High school students from across the USA will join the sponsors for this special program in Washington D.C. to kick-off National Youth Traffic Safety Month to learn more about the policy issues and driver safety issues impacting teen drivers. 

            Since 1971, nearly 750,000 teens and teachers have participated in programs sponsored by Close Up Foundation.  The 4-H CARTEENS members attending will have an opportunity to meet with officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation, discuss and debate policy issues with their peers, interact with key policy experts, meet with their Representative John Boehner or staff members on Capitol Hill and develop community action projects to educate their peers about safe driving practices.

            Close Up is a nonprofit, civic education organization and its mission is to inform, inspire, and engage young people and advisors for a lifetime of civic participation through Washington-based programs and classroom publications.  The students will return to Butler County inspired and eager to put their newly acquired civic skills to work within their own communities as active and informed citizens.

            The Allstate Foundation launched a comprehensive teen safe driving program in 2005, with the goal of identifying effective new approaches to help protect teens.  The Foundation works to develop innovative, teen-engaging approaches to help raise awareness of the issues, reduce injuries and ultimately to help save lives.  By empowering teens to become part of the solution, and by celebrating their driving experiences, The Allstate Foundation Teen Driving Program takes a positive approach to addressing the number one killer of teens and making smart driving socially acceptable among teens themselves.

            The summit had to have names of ten 4-H CARTEENS members by that Thursday, April 12^th, so travel arrangements could be secured.  The teens were only given one and a half days to discuss with their parents/guardians their attendance and participation.  They and their parents are to discuss with school administrators about excused absences so they can participate.  These teens will not only represent the 4-H CARTEENS program and OSU Extension, but their respective high schools too!  Here are the teens that will be attending the Teen Safe Driving Policy Summit:

*  Nick Huffman – Lakota West HS

*  Jarrod Correll – Lakota West HS

*  James Tarver III – Lakota West HS

*  Taylor Eppard – Fairfield HS

*  Megan Lizak – Fairfield HS

*  Jennifer Tran – Fairfield HS

*  Kurt Geiger – Lakota West HS

*  Olivia Suggs – Fairfield HS

*  Sarah Herberger – Lakota East HS

*  Ryan Koehne – Moeller HS

*  Jackie Lankfer, OSU Extension Program Assistant and Adult Chaperone

Alternates selected to replace any of the above unable to attend are:

*  Mike Dreher – Bishop Fenwick HS

*  Eric Moese – Lakota West HS

*  Rayna Cash – Butler Tech HS

            The above teens will have an active and fun, educational-filled week according to their tentative schedule.  Upon their arrival on Sunday, May 6, 2012, they begin with an introduction into public policy.  Each day Monday through Thursday, they will be engaged in sessions dealing with teen driving safety in addition to attending sessions on Capitol Hill on Tuesday and Wednesday.  This summit will give these teens an educational opportunity to learn about government, policy issues, and defending an issue.

            The 4-H CARTEENS will learn from the dynamic curriculum used at the summit and take their educational experience even further.  This summit will give these teens a jump on the college admissions process by opting to earn college credit from the University of Virginia by attending this summit. Butler County should be extremely proud of these local teens as they represent the 8^th Congressional District in this very important Teen Safe Driving Policy Summit.

News Release provided by James Jordan.