STARKVILLE — As images of mangled vehicles and car accident victims flashed on the Greensboro Center auditorium screen Tuesday night, many of the 40 or 50 Starkville School District students in attendance had to avert their eyes.
For many, the images shown in the California Highway Patrol”s “Red Asphalt” driver education video were just too graphic.
But that was the point, said Mississippi Highway Patrol Public Affairs Officer Brian Mobley, who showed the video about the consequences of irresponsible driving as part of the Project Pass town hall meeting at the Greensboro Center. Project Pass is a U.S. Department of Education alcohol-prevention program under way at Starkville High School and in other school districts around the country.
The town hall meeting Tuesday featured performances by Starkville High School”s Project Pass dance team, dubbed “H.Y.P.E.,” or Helping Youth Through Prevention and Entertainment, but it also allowed students and their parents to see firsthand what has happened to drivers who operated vehicles while under the influence or drove in an unsafe manner.
“The thing I really wanted y”all to get out of that is this is not something you hear about, this is not something you talk about, this is not something you see on TV in another city or another town,” Mobley said. “Stuff like that happens right here in Oktibbeha County and I know a lot of you don”t really realize how precious life is … you don”t realize how precious you are to your parents.”
The video had the desired effect on Henderson Intermediate School sixth-grader Treyvez Johnson, 12, and his mother, Donna Johnson, who were in attendance to support Donna Johnson”s niece on the H.Y.P.E. dance team, Shanquella Roberts.
“I was glad that there was somebody to bring something, some real pictures, so the children could really see what happens in these wrecks,” Donna Johnson said. “They could see it with their eyes and not just go by hearsay.”
Treyvez Johnson said he was glad Mobley showed the video as part of the Project Pass program.
“I got a really good message out of it,” he said. “The clips that they showed were very interesting and I learned a lot.”
Treyvez Johnson also said he would like more people in Starkville to see the consequences of driving under the influence so it would cut down on the high number of dangerous motorists on the road. The Starkville Police Department arrested 430 people for DUI in 2009 while the Oktibbeha County Sheriff”s Department arrested 265 during the same 12-month period.
“I think it would help the community,” Treyvez said of the video. “I wish they would make it a public thing where it”s not just the kids (watching the video). They should make it more like a public thing where people could come.”
Oktibbeha County Sheriff Dolph Bryan urged those in attendance to avoid driving under the influence and to make smart decisions while out on the road.
“I”ve had to tell too many parents that their child wasn”t coming home,” Bryan said. “I”m real concerned about the amount of drugs and alcohol that are out there and are available to young people in Oktibbeha County.”
Project Pass coordinator Linda Walker said she hopes the program will “change (students”) attitudes and deter that type of behavior.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.