HERNDON, Va. — The Jackson Center/UVCC FCCLA was selected from over 160 applicants to receive both of the 2023 Ohio and National High School Families Acting for Community Traffic Safety (FACTS) Award, sponsored by Ford Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) as a program of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) in partnership with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA).
FACTS is a national peer-to-peer education program through which students strive to save lives through personal, vehicle, and road safety. The purpose of the FACTS award program is to encourage local chapter members to identify a specific community traffic safety problem and carry out an innovative project to address that need. Using their Family and Consumer Sciences skills, members can take the lead in their communities and show how youth can make a difference.
As the National High School Winner, the Jackson Center/UVCC FCCLA chapter will receive a state award of $500 with recognition at the state conference in April. In addition, they will receive a $1,000 award and be recognized at the 2023 FCCLA National Leadership Conference, July 2 – 6, 2023, in Denver, Colorado.
The chapter created their project by first surveying local school staff about their top concerns regarding traffic safety for the students of the school. The data was then used to create school wide activities to address these concerns. Child development students created a crosswalk safety song and video for all elementary students. The video was posted on youtube and the link was shared via the schools newsletter.
In addition, students in kindergarten and first grade were taught the crosswalk in person. A coloring contest was held and grades 4-8 were asked to sign a seat belt pledge. Finally, all students in grades 9-12 attended an assembly put on by the local law enforcement. The presentation focused on distracted driving, current traffic related concerns in the county and information on the new cell phone law.
Students in grades 7-12 were also challenged to create a design for three permanent metal signs to be placed at the town’s three crosswalk zones. Gabriella Shamblin, a JC senior, won the design contest.
