We are proud to announce that Council Rock High School North is the overall winner of our 16th Annual Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge while also achieving the greatest percentage increase!
Council Rock High School North student drivers had the highest overall seatbelt use (97 percent) over 20 other Bucks County high schools that participated in the challenge while also having the greatest percentage increase in seatbelt use over all schools at four percent (93 % in fall to 97 % in spring).
The Council Rock High School North Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) group was presented with two $500 cash grants and two perpetual trophy plaques at their May 22 meeting. The cash prize is donated by TMA Bucks and is encouraged to be used by the school for safety-related purposes.
“Congrats to the students who really stepped up to be leaders in their school community and stress the importance to their peers about making the right choice to buckle up,” said TMA Bucks executive director Stephen Noll.
The school SADD group promoted the Seatbelt Challenge throughout the entire school year and were led by Cole McCarthy (President), Kathryn McCarthy (Co-Vice President), Francesca Madden (Co-Vice-President), Reese Reidenbach (Secretary), and Emma Townsend (Treasurer). These students were under the direction of teacher Danielle Holsey.
“I was so happy to hear that we won this year’s Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge,” said Holsey after hearing the news. “SADD has been working toward this for about 10 years now! I’m grateful for the time and focus that this year’s group put into the event.”
English department teacher Ben Battiste also helped promote the challenge by having his students create a video for the Teen Driver Safety Video PSA Challenge powered by Comcast portion of the challenge.
In Fall 2022, baseline surveys on seatbelt usage by student drivers were conducted at high schools throughout the county without the knowledge of the student body or administration in order to ensure the most accurate data sampling.
All schools were then challenged to raise seatbelt usage and participate in the Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge. Various student groups at each participating school then promote the Seatbelt Challenge to all students throughout the school year in a variety of creative ways. Follow-up surveys took place unannounced in April and May and the winning schools were decided.
AAA Mid-Atlantic, Automotive Training Center (Warminster campus), Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, Jefferson Bucks Hospital, McMahon (a Bowman company), Stark & Stark, Univest and Visit Bucks County are sponsors of the event.