More than 25 emergency responders arrived at Akins High School in South Austin on Thursday at what appeared to be a fatal car crash.
Hundreds of Akins' students gathered outside as they watched officials examine the scene, arrest a student and carry their blood-covered peers into ambulances.
The scene was a simulation, but for many students, it was all too real.
"The message is really clear," said Brandy Williams, an eleventh-grader.
"And it should be," said her friend, Hannah Barnett.
Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton brought the program, called Shattered Dreams, to Texas in 1997 when he was the chief of enforcement for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Shattered Dreams has been hosted statewide, and Thursday's event was the first time the sheriff's office directed it.
"When I brought this program here to Texas, I wanted to address prom season and also spring break," Hamilton said. "I wanted to bring awareness to the kids that this is what happens when you make those bad choices."
In 2006, more than 1,670 people died in Texas in crashes involving drivers who were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
About a quarter of Texas high school seniors said they had driven a car after several drinks at least once a year, according to a 2004 survey conducted by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
More than 50 students braved the cold, rainy weather Thursday to serve as actors before participating in a retreat to discuss what they had learned.
"For the most part, the students have got the message," Hamilton said. "If it changes their minds during this spring break coming up, I think we've done our jobs."
mpresser@statesman.com; 445-3601
Article by StatesMan.com
Thursday, March 20, 2008
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