LOWER LAKE — Every 15 Minutes, a national program named after the fact that in 1992, every 15 minutes someone died due to an alcohol-related crash, continued on Lower Lake High School”s (LLHS) campus Wednesday. It is the eighth year of the program that occurs every four years on the campus.
Students on campus said the events were powerful. The two-day program included a simulated DUI crash-scene viewed by 750 students, a parent and student retreat held Tuesday evening and a wrap-up assembly Wednesday.
Jackquelyn Leffler, a 17-year-old senior at LLHS, was one of the students who “died” due to a DUI accident. She participated in an overnight student retreat held at Lake Escape Resorts in Clearlake with about 30 additional students who were chosen to portray victims during the events.
“Officer Perdock showed a video of three accidents. I actually knew one of the girls in one of the videos ? No-one in that accident survived, everyone had been drinking. Every photo and video showed young people, so it was very powerful,” Leffler said.
Nicole McKay, whose 16-year-old daughter Danielle McKay participated in the events as one of those who died, said as a parent Every 15 Minutes was “one of the most emotional or profound experiences I”ve gone through.”
“I still feel it as an after-affect. I don”t know how to describe it ? the death notification was really hard, it”s not anything you ever expect,” McKay said.
She said another parent at the retreat held Tuesday evening said it best, “God doesn”t usually give you a do-over ? we got that chance to do it over. I”m thankful for that; I can only imagine what it would be like to live with that horror on a daily basis,” McKay said.
She attended the simulated DUI crash-scene on campus Tuesday and said seeing her daughter”s face was one of the experiences that affected her the most. “I feel like I could get choked up thinking about it ? Things like this that make you think about it even more ? it really hits home, it”s a wonderful program as hard as it is, I feel honored to have participated,” McKay said.
Administrative Secretary Connie Spriet”s son participated in the first Every 15 Minutes held at the campus eight years ago. She said other office staff also had children who experienced the first event and all think it has had a lasting effect on their children, now in their 20s.
“It does have a lasting effect ? to this day they get into cabs when they go out,” Spriet said.
CHP Officer Adam Garcia said the program is “very effective” and hopes it will help the entire community. “It”s worth it for one person [if one person”s life is saved as a result of the event],” Garcia said.
LLHS 16-year-old 11th grader Anna Southerland participated in the event as a DUI crash victim, and attended the student retreat later that day. She said during the retreat students heard from speakers including a young woman who lost a leg in an accident. Another part of the retreat was writing a letter to loved ones. “It was so hard. You really think about, ?what if I really was gone?””
Southerland said she thinks the activities will help prevent drinking and driving. “I know it will for me, I hope it will for other people.”
While only about 30 students were chosen to participate as victims and in the crash-scene; she said those students are “definitely” sharing the experience they had during the events and retreat. “Today people would come up to me and give me a big hug ? it”s really emotional for a lot of people.”
Contact Elizabeth Wilson at ewilson@record-bee.com
