Every 15 minutes: El Rancho Presents the bi-yearly touching performance

Sierra Uribe, El Rodeo Staff Writer

April 18, 2023

The Every 15 Minutes program is a two-day program that consists of a reenactment of a fatal car crash and a funeral service. Student volunteers from both El Rancho and Salazar High came together to help students visualize the potentially harmful results of drinking and driving.

“I wanted to participate because I wanted to prove a point, this affected me emotionally but I learned from it,” said Israel Piza

This program was created with the hopes of sparking change by making Juniors and Seniors in high school think about drinking and driving and understanding the impact a simply wrong decision can have on their friends, family, and community members. “We run this event every 2 years but hadn’t been able to have it since 2019 due to Covid. The idea is that every student experiences the event as either a Junior or Senior” said Assistant Principal Ms. Leal.

With the help of local Highway patrol, law enforcement, hospitals, and medical responders, schools in California are guided in ensuring students are aware of the risks when driving under the influence. “Although the event can be emotionally charged, we really hope that it has a positive impact on ERHS and Salazar students,” said Ms. Leal

The goal of this program is for teenagers to understand that one wrong decision when under the influence of alcohol can be life-changing. Many people feel that it will never happen to them when in reality, we are not invincible. “We hope that this event challenges students to think before making choices that can alter the lives of others in an instant,” said Ms. Leal.

Drinking and driving along with texting and driving could be disastrous. When someone is under the influence and they decide to drink and drive, they are not only putting themselves at risk but everyone around them.

Dons, never drink and drive, stop and think, one wrong decision can be life-changing.