Students aren’t sure what to expect when they come into a room with a “Funeral Home” station complete with candles, flowers and a black tablecloth set up in the corner. “This is definitely not your typical lecture about dating violence,” says Rhonda Evans, Program Assistant for Parenting: It’s a Life (PIAL), a program on the Iowa State campus dedicated to educating 7th-12th grade students across Iowa about important topics that will significantly impact their lives. Students appreciate this engaging, hands-on approach to learning. Under the leadership of Parenting: It’s a Life Outreach Coordinator Jo Ann Lee, PIAL purchased and enhanced “In Their Shoes” which is a simulation developed by the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence that allows students to walk in the shoes of someone who is experiencing teen dating violence in an unhealthy relationship. Although the names have been changed, the stories are real. One of the characters in “In Their Shoes” is named Cara but is based on the true story of Dayna Fure who was killed by her ex-boyfriend ten days before her 18th birthday.
