Ira ISD students shown consequences of drunk driving
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Snyder Fire Department Firefighter Andres Medina (left) began to extract the “deceased victim,” Alyssa Cowan, from the vehicle during the Shattered Dreams presentation at Ira Thursday. -
Department of Public Safety troopers Nathan Wright (left) and Chris Prince (right) “arrested” Garrett Hafer for driving while intoxicated.
One bad decision can lead to life-changing consequences.
Ira ISD junior high school and high school students got a taste of the effects of drinking and driving on Thursday. Last month, faculty members discussed the dangers of underage drinking. On Thursday, however, drunk-driving was their reality for the day, as part of the Shattered Dreams Program.
The program comes right before the summer break, giving students a real-life look at how a night of fun can turn into a disaster — for everyone.
“We would be naive to think underage drinking and drinking and driving doesn’t happen here,” said Charlotte Clifton, a volunteer who helped organize the Shattered Dreams scenario. “The event is supposed to make them realize, ‘This could have been me.’”
The student-produced mock crash was kept a secret to those who weren’t involved in the production.
The school day started normally for students, faculty and staff members until a 911 call was played over the intercom at 9 a.m.
Students then walked across the street to view the crash scene, where they saw classmates involved a two-vehicle crash.
The Snyder Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Scurry County EMS, Scurry County Sheriff’s Office, Cogdell Memorial Hospital and Snyder Fire Department were part of the scenario.
Students watched first responders pull their classmates’ bodies from the vehicles.
Students involved in the mock scene could be heard crying and holding each other as one student was arrested and taken away for drinking while driving.
One was declared dead and taken to the funeral home.
“I will remember this forever,” senior Madison Peterson said. “This was a big eye opener and it made me realize this can happen to me. It’s a bigger issue and needs to be addressed, especially in high school students. I think this made a big impact.”
Once the deceased victim, injured victims and drunken driver were removed from the scene, students returned to the school for an assembly in the cafetorium.
The assembly included a mock memorial service and a testimonial from Don Kennedy of Abilene.
His son died from injuries sustained in a drunk-driving accident that occurred in 2012.
“The entire experience was really sad and scary,” junior Ainsley Manning said. “You realize that not only are the people involved in the accident suffering, but all their loved ones. The mock memorial service and listening to his (Don’s) story was a big eye-opener and I hope everyone really listened to the message we were taught today.”