Immersive virtual reality experience provides Addison Trail students with firsthand look at military service

On Oct. 2, Addison Trail students had a unique opportunity to participate in a one-of-a-kind interactive experience hosted by the Army National Guard.

To view a photo gallery of the event, see the images above.

Through the immersive event, called Disasterville, participants learned how soldiers respond to real-life emergencies by taking part in a series of engaging virtual reality disasters, where they battled wildfires, navigated flooded neighborhoods and searched through earthquake debris. In each scenario, students faced a simulated natural disaster that challenged them to respond as a team and work together to help protect and save their community. The setup involved students physically interacting with equipment and their surroundings, while responding to situations unfolding via their headsets.

According to an article by Pfc. Stefanie Wulf, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Illinois Army National Guard, bringing Disasterville to Addison Trail gave students a firsthand look at military service beyond the traditional image of combat and allowed them to learn by doing. Read Wulf’s article at https://www.dvidshub.net/news/576348/beyond-combat-turning-gymnasium-into-disaster-zone.

For more information, go to https://nationalguard.com/disasterville.