Crying parents, a Life Flight helicopter and the fictional death of a fellow student was the image that juniors and seniors were given at the graphic and powerful SKID (Stop Kids Intoxicated Driving) assembly. Coordinated by leadership, the assembly featured several students acting out the lead-up and aftermath of a car accident where alcohol was involved. Everything including the conversations between the students involved in the crash and the emergency response was depicted in great detail.

“We were really trying to instill the idea of just how serious this is to everyone and let them know that this could happen to anyone,” senior class leadership member Matthew Morneault said. “The main thing was trying to make everything go as smooth as possible, so everything was as real as possible.”

The assembly conveyed to students how truly dangerous drinking and driving is, not just for the driver, but for everyone involved. “All of your actions have consequences, so choose wisely. Know that what you choose may affect someone around, so try and be smart,” senior Kyleen Jones said about the message of the assembly.

Some students found the assembly hard to take seriously, but its message should not be taken lightly. “[I hope that] the realness of the situation that they presented to us and gave us the opportunity to do will stick with the student body,” senior ASB President Lauren Brown said.

Many students also shared the sentiment that the assembly and its message should be taken very seriously. “I think something to realize that, yes, it was a skit, but this is something that happens. And I don’t want people to think that it was cliche. People should walk away knowing that this does happen,” senior Rachel Gering said.

Many students found the assembly stirring and impactful. “I saw how serious it was, even to [Priaulx’s] parents who were distraught and they knew it was fake,” Morneault said.

The assembly concluded with a recording of Priaulx reading a poem expressing her sadness at her tragic death, and the medical examiner sharing some final sentiments of safety and care with the student body. “What really made me start to cry was [the poem], and the officer saying ‘this could be you,’” senior leadership member Alessandro Di Sabato said.

While some students had very emotional responses to the assembly, many found it eye-opening and thought-provoking. “It seems that everyone is a lot more in thought today. Like people will space out when they’re thinking. There’s a lot more of that especially when someone brings up the assembly,” Gering said.

The assembly certainly affected many students and hopefully will leave a lasting impact on all students. “I hope that in the long term, students can remember this as more than just a heart wrenching assembly, that kids truly take this into consideration when they’re making choices whether that be at prom, or in college and just down the road,” Brown said.

“Some people really take these situations for granted thinking ‘that won’t happen to me and I’ll be careful,’ but it’s good to really think about it and how it could happen to anyone. It could be someone you know, or someone you care about, or even you,” Jones said.