Eastern Montgomery High School’s Youth of Virginia Speak out about Traffic Safety (YOVASO) club was among the 22 award winners recognized recently during the annual YOVASO awards ceremony.
The club won the organization’s Speaking Out and Saving Lives Award in recognition of a member club’s spirit and commitment for engaging students throughout the school year in a variety of creative programs and activities that encourage safe and responsible driving and traffic safety.
A program of the Virginia State Police, YOVASO is Virginia’s peer-to-peer education and leadership program for teen driver and passenger safety. The program is funded by a grant from the Virginia DMV. Membership in YOVASO is free and open to all Virginia high schools, middle schools and youth groups. The organization currently has 78 active member schools.
The YOVASO awards ceremony was made possible by a grant from State Farm and other private donations. Dave White, insurance agent with State Farm in Halifax Co., joined YOVASO in honoring the schools, students, teachers and law enforcement personnel from across Virginia who demonstrated exemplary efforts during the 2019-2020 school year to encourage safe driving and passenger safety among teenagers.
“It is important to recognize our students, schools, youth groups and law enforcement for helping to save lives on Virginia’s highways,” said Mary King, YOVASO’s program manager. “Peer-to-peer programs are key to changing behavior and influencing safe drivers. We are proud and thankful for everyone’s dedication and hard work this past year in promoting youth traffic safety.”