EC Memorial HS students watch trauma simulation to encourage safe decisions while at prom

EAU CLAIRE — Although the trauma simulation at Memorial High School on Wednesday was just a demonstration, the reality of a car accident on prom night is still terrifying to imagine.

So when students gathered in the school parking lot to watch student actors, local law enforcement, fire department, Mayo Clinic Health System first responders and coroners acted out an incident involving drinking and distracted driving, Principal Dave Oldenberg told them one thing:

“The most important thing with the upcoming prom is to be safe. Have fun, and be safe.”

This weekend is Memorial’s prom, but Mayo Clinic, along with help from local organizations, has gone around to showcase these trauma simulations at a number of Chippewa Valley high schools before their big weekend. As for why, Joni Gilles, trauma injury prevention coordinator at Mayo Clinic, said it may hopefully get kids to think just a little about the consequences.

“I hope the benefits are that if you see what could happen in real life, if you see what the ramifications are, that you will think twice,” she said. “Call a friend, be the strong person and tell somebody ‘no’; take the keys away. And it is not just about drinking and driving, it is about distracted driving too.”

“Teenagers in general, they kind of think that ‘Oh, things can’t happen to me.’ So, to put on this scenario, it would hopefully make a bigger impact,” said Becca Seichter, a math teacher at Memorial.

As an advisor in their school’s Students Advocating for Excellence group, or SAFE, Seichter said she was able to connect with Gilles in the Mayo Clinic to organize this trauma simulation.

The simulation that played out ended with the driver of the vehicle surviving the crash. However, one passenger was paralyzed from the waist down and two other students died, showing that making poor choices has an impact on more than just yourself.

After the simulation, students gathered back into the school auditorium to hear from law enforcement, the fire department, a coroner and from a mother who spoke about her personal experience losing her daughter as a passenger in a drunk driving accident.

Although Seichter said the trauma simulation can be pretty shocking and heavy for some students, the simulation and discussion sends a message outweighing smarter decisions over potential tragedy.

“Our goal at Mayo is that we want people to live happy, healthy lives,” said Gilles. “And if you are in an accident like this, it can be tragic for the rest of your life… We want people living happy, healthy lives and living their best lives.”

With Memorial’s prom approaching, Seichter said, “We hope that kids will be safe and will make good decisions.”