Greensboro, N.C. (January 15, 2013)
State Farm Agent Jackie Smith will present The Middle College at Bennett with a Project Ignition grant during the school’s awards ceremony at 11 a.m. The Middle College, 610 Gorrell St., Greensboro, was selected as one of the top 25 high schools from throughout the United States and Canada to receive a $2,000 service-learning teen driver safety grant.
Project Ignition is a service-learning teen driver safety program sponsored by State Farm® and coordinated by the National Youth Leadership Council®.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, auto crashes are the No. 1 cause of death for teens in this country. Project Ignition is a youth- and schools-led response that connects academic goals with the issue of teen driver safety through service-learning. This grant will support “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize: Life” from The Middle College at Bennett—one of 25 student-designed and student-led campaigns aimed at preventing car crashes in their community.
“Project Ignition has created an avenue for teens to learn about safety from their peers and effectively change behaviors and save lives,” said Smith. “As a State Farm Agent, I take the opportunity to protect and serve our community, especially our younger members, very seriously.”
The program will build a virtual wall of protection around the “lives” of loved ones by pledging a lifelong commitment to safe driving. The students will facilitate discussion sessions at local high schools and malls to educate peers and the community about the dangers of texting while driving.
Grant applications were evaluated during a rigorous judging process and 25 schools were selected, in part, based on a commitment to service-learning and the use of proven-effective strategies in changing teen driver behavior. Students will inform, engage and motivate their peers while teachers will simultaneously link these activities to academic curriculum.
The 10 most effective campaigns that emerge from these 25 will be given the opportunity to receive additional funding (up to $7,500) and join the ranks of Project Ignition’s 18 current National Leader Schools as they implement longer-term campaigns.
For more information and a complete list of schools, visit www.sfprojectignition.com. E. A. Laney High School in Wilmington was the only other grant winner from North Carolina and the southeast.
Amy Preddy
Twitter: @SF_AmyPreddy
State Farm Public Affairs
Work: (434) 872-5211
Cell: (434) 981-3071
At the National Youth Leadership Council, we strive for a world where all young people are valued and called on to lead. With passion, creativity, and ingenuity, young people can address world issues while strengthening academic and learning outcomes through service-learning. To that end, we provide programs and services that develop young leaders, support educators, and advance the field of service-learning. Visit www.nylc.org to learn more about NYLC and service-learning.
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