Shattered Dreams: A Powerful and Innovative Program to Prevent Impaired Driving among High School Students
Shattered Dreams Program Guide
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to lose your child, your friend, or your classmate in a car crash? Have you ever thought about how your life would change if you were involved in a fatal accident caused by drunk driving or distracted driving? Have you ever wanted to prevent such tragedies from happening in your community?
Shattered Dreams Program Guide
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be interested in learning more about Shattered Dreams, a powerful and innovative program that aims to educate high school students about the dangers and consequences of impaired driving. In this article, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide on what Shattered Dreams is, why it is important, how it works, what are the challenges and best practices of implementing it, and how you can get involved. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of how Shattered Dreams can make a difference in your school and community.
What is Shattered Dreams?
Shattered Dreams is a two-day program that simulates a fatal car crash involving high school students who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The program involves student actors, emergency responders, law enforcement officers, hospital staff, judges, coroners, funeral directors, parents, teachers, counselors, clergy, and community members. The program is designed to create an emotional and realistic experience that shows the students the harsh realities of impaired driving.
The program was developed in 1998 by Lynn Rowe-Lottinville, a trauma nurse at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. She was inspired by her own experience of losing her brother in a drunk driving accident when she was 16 years old. She wanted to create a program that would prevent other families from going through the same pain and grief. Since then, Shattered Dreams has been implemented in hundreds of schools across Texas and other states.
The goals of Shattered Dreams are to:
Raise awareness among students about the risks and consequences of impaired driving
Reduce the number of alcohol- or drug-related crashes, injuries, and deaths among teens
Encourage students to make responsible choices and avoid peer pressure
Promote positive communication and cooperation among students, parents, schools, and communities
Provide support and resources for students who are affected by impaired driving
Why is Shattered Dreams important?
Shattered Dreams is important because impaired driving is a serious and prevalent problem among teens. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States. In 2019, 2,734 teens aged 16-19 were killed and 195,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Among those who died, 24% had alcohol in their system and 16% had marijuana in their system.
Impaired driving not only affects the drivers and passengers, but also their families, friends, and communities. The emotional, physical, and financial costs of impaired driving are enormous and long-lasting. Shattered Dreams helps to prevent these costs by showing the students the real-life impacts of their decisions. The program also helps to create a culture of safety and responsibility among the students and their peers.
Shattered Dreams is also important because it provides an opportunity for students to learn from their own experience and from others. The program allows the students to see, hear, feel, and reflect on what impaired driving can do to themselves and others. The program also exposes the students to different perspectives and stories from people who have been affected by impaired driving, such as survivors, victims' families, emergency responders, judges, counselors, and more. The program helps the students to develop empathy, compassion, and critical thinking skills.
How does Shattered Dreams work?
Shattered Dreams is a two-day program that involves several steps and activities. The program requires extensive planning and preparation from a dedicated team of organizers, volunteers, and participants. The program also requires collaboration and coordination among various agencies and organizations. The following is a brief overview of how Shattered Dreams works:
Planning and preparation
The planning and preparation for Shattered Dreams usually begins several months before the actual event. A core team of organizers is formed, consisting of representatives from the school administration, student council, parent-teacher association, local law enforcement, fire department, hospital, court system, funeral home, media, and other community partners. The team is responsible for securing funding and resources, recruiting volunteers and participants, obtaining permissions and waivers, developing a schedule and a script, arranging transportation and logistics, conducting training sessions and rehearsals, and promoting the program to the school and community.
Mock crash scene
The mock crash scene is the main event of Shattered Dreams. It takes place on the first day of the program, usually in the morning or afternoon. A realistic crash scene is staged on or near the school campus, involving two or more vehicles that have been involved in a collision caused by impaired driving. Student actors play the roles of drivers, passengers, victims, witnesses, and bystanders. Emergency responders arrive at the scene to treat the injured and transport them to the hospital or morgue. Law enforcement officers investigate the scene and arrest the impaired driver. A helicopter may also be used to airlift a critically injured victim to a trauma center.
The mock crash scene is witnessed by the entire student body from a safe distance. The students are instructed to remain silent and respectful during the event. The event is also recorded by video cameras and broadcasted live or later on the school's TV channel or website.
Grim Reaper visits
The Grim Reaper visits are another event that takes place on the first day of Shattered Dreams. They occur throughout the day at regular intervals. A student dressed as the Grim Reaper walks around the school campus accompanied by a police officer or a counselor. The Grim Reaper selects a student from each classroom who has agreed to participate in advance. The selected student represents someone who has died in an alcohol- or drug-related crash. The police officer or counselor reads an obituary for the student over the PA system while the Grim Reaper places a black cloak over the student's shoulders. The student then leaves the classroom with the Grim Reaper and does not return for the rest of the day.
The Grim Reaper visits are meant to illustrate how frequently teens die in impaired driving crashes and how it affects their classmates and teachers. The selected students are not allowed to communicate with anyone for the rest of the day except for other selected students. They are taken to a designated area where they participate in various activities related to impaired driving prevention.
Student retreat
Student retreat
The student retreat is an overnight event that takes place on the first night of Shattered Dreams. It involves all the student actors who participated in the mock crash scene as well as some of the students who were selected by the Grim Reaper. The student retreat is held at a nearby hotel or conference center where they are supervised by adult chaperones. The purpose of the student retreat is to provide a safe and supportive environment for the students to process their emotions and experiences from the program.
The student retreat consists of various activities that help the students to reflect, share, learn, and bond with each other. Some of the activities include:
A candlelight vigil to honor and remember the victims of impaired driving
A group discussion to express their feelings and thoughts about the program
A guest speaker who shares their personal story of being affected by impaired driving
A video presentation that shows the highlights and behind-the-scenes of the program
A letter-writing activity where the students write letters to their parents or loved ones expressing their love and gratitude
A fun and relaxing activity such as a movie night, a game night, or a karaoke night
Parent program
The parent program is another overnight event that takes place on the first night of Shattered Dreams. It involves all the parents or guardians of the student actors who participated in the mock crash scene as well as some of the parents or guardians of the students who were selected by the Grim Reaper. The parent program is held at a different location from the student retreat, such as a school auditorium or a community center. The purpose of the parent program is to educate and involve the parents or guardians in the program and help them cope with their simulated loss.
The parent program consists of various activities that help the parents or guardians to understand, support, and communicate with their children. Some of the activities include:
A mock funeral service to mourn and celebrate the lives of their children
A group discussion to share their feelings and thoughts about the program
A guest speaker who shares their personal story of losing a child to impaired driving
A video presentation that shows the highlights and behind-the-scenes of the program
A letter-reading activity where the parents or guardians read aloud the letters that their children wrote to them during the student retreat
A question-and-answer session where they can ask questions and get answers from experts on impaired driving prevention, teen development, and parenting skills
Assembly program
The assembly program is the final event of Shattered Dreams. It takes place on the second day of the program, usually in the morning. It involves all the students, staff, and parents or guardians who participated in or witnessed any part of the program. The assembly program is held at the school gymnasium or auditorium where they are seated according to their roles in the program. The purpose of the assembly program is to present a powerful and moving summary of the program and its messages to the entire school.
The assembly program consists of various elements that help to convey the impact and importance of Shattered Dreams. Some of the elements include:
A video montage that shows clips from the mock crash scene, the Grim Reaper visits, the student retreat, and the parent program
A testimonial from one or more student actors who share their experience and perspective from participating in the program
A testimonial from one or more parents or guardians who share their experience and perspective from participating in the program
A testimonial from one or more emergency responders, law enforcement officers, hospital staff, judges, coroners, funeral directors, counselors, clergy, or community members who share their experience and perspective from participating in or supporting the program
A guest speaker who shares their personal story of being a survivor or a perpetrator of impaired driving
A call to action for all students to pledge to never drive impaired or ride with an impaired driver
What are the challenges and best practices of Shattered Dreams?
Shattered Dreams is a complex and demanding program that requires a lot of planning, preparation, coordination, and evaluation. It also involves many challenges and difficulties that need to be addressed and overcome. Some of these challenges include:
Funding and resources
Shattered Dreams is a costly program that requires a lot of funding and resources to implement. The program involves expenses such as renting vehicles, equipment, and venues, hiring professionals and services, providing food and lodging, printing materials, and more. The program also requires donations of items such as clothing, makeup, props, and more. The program relies on grants, sponsorships, fundraisers, and donations from various sources to cover these costs.
Some of the best practices for securing funding and resources for Shattered Dreams are:
Applying for grants from local, state, or national organizations that support impaired driving prevention or youth education
Seeking sponsorships from local businesses or corporations that are willing to provide financial or in-kind support in exchange for recognition or publicity
Organizing fundraisers such as car washes, bake sales, auctions, raffles, or concerts that involve the students and the community
Requesting donations of items such as clothing, makeup, props, and more from local thrift stores, costume shops, theaters, or individuals
Managing the budget carefully and efficiently by prioritizing the most essential and impactful expenses and minimizing the unnecessary or excessive ones
Logistics and coordination
Shattered Dreams is a complicated program that requires a lot of logistics and coordination to implement. The program involves multiple agencies and organizations that need to work together and communicate effectively. The program also involves many details and variables that need to be planned and executed smoothly. The program relies on a dedicated team of organizers, volunteers, and participants who are responsible for different aspects and tasks of the program.
Some of the best practices for handling the logistics and coordination of Shattered Dreams are:
Forming a core team of organizers who represent the school administration, student council, parent-teacher association, local law enforcement, fire department, hospital, court system, funeral home, media, and other community partners
Assigning roles and responsibilities to each organizer and creating subcommittees for specific areas such as funding, recruitment, permissions, schedule, script, transportation, training, rehearsals, promotion, evaluation, and follow-up
Establishing regular meetings and communication channels among the organizers and subcommittees to update progress, resolve issues, and coordinate actions
Creating a detailed schedule and a script for the program that outline the timeline, location, participants, activities, and scenarios for each event
Recruiting volunteers and participants who are committed, reliable, and suitable for their roles in the program
Obtaining permissions and waivers from the school district, the parents or guardians, the students, and other relevant authorities for conducting the program
Arranging transportation and logistics for moving people, vehicles, equipment, and materials to and from different venues during the program
Conducting training sessions and rehearsals for all volunteers and participants to prepare them for their roles and expectations in the program
Promoting the program to the school and community through flyers, posters, announcements, newsletters, social media, and word-of-mouth
Evaluating the effectiveness and impact of the program through surveys, feedback forms, interviews, or focus groups with students, parents, staff, and partners
Providing follow-up support and resources for students, parents, staff, and partners who may need counseling, referrals, or assistance after the program
Safety and liability
Shattered Dreams is a risky program that requires a lot of safety and liability measures to implement. The program involves potential hazards and dangers such as injuries, accidents, trauma, or lawsuits. The program involves sensitive and emotional topics and scenarios that may trigger negative reactions or responses from some participants or observers. The program relies on strict rules and guidelines that ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved in or affected by the program.
Some of the best practices for ensuring the safety and liability of Shattered Dreams are:
Consulting with legal experts or advisors to review and approve the program's plan, script, permissions, waivers, insurance policies, and contingency plans
Following all local, state, and federal laws and regulations regarding impaired driving prevention, traffic safety, emergency response, health care, education, media coverage, and privacy protection
Ensuring that all vehicles, equipment, materials, and venues used in the program are safe, functional, and compliant with safety standards and codes
Ensuring that all volunteers and participants are physically and mentally fit Ensuring that all volunteers and participants are physically and mentally fit and prepared for their roles in the program
Providing adequate supervision and guidance for all volunteers and participants during the program
Providing adequate medical and psychological care and support for all volunteers and participants during and after the program
Providing adequate information and education for all observers and spectators about the purpose and goals of the program
Providing adequate warning and discretion for all observers and spectators who may be disturbed or offended by the program
Providing adequate debriefing and evaluation for all volunteers and participants after the program
Conclusion
Shattered Dreams is a powerful and innovative program that educates high school students about the dangers and consequences of impaired driving. The program simulates a fatal car crash involving student actors and emergency responders. The program also involves various activities that help the students to reflect, share, learn, and pledge to never drive impaired or ride with an impaired driver. The program also involves parents, staff, and community members who support and participate in the program.
Shattered Dreams is a complex and demanding program that requires a lot of planning, preparation, coordination, and evaluation. The program also involves many challenges and difficulties that need to be addressed and overcome. The program relies on a dedicated team of organizers, volunteers, and participants who work together and communicate effectively. The program also relies on grants, sponsorships, fundraisers, and donations from various sources to cover the costs of the program.
Shattered Dreams is an important and impactful program that can make a difference in your school and community. The program can help to prevent impaired driving crashes, injuries, and deaths among teens. The program can also help to create a culture of safety and responsibility among students and their peers. The program can also help to develop empathy, compassion, and critical thinking skills among students.
If you are interested in learning more about Shattered Dreams or implementing it in your school or community, you can visit the official website of Shattered Dreams at www.shattereddreams.org. You can also contact your local law enforcement agency, fire department, hospital, court system, funeral home, media outlet, or other community partner to see if they are willing to support or participate in the program. You can also talk to your school administration, student council, parent-teacher association, or other student organization to see if they are interested in organizing or volunteer