SKID teaches kids horrors of drunken driving

Orchards — Heritage High School students witnessed the horrors of a deadly drunk driving crash first-hand during the annual Stop Kids Intoxicated Driving program. A mock crash scene was staged at the school Sept. 18 — complete with gore, emergency workers and grieving parents — so kids could observe the potentially deadly decision to drink alcohol and drive. Many students were crying even before they were ushered inside for a “memorial service” held for senior E’Lon Mack, who played a victim. His parents, Sheila and Willie, also took part in the presentation, screaming and crying when they saw their son lying still and bloody on the hood of a car. The school’s DECA and P2AC clubs put on the program. “Everyone was very respectful during the presentation and negative comments were very rare,” said Irina Dolbinina, who helped coordinate the event with fellow senior Dana Cosovan. “Overall, it went really great and we feel that it was extremely effective.”