Project Ignition Applications Available

Applications for $2,000 grants are now available online for high school students and adults interested in addressing teen driver safety through service-learning initiatives. State Farm® and the National Youth Leadership Council® are proud to continue their collaboration on Project Ignition in this seventh year. 

Reducing teen crashes and strengthening youth leadership through service-learning remain the emphases of the program, though new enhancements include the opportunity to participate at two levels: 

Tier One (the competition phase):

Tier One is designed to encourage high school students to educate their peers on teen driver safety issues, link those activities to academic coursework, and engage in activities which result in fewer car crashes. At this level of involvement, teens initiate change in their community. They aim to change attitudes and behaviors through their projects.

• Who can apply? Students and staff from any public high school in the U.S. and in the Canadian Provinces of Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick can apply. Applications are due November 15, 2010.

• How many will be chosen? Twenty-five high schools will receive $2,000 grants in Dec., 2010 to support implementation of their programs between January and April, 2011.

Tier Two (the collaboration phase):

The Tier Two experience involves working with other schools to create broader impact. During this phase, high schools will not only carry out their own local projects, they will also work together as a group of Tier Two schools to learn from each other and to mount a larger teen driver safety campaign. This level is available only to those high schools who achieved “top 10” status during the prior school year.

• Ten of the Top 25 schools from Tier 1 will be chosen as “National Leader Schools,” and given an opportunity to submit plans to go deeper with their campaigns.

• Once their plans are approved, these National Leader Schools will receive $2,500 to support implementation of their plans in the 2011-2012 school year, as well as $5,000 to sponsor their participation in the National Service-Learning Conference in the following spring of 2012.

With any service-learning project, the goal is to impact communities in the most creative ways possible. Previous Project Ignition schools have created campaigns including school assemblies, community events, television, radio and print public service announcements, interactive demonstrations, art exhibitions, publications, short films and more.

APPLY NOW!

Visit the Project Ignition website or NYLC's Project Ignition page to learn more.

Look under the “School Tools” or “How to Apply” tabs for guidance on creating a winning grant application, including online research materials on what helps change teen behaviors, webinars, and opportunities to learn from advisors of other Project Ignition high schools.

Become a part of PI Nation and join a growing movement of teens and their communities who are working to save lives!