El Toro teachers nominated 400 students for Every 15 Minutes and Kathryn Scheidler, activities director, narrowed it down to 54 students.

Students had to write essays explaining why they should participate and how their “death” would have a major affect on their friends’ and family’s lives.

Scheidler said the students were chosen from different school cliques so that everyone could relate to them.

At the meeting on Jan. 12, Scheidler showed last year’s video and explained the importance of this production.

Senior Natalia Vasquez was nominated by Casey Moir, auto teacher.

“I kinda asked to be nominated because I’ve been dying to do this for all four years of high school,” Vasquez said. “If I get to the next cut, I know that my life will be changed by this.”

The Every 15 Minutes Program offers real-life experience without the real-life risks in hopes that students will choose not to drink and drive in the future.

On April 19, the “Grim Reaper” will remove a student from class every 15 minutes, and a police officer will read an obituary written by the student’s parents explaining the student’s “death”.

Junior Sam Maskell was picked to be one of the many “ghosts” thar haunt the halls during the two day program.

“I’m excited to participate in Every 15 Minutes because it plays a huge role in lives to see what could happen, and it influences a lot of kids to not drink,” Maskell said.
The students return to class as the “living dead” with white face make-up, a coroner’s tag and a black Every 15 Minutes shirt. From that point on “victims” cannot speak or interact with other students for the remainder of the school day.
“I’m happy to be a part of something so influencing,” Maskell said.