XENIA — Teenagers generally look forward to getting their driver’s license, and in Greene County, there’s a scholarship to make one of the requirements affordable.
Now in its second year, the Drive to Succeed Scholarship Program aims to get more teenagers into driver’s education classes before they get their driver’s license. In Ohio, you must take a driver’s education course if you get your license as a minor, but it’s not required after you’ve turned 18.
The goal of the program is to expand access to teen driver training to low-income populations by providing funding for localized scholarship programs.
“Every year, traffic crashes claim hundreds of lives in Ohio and educating our youngest drivers is an important step toward preventing crashes,” Andy Wilson, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety said. “We are proud that these grants will directly support hundreds of young people who otherwise wouldn’t have had the means to complete driver education and gain the experience needed to become safer drivers.”
Greene County Public Health received $15,600 from the Ohio Traffic Safety Office to implement this program and distribute scholarships.
“This scholarship program is aimed to get those teens through driver’s ed who for a variety of reasons would otherwise wait until they’re 18 to get their license, usually to avoid the cost, which is an average of $550,” Greene County Public Health community health educator Loressa Gonyer, said. “Providing them with this opportunity will help them be a better driver, minimize distractions while driving, and reinforce the importance of putting their phones down. The program assures students are knowledgeable about all the rules and laws of the road.”
Teen driver training courses can cost anywhere from $300 to $600 or more, which can be a huge barrier for some families Gov. Mike DeWine said.
“By increasing accessibility to this important training for teenage drivers, we can better ensure their safety, the safety of their passengers and the safety of others on the road,” he said.
From 2020 to 2022, there were a total of 1,504 teen-related crashes in Greene County with an average of 513 per year, accordingto GCPH. On Dec. 16, 2022, Ohio State Highway Patrol (Xenia Post) responded to a crash where there was a 17-year-old fatality in the county. In 2023, there were 472 teen-related crashes in Greene County. From Jan. 1, 2024, to March 1, 2024, there have been 87 teen-related crashes in the county. This is a 40.3 percent increase compared to the same time period in 2023, GCPH said.
“Preventing those deaths, getting that education out there, making sure that people are aware of what the laws are,” Gonyer said. “Making sure you know the rules of the road and working with our community partners to do so.”
Any student who meets the baseline criteria can apply for a scholarship.
“Scholarships will be for $500 each paid directly to the driving school and students will be required to cover the remaining cost, which is an average of $50,” Gonyer said. They will also need to meet the following criteria:
— Provide at least one of the following: school reduced/free lunch eligibility; WIC/SNAP eligibility; Medicaid recipient; or financial need proven by the student.
— An affidavit signed by a parent or guardian to confirm education has not already been received.
— A letter of recommendation from a teacher, the school resource officer, a coach, or other school employee.
— Submission of an essay, 500 words or less, “Why is the Drive to Succeed scholarship important to you.”
All submissions will be submitted to a review committee and students will be notified of their selection.
Interested applicants are to apply at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DTSucceed.
For more information, contact Gonyer at [email protected] or 937-374-5655.
