Shattered Dreams program gives second chance

FACS presents drunk driving message right before spring break

LJ Haider, Alex Alvarado, and Laney Rendon|March 10, 2017

Close-up of the casket of Hannah Presley.

One truck upside down, another car bashed in and frantic students screaming. Crushed cans, broken glass and shattered dreams scattered across the scene.

Juniors and seniors came from their second period classes on Thursday to watch the aftermath of a mock teenage drunk driving accident as part of the biennial Shattered Dreams program. The audience stood in shock as members of the theater department showcased the crash to demonstrate the consequences of drunk driving.

“It’s honestly pretty terrifying, because this group is a friend group that we actually have inside of theater,” senior actor Emily Harrison said. “This is something that could honest-to-God happen after we hang out, after a rehearsal or something. It is a bit scary to see them like this and to have to be into that.”

Family and Community Services, theater and area first responders presented the program.

“Different organizations are helping out with different parts of it,” FACS teacher Lorri Niles said. “FACS students are in charge of the whole putting together this whole event. We coordinate it and get all the groups involved.”

Impacting each student differently, the goal of this program was to warn students of the negative effects of driving under the influence before school lets out for spring break.

“I’ve personally been involved in car crashes,” freshman Canon Facer said, “and my uncle died in one with drunk driving, so it relates in a personal way.”

After providing a real-life demonstration of the mock car crash, students went back to their classes, but the Shattered Dreams project was not over yet.

“I was a living dead, so we represented the people who died every 15 minutes from drunk driving, so we were pulled out of a class and we went and got our makeup done and then we walked around school not talking,” junior Miciaya Milani said. “I think it’s a really good way to show the other high school students how real it is and how drunk driving can affect everyone.”

On Friday, student council and choir participated in the mock funeral, which included guest speakers such as Sally Bratton and Cathy Presley, mother of mock crash victim, Hannah Presley.

“It was a matter of having to just stop and really think to reflect and realize who she is and what she means to us. It wasn’t easy,” Cathy Presley said. “It will be worth every effort put forth.”