School Board Recognizes Schwarz for Masuk's Mock Crash

A Mock Crash in the Masuk High School parking lot last month showed the senior class a dangerous scenario when drinking, texting and driving caused a deadly two-car-accident on prom night. Student actors, town police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel — even hearse drivers from Spadaccino and Leo P. Gallagher & Son Community Funeral Home — participated in the performance.

Supt. of Schools James Agostine, Masuk Principal Joseph Kobza and First Selectman Steve Vavrek were featured speakers, along with Lauren Blair, a member of Masuk's Class of 1997, who lives with injuries sustained in an accident with a drunk driver.

Agostine said, "I would never miss it for anything, because it's so critically important to remind students to be safe and not to get behind the wheel with someone who is impaired or to be impaired and be in that position. And the event goes so smoothly that you wouldn't think for a second that it required weeks and weeks of planning and phone calls."

Masuk Assistant Principal Mark Schwarz coordinated the Mock Crash and on Monday night the Board of Education recognized him as an "Exemplary Person" for his efforts.

Schwarz deflected credit saying, "It truly is a community organized event. It's not just a Mark Schwarz thing by any stretch. There's so many people on emergency services and on the school side that work together to make this event come true for all of the kids, so they can hopefully be inspired to make good decisions before the prom and for the remainder of the school year. Sometimes opportunities might arise for students to make bad decisions — so that's the whole point of it."

But Schwarz added, "I appreciate the recognition for sure."

Agostine said, "We do appreciate the efforts of all of the volunteers in town, but or all intents and purposes it is the 'Mark Schwarz Show,’ because without him pulling all those strands together you could never have such a meaningful event, so Mark, thank you."