Ideas for the Summit:

The group decided that it would be best if we divided the time we had into four sections, as well as break the students we get into four. The group will have four stations for the students to attend to. Each station will be five to seven minutes each.

1. Driving Distracted
2. What Would You Do?
3.  Fill In The Blank
4. Videos from Shock Trauma

Image by Dave Dehetre. Used under a Creative Commons by/2.0 licence.

“Driving Distracted” – In this station, students will be given a cell phone, but someone just texted them about their plans that evening. The student’s goal is to reply to the text message, but also drive the remote control car, through the various obstacles, stop signs, and other aspects that some one would see out on the road. The students will learn how difficult it is to text while driving, and how dangerous it can be by getting of course.

Materials:

☐ Remote control Car

☐ Soccer Cones

☐ Stop Sign

☐ Tape

“What Would You Do?” – In this station, students will be placed in four chairs arranged like a car. The driver has to remain undistracted by the others in the car from talking, the radio, their own text messages, etc. The student’s goal is to understand “the designated texter,” someone who will text for them if necessary.

Materials:

☐ Four Chairs

☐ Fake Steering wheel (Mario Kart Wheel)

☐ iPod Speakers

☐ iPod/iPhone

“Fill in the Blank” – I this station, there will be a game board in which there are three categories and five questions in each category. Students will pick a category and they will get a question from it. The statements will generally be statistics however, there will be a blank in them that the students have to fill in.

Materials:

☐ Game board Poster paper

☐ Expo Marker

Videos from Shock Trauma – Shock Trauma recently had a contest for students to create videos about distracted driving. The videos were fun, entertaining, and the winner was from Howard County.

Materials:

☐ Computer Collin

☐ LCD Projector

☐ Speakers Collin

☐ Mac Dongle Collin

☐ Shock Trauma Videos Collin

After The Session students will be given the 3D Pledge – Don’t Drive Distracted, as well as either a small wrist band or something memorable for their time at the Summit.

Blue are the names of people that can probably provide the materials.

Informative “PR Campaign”

The Distracted Driving group has learned that the best way to prevent distracted driving is to raise awareness. The group has thought that we could create a “science fair” display board with information about Distracted Driving, and have them presented at each teen section in each of the Howard County Libraries. The board would include:

Information about Distracted Driving

Statistics about Distracted Driving

PR Campaigns (3D Project, Distracted.org from NHTSA)

What you can do

Who We are (V4C)

Campaign Pictures

New Partnership

Distracted Driving is a serious issue in teens, specifically. Today in 2012, 1 in 29 deaths are related to Distracted Driving. By 2022, it is expected that 1 in 4 deaths are related to distracted driving. It should be our goal that we can do everything in our power to help prevent this number from being achieved. A group that help more than ever is of course the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA began their own program “One text, on call, Could Wreck It All.” NHTSA is very supportive of all groups, providing strategy outlines, and even PR tools, like their already made posters they suggest using. This partnership could be incredibly beneficial to V4C, and for both groups to continue the goal to put an end to Distracted Driving.

Next Meeting

1. Finalize plans for the Youth Summit
2. Vote on partnership with NHTSA
3. Ideas for Boards at Libraries & other activities at the Library

We would like to have one board completed by the Youth Summit, in order to see reactions from students to see if they could be effective at Howard County libraries.

Voices for Change Meeting 

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

5:00pm to 7:00pm

Directions to HC Rec. & Park: 7120 Oakland Mills Rd.

Columbia, MD 21046

From Route 29 – Get on Route 175 heading east. Right onto Snowden River Parkway. Make a left onto Oakland Mills Road. HC Rec. & Park is on the right just before the railroad tracks.

Agenda

• 5:00-5:30 Dinner

• 5:10-5:20 Announcements (during dinner):
  • Sandy Queen-will help with Youth Summit opening and closing.
  • Wed. Feb 8^th HCASC Meeting-5-10 minute presentation on V4C. Who can make it?
  • Website partnership?

• 5:20-5:30 Presentation- Don’t Drive Distracted-3Ds; Short report on our visit to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, during dinner

• 5:30-6:45 Issue Group meeting time-Plan Youth Summit session!

1. 1.     Friendship Issues – Vanita Leatherwood (Domestic Violence Center)-Cyber Bullying; Dating Dangers-“Controlling Relationships”
2. 2.     Driving Distracted – PFC Neil White (Police Dept. Contact) -Educate students about the dangers of driving while texting, talking on a cell phone, and other distractions. (Holly) 3D Program-Partner Shock Trauma
3. 3.     Go Green – Recycling Options – Alisha Moore (County Recycling Program) –Look at options for increasing recycling around the county and other green projects. (Holly)
4. 4.     County Council Legislative Group- Council Members and their Assistants – (Meg)

• 6:45-7:00 Report out and meeting planning

Meeting Dates 2011-2012

All Meetings held at HC Rec & Park unless noted:

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 (Youth Summit Planning)

Wednesday February 8, 2012 present at HCASC Meeting 7:00-8:30 at ARL

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 (Youth Summit Planning)

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 (Youth Summit Run Through) (3:00 Bridgeway Community Church)

Youth Summit – Thursday, March 8, 2012 (7:30am Bridgeway Community Church)

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 (General Meeting)

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 (Issues)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012 (General Meeting)

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 (Issues)

Tuesday, May 8, 2012 (General Meeting)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 (End of Year Celebration)

Under the terms of the partnership agreement, the Office of Children’s Services will continue to lead the Voices of Change coalition, a group of youth and adults representing diverse community organizations. Participation in the coalition gives students in grades 8-12 an opportunity to develop leadership skills and awareness of the issues and opportunities within the county.

Voices for Change will implement the recommendations of the 2009 Howard County Youth Task Force, including development of HCYouth.org, an information clearinghouse and calendar of activities for young people. It will also sponsor the annual student-run Youth Summit to expose students to service opportunities with different community organizations. Students participating in the coalition will serve as a resource to county decision makers and community groups for advice on youth issues, help with projects and membership on boards.

Lois Mikkila, Director, Department of Citizen Services; Keri Hyde, Administrator, Office of Children’s Services; and Meg Mekelburg, Youth Outreach Specialist, Office of Children’s Services joined Ellen Flynn Giles, Member, Howard County Board of Education; Susan Mascaro, Chief of Staff and Ronnie Bohn, School Administration for the Howard County Public School System to sign the formal partnership agreement.

For more details, take a look at HCPSS’ press release about the partnership signing.

What is V4C?

What is the Youth Summit?

The Youth Summit is Voices for Change’s signature annual event, bringing together students from the 12 Howard County High Schools and 19 middle schools that display leadership initiative. This years’ Youth Summit will be held on March 8,2012 at the Bridgeway Community Church. The event is produced and run by V4C students.

The Youth Summit is Voices for Change’s signature annual event, bringing together students from the 12 Howard County High Schools and 19 middle schools that display leadership initiative. This years’ Youth Summit will be held on March 8,2011 at the Bridgeway Community Church. The event is produced and run by V4C students.

Youth Summit 2009

Youth Summit 2008

Youth Summit 2007

A Facebook page was created to keep the momentum of the Summit going: click here to access it.

Take a look at this introductory video for the 2009 Youth Summit, held at the Glenwood Community Center.

We’re interested in interacting with members of the county council.

Becoming a more environmentally friendly community is an issue we take to our hearts.  We hope to improve environmental awareness across the county targeting mainly high schools.  We are currently working with the Howard County high schools, brainstorming different ideas each high school can implement. One of our long term goals is to have Howard County high schools become certified green schools. We also plan on contacting the Columbia Mall to improve recycling methods used there. We will have a detailed section on this website with numerous projects on how to go green in school, at home and in the workplace. A forum will also be available on this website for community members and schools to share their own environmental ideas.

We’re interested in helping teens deal with friendship issues & bullying.