To the Editor:

Sometimes it takes an entire community to keep our young people safe. On May 23, the day before the Princeton High School prom, junior and senior students witnessed a graphic and frighteningly realistic simulated drunk-driving car crash. From the first words of the amplified 911 call to the reading of the “obituary” of the “fatality,” the event sent a powerful message to its audience — drinking and driving can be lethal.

The re-enactment has been staged every two years since 2006 so that every 11th and 12th grader at PHS has the opportunity to witness how life can change in a matter of seconds. Putting together such a major event takes a great deal of energy, cooperation, and coordination, and many members of our Princeton community gave their time, their talents, and their support to the effort.

The Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad created, ran, and narrated an elaborate scenario in which two cars (provided by Stewart Towing) were involved in a head-on crash. Princeton Township and Borough police were on the scene in minutes, just as they would be in a real accident, and they performed a field sobriety test and subsequently “arrested” the “drunk driver.” The Princeton Fire Department and The Capital Health System also played important roles, as did Mather Hodge Funeral Home, which provided a hearse to remove the body of the “deceased.” As the PHS students watched the event unfold, their faces reflected horror, shock, and disbelief.

Crash Committee members from the community who must be thanked in person include Director Frank Setnicky; Greg Paulson, and Shannon Koch, of PFARS; Kim Hodges and Michael Cifelli, Princeton Township Police; Robert Currier and Steven Riccitello, Princeton Borough Police; and Robert Gregory from the Princeton Fire Department. Thank you to Princeton High School Principal Gary Snyder; Kurt Zimmerman, Media Department; PTO Presidents Cheryl McCormick and Bonnie Itkoff; Substance Awareness Coordinator, Gwen Kimsal; Diana Lygas; Jessica Baxter; the PHS guidance counselors who assisted at the debriefing; and Tony Diaforli, grounds crew at Valley Road. Coordinated by their English teachers, John Witherspoon Middle School sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students wrote persuasive essays to every PHS junior and senior, asking that they not drink and drive. These letters were heartfelt and passionate, and showed a wisdom beyond the students’ years.

Corner House and the Princeton Alcohol and Drug Alliance have been involved in and committed to this effort from the very beginning. The actors were all members of the Corner House Student Board, a group of seniors from Princeton High, Princeton Day School, Stuart Academy of the Sacred Heart, and The Hun School. They did a remarkable job. They, and their peers, are the reason why so many people come together to work on this project every other year. It is hoped that every student who saw the simulation will remember the message and stay safe and sober. May we never experience this tragedy in real life.

Wendy Jolley

Crash Simulation Committee