ORRVILLE, Ohio — Prom night is a night many high school seniors will never forget, but the memories can be comforting to some or haunting for others.
Inside the halls of Orrville High School, students say they recognize the dangers and the consequences that come with drinking and driving.
"My family could suffer, or my friends around me can be impacted and in a heartbreaking way," said Orrville High School senior Joshua Rittgers.
With the help of his video production teacher, Rittgers and his fellow classmates put together a short film, hoping to save a life.
"I love when anything is student-led because it shows that, you know, they really are going to care and they're going to really try hard and put a lot of effort in it," said video production instructor Mark Besancon.
A tall task for a class of graduating seniors, but the close-knit community of Orrville was there every step of the way. Local police, fire, and EMS teams all stepped in to help to teach a timely lesson.
"With kids, you really have to be honest with them. You have to be open and transparent," said OHS School Resource Officer Adam Moss.
"This is the real deal... it hits home," said Orrville Fire Chief Chris Bishop.
Although the makeup, special effects, and scenes were fake, the feeling was real.
"Just being an actor in a video, you know, you're just in front of a camera or whatever but it was kind of humbling to me too," said senior Bruin Haley.
"Seeing my other friends like that is like terrifying," said senior Mara Mumaw.
"If that were to be real, I would not know what to do, said senior Sophie Pertee.
Less than a month since they posted the film on YouTube and already more than 5,000 people have tuned in but the impact is far more significant than the numbers.
"A guy, I think he graduated from Orrville back in the eighties or nineties and he had lost a friend in high school through a similar incident and he said that it touched him and it was very realistic for him," said Rittgers.
