Shattered Dreams

[firstdown]

is in Argyle today. Has anyone's schools participated in this program and does it have any effect after the shock wears off? Pulled up their website and the pictures of wrecks they have staged are startling. I don't know if it works for the kids but it sure made this dad think.

[trojan37]

I looked at the website as well and it is startling. I think all schools should do this. However, the reality is you will still have that group of kids who will think it will never happen to them. They are sadly mistaken.

[firstdown]

Here's a link to the pictures of the Beaumont program:

http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/educa/ShatDreams2.swf

[pirate4state]

Sinton has done it in the past. I'm not real sure what effect/impact, if any, it had on the kids. Trojan is right, most of them still think it can't happen to them.

[buff4life]

Happened in Giddings, I was apart of it, it had a lot of kids in tears think it had an affect on some and temporary affect on most everyone except the kids "who are too cool for school"

[Gobbler Fan]

Cuero does the Shattered Dream Program . I know after my kids participated in Shattered Dreams we sat down with them and asked what they thought about it . As a parent you have to hope that even if it partially opened their eyes ... They now know that making one decision can be a life changing moment not only for them but many other people be it family or friends or the families of other people involved .


I think its a great program :thumbsup:

[RHCat1031]

I know the Marines(I was a Navy medic) had something similar to this. They'd have folks come in and show us GRAPHIC pictures of accidents and stuff like. Talk to us before going on a 96 hour liberty. Just to make us think not to drink and drive.

But, there are always those few that just don't listen. It will benefit the kids tho.

[mustang68]

We have experienced it twice here.
The first was incredible, I was even taken aback when I reached the scene; I just thought I knew what to expect. Was very powerful especially for those who participated in the presentation.

We repeated about four years later and did not have the same response as the first. There needs to be 5-6 years (minimum) between presentations IMHO to mantain its effectiveness.

Well worth the time and effort.

[kepdawg]

One of my best friends' car was used. Fortunately he was able to walk away from his accident. Be careful when eating hot pockets!

[BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END]

I don't like it. I hate the use of scare tactics to manipulate the masses. Use of pathos in this manner is just...wrong. At least that's my opinion. There are better ways to educate people.

[HEMOTOXIC]

Navasota has participated in the past. My place of employment, MHH The Woodlands, also participates. In fact, they should be filming there within the next month.

[ASUFrisbeeStud]

Originally posted by BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END
I don't like it. I hate the use of scare tactics to manipulate the masses. Use of pathos in this manner is just...wrong. At least that's my opinion. There are better ways to educate people.


I agree Gary, we (Sweetwater) did it when I was in High School, I don't think anyone took it seriously. Kids are gonna be kids unfortunatly, I actually knew a person killed in an alcohol related car wreck and it hit everyone hard for a little while and most people were back to their old ways pretty quick.

[Rabid Cougar]

Had it happen for REAL before this past football season. Even a real tragic event wears off after a while. Witnessed friends of the victims doing crazy things within two months of the accident.
Kids have that "it won't happen to me attitiude". In my line of work, I have seen that many, many times with tragic results.

As for the Shattered Dreams Program, the Parents of the "vicitms" are heavily involved in the process. It is not very comforting to write your son's obituary. They leave for school and they don't come home. There is the memorial service. It is way to real.

The use of scare tactics or graphic information ... nothing works better in regards to grabbing young people's attention.
I do not find it as manipulating the masses.... It is providing cold hard facts.

Stud and DE, I am interested in your ideas of "better ways" to get the message across.

[DDBooger]

Originally posted by BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END
I don't like it. I hate the use of scare tactics to manipulate the masses. Use of pathos in this manner is just...wrong. At least that's my opinion. There are better ways to educate people. It's why MADD and DARE programs, despite good intent, don't really do well when an impact analysis is run on latent outcomes.

[DDBooger]

Originally posted by Rabid Cougar


The use of scare tactics or graphic information ... nothing works better in regards to grabbing young people's attention.
I do not find it as manipulating the masses.... It is providing cold hard facts.
as a populous we have short attention spans, much less adolescents and teenagers. In fact it is well understood when researches assess risk analysis of teens and young adults that they are more willing to do things despite the barrage of institutional warning and parental influence. Nothing is more effective than direct personal experience. Hence the term, LEARN THE HARD WAY! haha

good parenting goes a long way, parenting that is INVOLVED in a kids life, not just passing 50 dollars for the weekend or "dad's cool cause he's never home and lets us party"

[Emerson1]

Originally posted by BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END
I don't like it. I hate the use of scare tactics to manipulate the masses. Use of pathos in this manner is just...wrong. At least that's my opinion. There are better ways to educate people.
Would you rather them just pass out fliers and hope the kids read them?

I know you were the perfect honor student in HS who sat at full attention during assemblies, but 99% of students zone anything being said out.

[Bone Pile]

Oh YEA it has a lot of effect on kids,teachers and parents that attend. They use kids from that school and they really look hurt. It is a really big effort by the local police,emergency personal,life flight personal,fire departments,school and everyone involved. If you did not know it was staged you would swear it was real. Even knowing so you have to try and tell yourself so. Very impressive and lasting thoughts that stay with the kids. VERY GOOD program.

[957tiger]

I have been involved in this program for many years. We have presented this program to all the schools in our county and are repeating the program. We target prom week as more accidents occur before and after the festivities. We get positive reviews from the students who want to listen. However shortly after one presentation one of the students involved in the program had a big party where multiple MIP's were issued. Her defense was " no one was driving so it was okay. Remember, some teenagers view things differently than others. As a whole the program is effective for the fence sitters or causual drinker. I would recomend the program for it has a message that needs to be told and heard.

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by 957tiger
Her defense was " no one was driving so it was okay.
:doh: :doh: Yeah, that always works.

[Rabid Cougar]

After doing several hundred similar programs for school children over 20 something years, you always ask yourself,"is it worth the time and effort ?"

You always have the smart a$$ kids who think they are too cool to listen and that they know better than you. My cynical feeling is "fine, let natural selection run its coarse just don't take a innocent victim with you".

However, If just one kid is impacted by what they hear or see. If one kid is influenced enough to give what they are about to do a second thought. If that kid makes a decision that keeps me from having to be there and inform his/her parent that their child is dead..... it is worth it.

The hard part is that I still have to be there for the ones that were too cool to listen or think they knew better.