photos by Hannah Bredar

National Teen Driver Safety Week was Oct. 18 – 26. After getting an email from a parent telling her about Celebrate My Drive®, principal of student affairs Barb McCormick signed STA up.

Celebrate My Drive® is a program that brings awareness to teen driving safety. The week of Oct. 18  people could commit to safe driving on celebratemydrive.com. The more people who committed for STA, the better chance STA has of winning one of the prizes. Ten schools will win a grant of $100,000 and 90 schools will win a grant of $25,000. The top two schools will win the grand prize concert with Kelly Clarkson. Of the grants 10% must be spent in support of a teen driver safety program, but the rest may be spent on any other school related needs, according to the rules on celebratemydrive.com.

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“There are some great prizes if we get enough people involved,” McCormick said. “ But if not, at least we have heightened everyone’s [awareness] about drivers safety.”

McCormick encouraged not only students to commit to safe driving, but also teachers, parents and siblings.

“Drivers’ safety is not just for teens,” McCormick said. “It takes a community to have safe drivers.”

McCormick wanted anyone over the age of 14 to commit.

SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) club took on Driver Safety Week at STA and decided to tie it in with the Teresian dance. The Thursday before Teresian students were invited to dress in red to show their support for driver’s safety. SADD club also put up posters around STA promoting safe driving and telling others to commit to driving safe and be careful when at Teresian.

Sophomore Amanda Wesche, who is learning how to drive, thinks Celebrate My Drive is a good program for STA.

“[Celebrate My Drive] will make students aware of how driving safely is important.” Wesche said.

Wesche thinks the program is especially good for new drivers like herself.

“New drivers feel powerful when they are driving, but this program helps [new drivers] teach our friends and family to drive safe and make good choices,” Wesche said. “And that driving, while fun, can be dangerous.”