'It Was Pretty Traumatic': Liberty Students Return Home After Serious Crash During Trip

A Liberty teacher and six of her students are back home after being hospitalized following a serious crash on the way to a convention in Georgia. Many of the students went on to the event following the crash despite the terrifying start to the trip.

Amanda Williams says she was driving an SUV carrying herself and six members of the high school’s Beta Club, which is an honor society that is based on service. Williams says a car smashed into the back of their SUV, shoving them into the school bus in front of them.

“We still have students that are having problems with soreness, whiplash, things like that,” said Williams. “I expect that to take some weeks for everybody to heal from that.”

Williams is one of the sponsors for the club who was on the trip.

“It was pretty traumatic on the kids; it was pretty traumatic on the adults,” she said. “We persevered, and the kids impressed me beyond measure.”

Despite losing a lot of art projects in the crash, Williams and most of the members decided to go on to the national Beta convention in Savannah, Georgia. They made the decision with the blessing of the students who had to stay in the hospital.

Many of the students stepped up and still found success at the convention, even after the disastrous start. Williams says the ride home was much smoother, and it was capped off with a welcoming committee.

“There was cars lined up, they were honking, they had streamers, they had police cars and firetrucks,” she said. “It really made us feel supported. Very supported.”

Liberty’s Beta Club is already looking forward to next year’s nationals in Orlando.

“I cannot wait to see what we can accomplish when we’re not traumatized and injured,” said Williams.

They are raising money to travel by air next time. The club has partnered with Big Blast Fireworks off Highway 75 near Glenpool to fundraise.