Revving up for Project Ignition

Staff report

NEW CASTLE, PA.

Project Ignition is a service-learning grant program focused on teen-driver safety, and New Castle’s team has earned high marks.

Applications are submitted from across the country and are judged according to specific criteria. The top schools judged to be among the best campaign proposals each year will receive a grant to turn their plans into action.

New Castle’s Project Ignition team was created in the 2007-08 school year, and in its second year it was named “Best of the Best” in the nation, earning a $10,000 grant to expand.

Students have attended the National Service Learning Conference to present their campaign in Nashville, Tenn., San Jose, Calif., Atlanta, Minneapolis, Denver and Washington, D.C. They have received more than $76,000 in grant money since the team’s inception.

The team’s campaign is called “Operation Drive Safe,” and members have established the following objectives:

Increase seat-belt use.

Increase adherence to traffic controls and obeying the laws.

Decrease driving dis-tractions.

Stress the dangers of drinking and driving.

Increase the number of students involved in promoting teen-driver safety.

Focus on the above issues to show they are making a difference.

Provide opportunities for teens to have a youth voice through service-learning activities.

Change attitudes and behaviors in order to prevent and/or reduce accidents and fatalities in the community and state.

Team Leaders for the 2014-15 school year are seniors Emily Bethle and Adrionna Campbell. They will be responsible for organizing and carrying out all activities for the Project Ignition team.

The team consists of 69 members in grades 10 through 12. Team adviser is Donna Campbell, New Castle’s safety education/health teacher, who works closely with Fran Joseph, service-learning coordinator, and Kathy Daytner, co-coordinator.

“The focus of this year’s program is on seat-belt usage,” Campbell said. “Team members will be conducting activities to stress the importance of buckling up — everybody, every seat, every time they get into a vehicle, whether they are the driver, a passenger or transporting others. Teens have the highest fatality rates in motor- vehicle crashes than any other age group.”

Motor-vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for all 15- to 20-year-olds, according to the most-recent data available from the National Center for Health Statistics.

“I am extremely proud of the fact that we have so many students that want to be a part of this cause,” Campbell said. “We are also thankful for the support we get from our faculty and staff, administration and school board in allowing our students to travel all over to promote their campaign.”