Project Ignition Announces Grants to High Schools

The teen driver safety initiative Project Ignition, sponsored by State Farm® and coordinated by the National Youth Leadership Council®, has selected 26 high schools from the United States and Canada that will receive $2,000 each to implement student-led campaigns this school year.

Working to change behaviors and save lives, students will engage their peers and communities on teen driver safety issues, link those activities to academic coursework, and engage in campaigns that result in fewer car crashes — the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States.

“We appreciate and respect the support State Farm provides so that together, we can engage even more youth in schools to address vital social issues such as teen driver safety,” said Kelita Svoboda Bak, NYLC CEO. “We’re excited to witness the impacts of these 26 additional schools.”

In this seventh year of Project Ignition, students are continuing to demonstrate that the combination of meaningful academics, youth leadership, and community partnerships known as service-learning can “improve the world and even save lives,” said Project Ignition Director Michael VanKeulen.

Project Ignition students have developed classroom-based physics projects, interactive demonstrations, community events, public service announcements, art exhibitions, and more. They participate in advisory groups and partner with city councils and local legislators to encourage stronger public policy supporting teen driver safety. These activities have had measurable effects on community norms and on state legislation, while strengthening service-learning practice in the schools.

The 26 high schools join 12 Project Ignition National Leader Schools currently receiving continued funding to expand their previous campaigns.

The top schools for 2010-2011 include:

Learn more about Project Ignition.

Harry D. Jacobs High School, of Algonquin, Ill., with the 2010 Best of the Best Award at the 2010 National Service-Learning Conference.