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‘It felt real’: WMU’s Operation Prom sends chilling message to students ahead of big night
With prom just around the corner, WMU holds mock crash and funeral to demonstrate the dangers of impaired driving
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WINFIELD — With prom season approaching, Winfield-Mt. Union High School staged a chilling reminder of what can happen when celebration turns into tragedy. Operation Prom, a realistic simulation of a deadly crash involving impaired driving, left students in stunned silence — and for many, tears.
“A goal that we have is to prepare students for their time after WMU,” said Principal Gaige Gill. “Teaching them about life choices, decisions they make, etc. has been something we've worked on throughout the year.”
The event featured a staged crash scene with student actors, emergency responders, and even a mock funeral — complete with a casket and a eulogy. Gill said the power of the presentation came from the realism and community involvement.
“We're in a county and community that has some amazing first responders,” he said. “This simulation has been completed at least four times at WMU over the last 30 years. I'd like to do this version every four years.”
One of the students who took part in the simulation was junior Ella Kann, who portrayed an injured survivor.
“During this experience, I was conscious with two broken limbs,” Kann said. “I had to scream and yell for help as I tried to wake my friends who were unconscious and dead not knowing they wouldn't wake up.”
Though staged, the crash felt terrifyingly real for those involved.
“It was a very powerful feeling,” Kann said. “Screaming at the top of my lungs while my friends were bleeding, not awake, and even through the windshield. Even though it wasn't real I felt alone and scared. Felt real. But overall a cool experience and I'm glad I was chosen to participate.”
Gill said choosing the right students for the roles was a deliberate decision meant to maximize the emotional impact.
“I chose students to participate who serve in leadership positions already and who I thought would make a big impact on the rest of the students,” he said.
The emotional toll was especially heavy for Kann, who had to act alongside a close friend who played the crash victim who “died.”
“One of my best friends was the one who 'died',” Kann said. “It was really hard to see her like that and especially seeing her funeral. Seeing the pictures, pictures of me and her, was really a heartfelt experience and it really felt real.”
Another junior, Kaelyn Townsley, portrayed the student who died in the crash. She said being the person mourned by her classmates brought an unexpected weight to the role.
“The one that passed away,” she said of her part in the simulation.
“It felt very weird but also I was glad to be a part of it,” Townsley said. “If I was asked to do it again I would because I feel it is impactful to students.”
The experience became even more intense during the funeral portion of the event, where Townsley laid silently in a casket as students and staff filed past to pay their respects.
“Laying in the casket and having the students walk by me,” she said, “also watching the video for my funeral play in front of the school made me cry because it made it seem real that I actually wasn’t there.”
Gill said adding the mock funeral was different for this year — and intentional.
“We decided that the funeral would be a part of the event that could really create an impact on students,” he said. “The fake deceased student was in a casket, two friends and her mom walked out with me the M.C., I gave a eulogy, and we watched a slideshow of her life.”
For Townsley, the experience didn’t just change how she views prom night — it shifted how she sees everyday decisions behind the wheel.
“I would not want that to happen to me or have to go through it with one of my friends,” she said.
The impact of the program went far beyond the gymnasium. Both students and faculty were visibly moved by the experience.
“I think the school’s reaction was very sincere,” Kann said. “I saw my classmates and teachers cry at the simulation. You could tell it hit them hard and got them thinking and wishing this never happens for real.”
Townsley agreed.
“Some were very impacted by it, but others didn’t take it as seriously,” she said. “All of my friends talked about it and how they were impacted. They were pretty upset and after the funeral some of my friends had to come see me to help them feel better after it.”
Gill said feedback like that confirms the value of the event.
“Student feedback is a good place to start,” he said. “Mrs. [Taylor] Rodgers-Jennings gave a writing assignment that week that students chose the event to write about which gave feedback. Looking at students' reactions during the event and after the event, you could tell that it made them think about their choices.”
Both Kann and Townsley strongly believe the simulation should continue in future years.
“I think it is an important thing and something others need to see,” Kann said. “It's a good thing to see what could happen if you're not smart and prepare them for the future.”
Townsley said she thought the simulation should return because “It gets the point across to students and really impacts your decisions on what you are going to do. It makes them think of what could actually happen. It helps with just daily driving also — not just prom night — because this could happen at any time, you never know.”
The event was designed with student well-being in mind. Gill said counseling and opt-out options were made available.
“Students had the option to opt out with no consequences,” he said. “After all of the events they had a session with a teacher to talk about any distress. Our social worker was on hand as well to help students with any distress they might have. Our AEA social worker was also on hand throughout the day.”
Planning the event took months of collaboration between the school and emergency responders. Gill said the local support was instrumental.
“There was a lot of collaboration from local experts,” he said. “Chris Gerling deserves the most credit for the event's organization. We've been meeting for months discussing what the school would be comfortable with and what would be possible.”
WMU plans to continue the program on a four-year cycle and introduce similar life-prep events more frequently.
“Yes we will plan to host this event again,” Gill said. “I'd like to do different types of events each year to give our students a variety of experiences. I'd like to build our students up so they are as prepared as they can be for as many things as life throws at them.”
As for the takeaway, the student participants hope their classmates remember what they saw — and how it made them feel.
“Seeing the way it affected others and the feeling it gave me, I hope I never have to feel like that again or anyone else,” said Kann.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
