'Day explained to students how she lost her father at thirteen and how no child should have to experience losing a parent. She closed her speech sincerely asking students to "Have fun at prom but please return home to us safely."
Connecting to the students, Debra Lewis, Stephanie's mother, began her speech in memory of Stephanie, she said, "I believe I have the hardest role to face, talking about my daughter who loved to dance to the beat of her own drum." The idea of Stephanie's life actually being taken from her friends and family caused a lot of emotion in the audience. Debra continues with, "Stephanie's gift for connecting with people and caring for them was always admired." And shared a slideshow with pictures of Stephanie's life.
The reality that the seniors gain from the performance is made to help prevent driving under the influence. It portrays an alcohol related accident with a death and injuries of their peers. Many students take this experience into consideration after leaving parties and social gatherings.
Captain Lee Roy Fernandez trains annually for accidents like the scene put on by students. Fernandez said, "These types of accidents happen often with not just teens but people of all ages. Park City fortunately does not experience this serious of a scenario that often." Faculty, community members and officials hope to have gotten the importance and seriousness of drinking and driving across the the senior class of 2009.
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