‘Shattered’ effort nets state kudos for teachers, city employees
Published: 09.03.08
A Pearland High School teacher and two city employees recently earned kudos statewide for their role in protecting high school students from underage drinking and impaired driving.
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Shattered Dreams Coalition and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on July 25 honored 14 individuals across the state for their dedication in making the Shattered Dreams program a success this year.
Trent Henley, PHS broadcast journalism teacher, was nominated for the Passionate Educator Award, while John DeSpain, Pearland Police Department officer, won the Public Servant Award and Sarah Beth Abbott, Pearland Emergency Medical Services, was nominated for the Catalyst Award.
Henley, DeSpain and Abbott helped coordinate the Shattered Dreams event May 8 at PHS. Held before prom weekend, the high school program used PHS student actors and local emergency personnel in a staged three-vehicle collision to demonstrate the consequences of alcohol behind the wheel.
As PHS students watched behind yellow tape, student actors and local police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians enacted the collision response from a bystander dialing 9-1-1 to a real ambulance and Life Flight helicopter rushing victims to the hospital.
Henley and his video broadcast students filmed the events leading up to the mock crash as well as the aftermath of the collision, producing a 23-minute video that was shown during student assemblies May 9.
In addition to the crash, Henley’s students filmed everything from party and hospital scenes to a booking at the Pearland jail and a funeral at Clayton Funeral Home.
“It was a two-month production process -- the most involved project ever for my students. We did nonstop editing the day of the crash scene,” Henley said. “This was an exciting opportunity for us to use our skills to promote the mission of Shattered Dreams: reducing underage drinking and driving.”
The public may view students’ video on Pearland CityView Channel 16.