Project Ignition Announces Top Schools in U.S. and Canada

Car crashes continue to be the number one killer of teens nationwide. Project Ignition is working to change that by encouraging innovative service-learning projects both in the United States and Canada. Sponsored by State Farm Companies Foundation and coordinated by the National Youth Leadership Council, Project Ignition supports students and teachers, grades 9-12, in developing service-learning projects that encourage teen safe driving habits.

Twenty-five schools from across the United States and five Canadian sites have been awarded grants to apply academic and leadership skills in developing media campaigns designed to make the streets in their communities safer. These schools, representing 14 states and Ontario, are models of how students can engage young people, their teachers, and communities on critical issues.

The Project Ignition schools in the U.S. will compete for 10 slots at the Annual National Service-Learning Conference in San Jose, Calif., March 24-27, 2010. Of these schools, one will receive a grand prize of $10,000.

Canadian Project Ignition schools will hold their own competition to determine which of the five will receive funding to attend the Annual National Service-Learning Conference.

The top schools for 2009-2010 include:

Boise State University TRiO Upward Bound IDBranchville High School SCByng High School OKCentral Campus IAClay City Jr. Senior High School INEureka Senior High School CAFayetteville High School ARFieldcrest High School ILFrederick County Career and Tech Center MDGibson City - Melvin Sibley High School ILHarry D. Jacobs High School ILIonia County Intermediate School District MILincoln Charter School NCLincoln Community High School ILLittleton High School NHMansfield High School ARNorfolk Senior High NEOwen Valley High School INPayson High School AZRidgemont High School OHRuidoso High School NMRushville Consolidated High School INShelton High School WAWalker County Center of Technology ALYelm High School WA

Canadian sites include:

Georgetown District High School
 Georgetown
 Ontario
Burlington Central Secondary School
 Burlington OntarioNorthern Secondary School Toronto OntarioWest Ferris Secondary School North Bay
 OntarioWiddifield Secondary School North Bay
 Ontario