It was all make believe at Orion Oaks Elementary School for a potential real-life crisis. Lake Orion Community Schools held a pandemic drill there Tuesday as part of a$250,000grant from Homeland Security shared with Clarkston and Oxford Schools.

Orion Oaks Principal Brian Kaplan says it helps his staff and first responders practice for what they hope will never happen.

"The Department of Homeland Security believes food may be the next avenue that schools are infested with, somebody may sabotage milk or water or something,and how would schools handle such a pandemic?" he said.

There were 104 such grants awarded throughout the U.S, with five of them in Michigan.

During a real-life crisis, grant facilitator Dr. Stephanie Daly says it allows school and first responder staff to act, and not just react. "So that every teacher will have on their desk a crisis plan and strategies that are best practices to respond to every kind of situation."

Daly says districts appreciate these grants given budget cutbacks that would not otherwise have the money available for such exercises.

Parents were given the heads-up to avoid a real-life panic, and 16 students took part in the drill pretending to be sick.

Kaplan says it wasn't difficultto find volunteers. "We have a high number of drama kings and queens that will be performing today. They're really excited, yes."