Road to Reality crashed back into North on April 18 for its seventh year.

North hosts Road to Reality to show the effects of drinking, texting and driving. In multiple scenarios crew members reenacted real scenes from incidents caused by distracted driving and driving under the influence.

This year the cast insisted of over 70 students, staff members, parents, policemen firemen, EMT’s, Edward’s Hospital staff, Will Country court and Wescom (911).

“The ER scene was so impactful for me. I was shaken when they announced the student’s dead,” senior Xitlali Alfaro said, “Then to top it off the mom came in and was crying over the death of her son, it was so realistic, it really made me think of my own mom and how she would be.”

Each scene used real props including a car involved in an actual crash caused by distracted driving.

“I definitely think it is a really creative way to demonstrate the negative effects or causes of drinking and driving or texting and driving,” junior Megan Newell said.

The night kicked off in the auditorium with a real car was on stage and a party scene. The cast members were having a party after prom, and one girl decided to get into the car and drive her friends to Taco Bell.

The students were driving while intoxicated and taking pictures on their phones. Then the lights went out, the audience heard a crash.

“911 what is your emergency?” a Wescom dispatcher said.

This year the event used a real 911 fall that was projected around the auditorium.

“It was very educational, and it hit hard when the 911 call went on because it shows how one tiny mistake can impact not only your life, but a bunch of peoples,” Ethan Briick said.

Then, the audience moved outside where real EMT’s, paramedics, police officers and firefighters were standing at the sight of a real car crash. The two cars outside were brought in from a true event that happened to a teenage girl.

“It’s so that they can understand the consequences of driving intoxicated or distracted,” Traffic Sargent Eric Munson said. “By witnessing the stark reality that there ill faded decisions can hopefully make kids choose wisely throughout their lives.”

Afterwards, the audience went back inside the building to witness doctors trying to save young man’s life who was involved in the tragedy.

Soon, the mother came in and was told the news about her son. She proceeded to break down not knowing how to deal with the loss.

“The whole scene was very moving and impactful; there isn’t much else I can say,” mother Kara Mulder said.

In every scene the cast members were either students or professionals who witness these kinds of tragedies more frequently each year.

“It’s good for kids to see it and have it embedded into their heads,” mother Monica Quagliano said. “For them to physically see their peers has a different effect because that could be it.”

The night continued with the opportunity to see real body bags and talk to the Will Country Coroner’s Office workers who described their jobs. The audience was given an opportunity to ask questions about what they had been through so far.

To end the series of event, the multipurpose room was set up as a real courtroom with a judge, attorneys and a young girl on trial for the deaths of her friends and drinking and driving.

“It made me realize that you don’t even need to be the one who drank to be affected by it and getting into a car drunk doesn’t only affect the driver but also other people on the road,” sophomore Mylee Bartz said.

Catalyst Director Tami Curry has been involved with Road to Reality since its inception, but this marks her fourth year of organizing and making the whole show come to life.

“Even when I was at a different school, I still came back for this event because it is so impactful,” Curry said.

This night is important to the students and staff at North to get the message across that there are consequences and long term effects to the irrational decisions made each day by teenagers.

“I think it was put together really well this year, and it is eye opening every time I go to see it,” junior Sam Kershner said. “ I feel that it is important to show what the consequences of distracted driving are from every perspective, and everyone did an amazing job doing that”