Monday, June 24, 2013

COMIC / WRITING: Shattered Dreamers



Shattered Dreamers: Views collide on drunk driving education
by Bryce J. Parsons, for the April 30, 2004 Campus Corral

From a certain perspective, the accident scene reenactment on April 15 and the subsequent assembly the following day were of the utmost necessity for preventing drunken driving during the prom. The whole goal of the "Shattered Dreams" program was to prevent driving under the influence.

This is a noble cause because students should not drink and drive at any time. However, Right Choices for Youth made too many unnecessary additions to this year's presentation.

The accident reenactment was very detailed, and it was somewhat interesting to see how rescue operations take place. However, to fully reconstruct an accident scene and have the action play out for most of the student body was too much of a vain attempt at a shock factor, as most of the student body knew that the students involved would return to class unharmed the following Monday.

It is also noteworthy to say that with Shannon Medical Center only a mile away from Central by road, a mock emergency airlift by the AirMed helicopter was unnecessary. It appeared that the helicopter's presence was for nothing more than show, and was not essential for the reenactment.

At the assembly the following day, the members of Right Choices for Youth showed a video that graphically depicted the results of the mock accident, in addition to a recap of the previous day's events at the mock accident scene. After the video, the members of the club wept and spoke about the emotional struggles that they faced during the reenactment, and the pain that they felt afterward.

Emotions are genuine; however, the overdue stresses that the club members and their parents faced through that night may have been unnecessary due to too little of a major student response the following week.

One of the doctors who spoke during the assembly said that if a student dies in a car crash, the student's friends will grieve for a little while and subsequently move on. Such is the case with the shock factor and the tears: the student body was shocked at first, but the shock factor will have diminished come prom night.

However, if the whole ordeal prevents at least one automobile accident, the "Shattered Dreams" accomplished what it set out to do. In that sense, it was a success.



The Rebuttal
by Karen Brooks, for the April 30, 2004 Campus Corral

Recently, Shattered Dreams was questioned for its validity. Were the crash, living dead, and retreat worth it? Shattered Dreams is easy to defend because its purpose is to increase awareness of drunk driving and the choices that can take us too close to death. I will say it again: "Time was never money, time was never cash, nothing lasts in this life," - Switchfoot. The living dead, the crash scene and the "overdramatized" assembly were all necessary and appropriate because every dying person values his life, and his existence affects more than himself.

The goals of this world — power, money, and status — mean absolutely nothing to a dying person; he would give it all for one last kiss, hug, conversation or chance to tell that one person, "I love you." Death cannot be delayed, but the tragedies of drunk driving can.

Shattered Dreams had an intense impact on all its participants and, as a result, many students have decided to not drive drunk. All of the students involved in the assembly were truly shaken and shared their sincere testimony with the student body. If it seemed to be "too dramatic," then maybe life is not worth living. After experiencing the ramifications of driving drunk firsthand, no student can say, "I didn't know that I could take my life or someone else's life."

Students, you must now choose to risk driving drunk and shattering all of your dreams, or to stand up for the freedom and gift of life.


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