Villa Park – (May 29th, 2025) – On Thursday and Friday May 29th and 30th, 2025 the California Highway Patrol Department (CHP) sponsored the “Every 15 Minutes” program at Villa Park High School. This program offered students real-life experiences without the real-life risks. This emotionally charged program is an event designed to dramatically instill in teenagers the potentially dangerous consequences of drinking and driving. It powerfully challenges students to think about drinking, personal safety, and the responsibility of making mature decisions when lives are involved.
On the first day, one student at a time is removed from class approximately every fifteen-minutes to simulate the statistic of someone dying due to drinking and driving. A CHP Officer and Orange County Sheriff's Deputy enters a classroom to read an obituary, which has been written by the “dead” student’s parent(s), explaining the circumstances of their classmate’s demise and the contributions the student has made to the school and the community. The student is then escorted out and becomes the “living dead,” complete with face make-up and a black shirt. “Victims” were not allowed to speak or interact in person or electronically with other students for the remainder of the program.
At approximately 11:40AM, a simulated traffic collision was viewed by Villa Park High junior and senior students along Taft Avenue. The OCFA (Orange County Fire Authority) and Paramedics arrived on scene immediately to treat and release “injured” student participants. Firefighters also used the Jaws of Life in order to extract any “injured” students from their vehicles. A “critically injured” student was also transported to Orange County Global Medical Center, where he was later pronounced “dead.” The California Highway Patrol (CHP) played a key role in the event by investigating the traffic collision and “arresting” then “booking” the student “drunk driver.” The student “under the influence” continued his experience with an actual trip to the Orange Police Department and then The Central Justice Center for “arraignment.”
Whether or not students were part of the audience or in the actual event itself, they were all able to experience firsthand the sensations of being involved in a tragic, alcohol-related collision.
The following day, May 30th, there will be a funeral assembly to honor those lost in the accident. This will include caskets, memorial photos, and parent/student eulogies.
This “Every 15 Minutes” production would not be possible without the support of the following agencies: CHP, OCSD, OCFA, Care Ambulance, Orange County Global Medical Center, Fairhaven Memorial Park, Deputy District Attorney Brian Orue, Film Ed Academy of the Arts, ACTIVE Entertainment, Scott’s Screen Printing, PFSO, Commissioner Donald Wagner’s Office, ATI Restoration, 5 Star Bagels, Archies Towing, Dunkin Donuts, City of Villa Park, and Jersey Mike's Subs.