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Youth Voices...Grown-Up Choices!
May 2014Volume 13, Issue 5
Teen Driving Safety
National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere
322 Chapanoke Rd., Suite 110 Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: 919-661-7800Fax: 919-661-7777Email: [email protected]
In this Issue:
Graduation SeasonMonthly Focus: Teen Safe DrivingQuestion of the MonthSAVE Youth Advisory BoardYABer YakParker’s PointsSAVE Summit SuccessSAVE Annual AwardsOpportunities & InformationSAVE StoreGet SocialUpcoming Events
As teenagers anxiously await high school graduation celebrations, nervous parents are hoping their children celebrate safely and responsibly, and make it home safe and sound. Curfews may be broken, seat belts forgotten, and alcohol consumed. What should be a happy time for students might be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Motor vehicle accidents claim more than 2,800 teen lives each year. Driver inexperience, coupled with distractions, can severely increase the risk of a crash.
The risk for teens is heightened during celebrations such as prom and graduations, because of the heightened risk of distractions. With no adult passengers, the risk of 16 or 17 year-old drivers being killed in a car crash increases 44 percent with one passenger until the age of 21. It doubles with two young passengers, and quadruples with three or more. In addition, cell phone use is a factor in one of every five fatal crashes according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. And finally, among teen drivers killed in 2012, 23 percent has a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher.
While all parents want their child to enjoy graduation, it’s important to take preventive measures to ensure children’s safety during these high-risk times. To help teenagers make it safely to and from a celebration, Allstate Insurance Company recommends the following tips:
• Sign-upforourStarDriverprogram: This new Allstate initiative allows parents to track the driving behavior of teen drivers listed on their insurance policy.
• Plan an alternate source oftransportation: Arrange for a cab or a limousine.
Graduation Season Is Just Around the Corner ~Will Your Teenager Make It Home Safely?
By Thomas Walters, Allstate Agent & SAVE Board Member
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MAY ISNATIONAL TEENSAFE DRIVING
MONTH
SAVE Question of the Month Please share the SAVE Question of the Month with your SAVE members. They can respond to the question on our website and facebook page:
May QOM: “May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month. What can you do to improve the safe driving habits of your peers?” Please blog your responses to: https://nationalsave.org/qom-May-2014
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• Limit the number of passengers in yourteenager’s car: More passengers create more potential distractions for the driver, and increase the risk of a crash.
• Prohibitdrivingundertheinfluence: Underage drinking is against the law. So is underage drinking and driving. Make it clear to your teens that if they drink or use drugs, driving privileges will be revoked.
• Establish an SOS: Teens make mistakes and sometimes get themselves into dangerous situations. Make sure your teens have a responsible adult they can call if they feel they shouldn’t be driving or are riding with another young driver who shouldn’t be driving.
• Reducedistractions:Make sure your teen agrees not to eat, drink, use a cell phone or text while driving.
• Buckleup: Believe it or not, teens, more than any group of drivers and passengers, don’t use seatbelts.
• Check theconditionofyour teen’scar: Make certain your teen is driving a car in good condition.
For more information on teen driver safety, or other safety topics, contact Wake Forest Allstate agent Thomas Walters at 919-554-0267, or via email at [email protected].
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Monthly Focus: Teen Safe Driving Thanks to a generous grant from The Allstate Foundation, SAVE has been working with teens to learn wise decision making skills in regards to Teen Driver Safety. May is an important month to focus on driving safety with all the events surrounding the end of the school year such as graduation and prom.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. SAVE has been working with teens to educate them on ways to drive smarter. Car crashes take a tremendous toll on the emotional and physical health and well-being of our nation’s young people, parents, school officials, and law enforcement. Contact SAVE for your Teen Driving Safety Planning Guide.
Teen Safe Driving Resources:
• Allstate: A Resource for Safe Teen Driving
• National Youth Traffic Safety Month Planning Guide
• Teen Safe Driving Brochure
For more information and ideas go to:
http://nationalsave.org/chapter-tools/crime-prevention/teen-safe-driving/
Ami Parker, 2013 SAVE Advisor of the Year: Parker’s Points
Collaborating with Allstate has been a powerful resource for our club. Our representative did a great job of being available for the X the TXT banner signing. She also volunteered as a judge at our talent show. During the talent show, we shared statistics about teen safe driving and other SAVE messages between acts. Finally, our Allstate agent donated some t-shirts that we raffled. Anyone who signed the X the TXT banner was entered into the drawing.
Another excellent resource for promoting teen safe driving was a testimony from one of my students. This year, during our SAVE rally, a senior student who had been in a wreck during her junior year, bravely shared her story about how texting and driving almost took her life. Our
entire school responded positively and gave this student a standing ovation for her message of concern that her peers learn from her mistake. She strongly urged them to X the TXT because there is no message that is important enough to risk your life.
YABer Yak: National Youth Advisory Board CoChair Brady Ledbetter, Ira, TX This month’s focus is on Teen Driving Safety. Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of teens in the U.S. A total of 3,023 teenagers ages 13-19 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2011. That’s an average of 8 teens every day. To me this is an alarming number of deaths each year. There are various things that we can do to cut this number down. To bring awareness to safe driving you can do various things. You can use posters, PSAs, cell phone charms, dashboard stickers, blogs, social media and other tools to bring awareness to teen safe driving. Most schools conduct a mock crash event and host speakers from their state highway patrol, life flight, local EMS, and parents. Our SAVE chapter recently created a video that involved a safe driving genie to stop the driver from doing certain things while driving. We can’t all have a genie to stop us from doing things
while driving, but we can all be a friend and help not be a distraction! To see our video visit: http://nationalsave.org/save-videos/ and view the Safe Driving Video 2013.
national save youth advisory board
Haley
Hann
ah
Alex
Brad
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Kim Anna
The National Youth Advisory Board (YAB) consists of high school SAVE members from across the country. Serving as a member of this prestigious and select group requires commitment, dedication and sacrifice of time and often other organizational events. YABer’s attend the National Youth Leadership Institute and have opportunities to present at workshops and events. SAVE covers travel expenses including airfare, hotel and meals for the YAB. Apply to be a national voice for SAVE and represent over 250,000 youth from across the country! Please visit http://nationalsave.org/who-we-are/people/youth-advisory-board/ for more information and an application.
SAVE Is Looking For Outstanding Youth: Apply for the National Youth Advisory Board
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25th Anniversary SAVE Summit a Success!BoardofDirectorsJimWise,Chair
Chapel Hill High School (NC)
AlexBrown,Vice-ChairIBM (NC)
AnneMarieJasinowski,
SecretaryMaryland Insti.College of Art (MD)
AndrewRaymond,TreasurerDixon Hughes Goodman (VA)
MaryKatherineAldermanThe Body Shop International (NC)
KarenCarpenter
Argrow“Kit”EvansTestimonies of Hope (IL)
Dr.AmiParkerHighland School of Technology (NC)
BetsyRackWeb Content Strategist (NC)
JimSustache
Parent Representative (WI)
ThomasWaltersAllstate Insurance (NC)
MichaelWilliamsCabarrus County Schools (NC)
HonoraryBoardGaryBrown
Retired School Safety Software Consultant (NC)
DawneOrangeParent Representative (NC)
Dr.RonaldStephensNational School Safety Center (CA)
SAVEStaffCarleenWray
Executive [email protected]
EllynDuvallBusiness Manager
TracyHaasAdministrative [email protected]
The National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere hosted the 25th Anniversary SAVE Summit on April 12, 2014 at N.C. State University. Hundreds of students, teachers, law enforcement, dropout prevention coordinators, social workers, counselors and parents attended the event. Through motivating workshops, peer-to-peer presentations and nationally acclaimed speakers, the Summit showcased successful practices in preventing violence and trained participants in effective ways to make their schools and communities safer.
Participants enjoyed hearing from SAVE’s Founders Gary Weart, the very first SAVE advisor, and Angie Bynum, who was Alex Orange’s best friend. Summit attendees also enjoyed meeting Alex’s mother, Dawne Orange. Angie shared with students that it seems like just yesterday when Alex stepped up to protect his friends and asked other teens to put away their guns and that this was no place for violence. Alex lost his life that day, but his legacy lives on through SAVE inspiring youth of all ages to be peace makers and to stand up for others.
Other speakers included SAVE alumni Gerard Wheeler and Kit Evans. Both shared how SAVE has helped to overcome tragedy and loss in their lives and how the values and skills they gained from SAVE helped them to continue to spread the nonviolent message and advocate for change.
SAVE honored the National SAVE Award winners at the Summit and recognized their outstanding work to prevent violence through SAVE. Congratulations to SAVE Student of the Year Zach Bakke,
Bunn High School; SAVE Advisor of the Year Carol Jackson, White Oak High School; and SAVE Chapter of the Year, Biloxi High School!
The Summit would not have been successful without SAVE’s generous supporters including the Allstate Foundation, the Body Shop, Aero Gives, the Nino Foundation, and McGlinchey Stafford. Thank you for your ongoing support!
“A quarter century making a difference in the lives of youth is an amazing accomplishment,” said Carleen Wray, executive director of SAVE. “At the same time, there is
still so much work to be done with 13 school shootings in the United States in the first six weeks of 2014 alone. Let’s continue to make a difference through SAVE for another 25 years!
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Opportunities & InformationSAVE Calls for 25,000 People to Donate $1 EachSAVE’s 25th anniversary fundraising campaign is being held through Causes.com. The $25,000 goal aims to empower students to end violence and bullying in schools. The funds will cover the cost to establish or renew 125 SAVE chapters at U.S. elementary, middle and high schools and colleges. Interested schools can complete the quick application on the fundraising website. Interested donors can learn more about SAVE’s 25th anniversary campaign at https://www.causes.com/campaigns/74613-help-prevent-youth-violence.
NIJ Announces Funding for Research To Increase School Safety - Deadline: May 15, 2014The National Institute of Justice has announced the funding opportunity, Investigator-Initiated Research: The Comprehensive School Safety Initiative. NIJ will make available approximately $15 million for multiple grants to fund research to examine the root causes of school violence and to develop new technologies, apply evidence-based practices, and test pilot programs to enhance school safety. https://ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/sl001118.pdf
Protective Factors To Overcome Youth and Family Trauma The Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Children, Youth and Families has released “Promoting Protective Factors for In-Risk Families and Youth: A Brief for Researchers.” This report explores factors that help youth and their families cope with trauma, focusing on five populations who are often victimized. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/news/acyf-report-20140331 National Child Awareness Month Youth Ambassadors (NCAMYA) Deadline: June 19 This program is for young leaders who want to take their campaigns, causes, and service activities to the next level. The year-long program funds and trains youth (ages 16-22) to lead community change. Ambassadors receive a $1,000 project grant and a trip to Washington D.C. for training. Fifty-one NCAM Youth Ambassadors will be selected - one per state and DC. “Early decision” is deadline May 19, regular deadline is June 19. Apply at http://www.ysa.org/ncam
The National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere recognized exceptional participants in its annual awards program. SAVE’s Student of the Year, Advisor of the Year and Chapter of the Year were all nominated by community members from across the country and are recognized for their outstanding efforts in preventing violence in our schools. The winners were revealed at the 25th Anniversary SAVE Summit.
SAVE’s Student of the Year award went to Zachery Bakke, a senior at Bunn High School in North Carolina. Bakke co-founded his SAVE chapter four years ago and has been voted president ever since. He continually demonstrates outstanding leadership and commitment to the SAVE ideals, serving as a role model for not only other SAVE members, but students throughout the school. During Bakke’s time as president, gangs, bullying and crime have decreased tremendously. He was nominated by his SAVE chapter advisor, Ruby Savage.
The SAVE Advisor of the Year award went to Carol Jackson from White Oak High School in North Carolina. In addition to serving as advisor for White Oak High School’s SAVE chapter, Jackson also leads chapters at Hunters Creek Middle and Elementary Schools. As the social worker at each of these schools, Jackson has a unique ability to see things through her students’ eyes and makes a different in each of their lives. Jackson’s dedication to SAVE has made a tremendous impact on its members at each school.
Lastly, the SAVE Chapter of the Year award went to Biloxi High School in Biloxi, Miss. The Biloxi High School SAVE Chapter has conducted numerous activities during Safe Schools Week and Red Ribbon Week including creating PSAs, posters, banners, hosting pledge drives and putting on school wide assemblies. It shows commitment to not only its school, but also the local community by organizing clothing, toy and food drives. In addition, the Biloxi High School SAVE Chapter has been active in
SAVE Annual Awards Announced teen safe driving efforts throughout the year, conducting monthly seatbelt checks and reinforcing the dangers of drinking and driving in a DUI reenactment during prom week. The Biloxi High School SAVE chapter is led by its advisor, Daisy Watson.
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Upcoming EventsMay National Youth Traffic Safety Month http://nationalsave.org/YTSM
1-3 Confronting Family and Community Violence http://www.apa.org/about/offices/ogc/apa-aba/conference.aspx
29-30 California Regional Conference on School Safety & Bullying http://schoolsafety911.org/
June
17-19 Global Youth Justice’s 9th Training Institute http://www.globalyouthjustice.org/Training_and_Events.html
Shop at the SAVE StoreTime to Honor your Graduates!
Be the Change T-shirtSize: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL$12.00 eachItem #158 http://nationalsave.org/new-be-the-change-ghandi-t-shirt/
SAVE Honor Cords$8.00 eachItem #153 http://nationalsave.org/save-honor-cord/
Lapel Pin$4.00 eachItem #107 http://nationalsave.org/save-lapel-pin/
#NATIONALSAVE
Be Heard - Get Social!
SCAN THE CODE TO FOLLOW, INTERACT AND WIN!
Youth Engaged 4 Change Contest -- Deadline: May 4YE4C wants to hear how youth make a difference directly from the experts: young change makers like you. Can you think of a time when you were eager to make a difference? How did you turn your passion into action? Share your advice with other youth and young adults who want to make a difference and are figuring out where to start. Submit your own original poster or photo(s) that share the advice you would offer friends, classmates, and teens around the nation who want to make a difference in the lives of others. You can win prizes up to $500! http://1.usa.gov/1maYLLh
True Hero Competition -- Deadline: June 30True Hero grants cash awards to high school, college and qualified non-profit community youth organizations that sponsor service trips and volunteer activities for students. These cash awards enable more schools to continue their service learning programs and offer a life changing experience to those students who participate. Awards are given to those projects with the most on-line votes on June 30th, 2014. There is still time to post your project and get votes! http://bit.ly/1nKwVDi
Through Our Eyes: Children, Violence, and Trauma The Office for Victims of Crime is pleased to announce the release of the next four videos in the Through Our Eyes: Children, Violence, and Trauma series. http://www.ovc.gov/pubs/ThroughOurEyes/index.html
