It started with a 9-1-1 call, reporting an auto accident at Los Alamitos High School on the morning of March 14. One student died at the scene and another died at Los Alamitos Medical Center in a staged drunk driving accident. It was part of the “Every 15 Minutes” event held by The Youth Center and several community sponsors.
Every 15 minutes, someone dies in an alcohol related accident in the United States. The two-day, realistic event takes place once every two years, teaching high school students and parents about the serious consequences of drunk driving.
“There really is no better way to teach people other than by experience,” said LAHS Principal Joshua Arnold. “This experience is the closest to actually experiencing death and loss of life because of poor decision making, without it actually happening.”
“The goal is to have students get a better understanding of the serious consequences of drinking and driving,” said LAUSD Superintendent Dr. Sherry Kropp. “If it helps even one student not to drink and drive, it’s worth it because we might have saved a life.”
There were a total of 28 students who had to apply and interview for the event along with a school-wide demonstration of the auto accident scene and assemblies. Four students were in the staged accident and the remaining 24 students were pulled from their classes every 15 minutes at LAHS to become the “living dead.” Los Alamitos Police officers read their obituaries to classmates and all that was left of them was a picture, black cloth draping their desks and a rose.
Earlier in the day, all the selected students’ parents were visited by law enforcement, telling them that their child had died in an accident. Meanwhile, the 4 accident scene students were aided by Los Alamitos Police Department and Orange County Fire Authority.
One student who died at the scene, senior Jennifer Claire Ottman, was taken away by hearse to Cypress Forest Lawn Mortuary while another student, senior Mary Ann Gilkenson, was taken into custody by LAPD for booking on vehicular manslaughter. LAPD Officer Paul Barbieri said it’s all about teaching good choices and that those choices affect many people.
One of the “living dead,” junior Sara Kass said it was kind of nerve wracking waiting and not knowing when she would be pulled from class by the grim reaper, Bruce Gormley. “Drinking and driving is stupid and nothing good ever comes of it,” said Kass. But for senior Alex Stelpflug, it was most emotional when she went to Los Alamitos Medical Center emergency room where her parents told her they loved her, and she couldn’t respond as she flat-lined and died there.
Scott Newton of the Seal Beach Lion’s Club said the “Every 15 Minutes” event has been going on since 1999, and that each time it brings out many emotions from the students. His daughter was in the event years ago and he said the message of not drinking and driving really gets through to the students.
“This emotional two-day event changes the lives of many families in our community,” said The Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme. “It puts a filter into their heads to make the right choices.”
“There is a reality to drinking and driving,” said The Youth Center’s Past Executive Director, Tom Stretz. “We try to give the students insight into those real life consequences as well as the parents.”
Stretz said the selected juniors and seniors apply for the event and are interviewed with it all being kept confidential. The students all must have parental permission to participate. Until the second day of the event, the selected students are invisible on campus, to simulate their demise. After being removed from class, they reported to the campus Performing Arts Center where they were issued a tombstone, and were made up into the “living dead” with cosmetics applied by Forest Lawn employees.
“It’s something that has a good message and is amazing to see it all come together,” said Cypress Forest Lawn Mortuary Supervisor, Alicia Burnstein. “It’s a group effort.”
The students then wore goggles to simulate what it feels like to be drunk and disoriented. They walked a field sobriety test and took breath analyzer tests after using mouthwash. All day long, the sequestered students could not talk to anyone outside the group and were not allowed to use their cell phones or outside social media either.
Matthew Brittain, a volunteer facilitator who was a part of the “Every 15 Minutes” event two years ago said that it impacted him so much he wanted to come back and help out. “We’ve got a good group of kids here and I feel like it’s going to make a big impact upon them.” “What’s incredible is watching the bond and friendships that come out of this.”
Next week, The News Enterprise will feature more of the “Every 15 Minutes” event and what the Los Alamitos High School students experienced.
Part 2
Los Alamitos High School students taking part in the “Every 15 Minutes” event on March 14 got a huge dose of reality when they were bused over to the West Justice Center in Westminster and to Forest Lawn Mortuary in Cypress. They witnessed a mock sentencing hearing for senior Mary Ann Gilkenson and later would experience a memorial service for senior Jennifer Claire Ottmon.
Appearing before Judge Debra Carrillo, whose own mother had been killed by a drunk driver, was especially emotional for Gilkenson. Her mother was in the audience and begged the judge for leniency. But the judge also listened to a murdered victim’s mother, who wanted Gilkenson to take full responsibility for her drunk driving and killing two students. After hearing from the parents, Judge Carrillo sentenced Gilkenson to 4 years in custody, and said if she had had a prior DUI conviction, she could have been sentenced to life for the murders.
An emotional Gilkenson cried through the proceedings, and was led away to the courthouse holding cell by the bailiff without getting to say goodbye to her mother. “I’m really sorry and I wish it was me who had died,” said Gilkenson.
After the courthouse, the students were then bused to Forest Lawn Mortuary in Cypress. There they met with Memorial Counselor, Jeb Price, who told them all about caskets, urns and how parents never want to have to plan for the death of their child. “You can be ambassadors to others, encouraging them to never drink and drive,” he said. “It’s so parents never have to plan for their funerals.”
There was then a mock memorial service for victim, senior Jennifer Claire Ottman, complete with casket, flowers, eulogy and CD show of her life. Several of the students were very emotional during the service as Ottman’s life was shown to Garth Brooks’, “The Dance.” By the end of the memorial service, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place as her best friend lit a candle in her memory.
After the service, the students were brought back to a hotel where they spent the night away from their parents, writing “goodbye” letters to them while parents conversely wrote their farewells while away from their children.
The morning of the next day, the students attended a school-wide assembly where they watched video of yesterday’s events and listened to a testimonial from an alcohol and substance abuse counselor who spoke about his own personal experience with having killed his brother in a drunk driving accident. Parents and students then shared the letters they wrote to each other, and were finally reunited.
Parents of Allison MacOfsky, Larry and Leanna MacOfsky said, “We were really happy that our daughter was selected and are looking forward to seeing how it worked out.” “Even though you know it’s surreal, I started shaking, and had to remind myself it wasn’t real (when the police notified him at home that his daughter had died in an auto accident),” said Larry MacOfsky.
“It’s scary that this could be real,” said Alice Melamed, mother of student David “Rex” Halafihi. “I’m sad since there are so many kids that don’t get to experience this, and I’m thankful the LAUSD has this.”
Student Christian Franzen’s father, Cliff Franzen said, “It was interesting and emotional although I was expecting the event. I had a moment of doubt that it wasn’t real when the police came and told me my son had been killed in an auto accident.”
“Today is like a second chance with my son,” he continued. “It all was a good opportunity to reflect.” “Hopefully the kids will make smart choices.”
The “Every 15 Minutes” event was made possible by The Youth Center and several community sponsors including the Care Ambulance, Cypress Forest Lawn, Ganahl Lumber, Los Alamitos Unified School District, Los Alamitos High School, Los Alamitos Medical Center, Los Alamitos Police Department, Mr. C’s Towing, Orange County Fire Authority, Seal Beach Lion’s Club, Seal Beach Leo Club, Seal Beach Police Department and West Justice Center-Superior Court. It was funded with a grant from California Highway Patrol and California Office of Traffic Safety. Three individuals including Los Alamitos Police Department Officer Paul Barbieri, Scott Newton from Seal Beach Lion’s Club and Seal Beach Leo’s Club, and The Youth Center Executive Director, Lina Lumme brought this event to the community.