Tribute to Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey

How many students heard the message?
1000

Estimated percentage of your student body?
91-100%

Who has your project aimed to reach?

  • Freshman class
  • Sophomore class
  • Junior class
  • Senior class
  • School professionals
  • Parents
  • Community at large
  • Other (friends and family near amd far)

Objective:
Our main objective was to celebrate the BIANJ for a decade of promoting hands on experience of safe driving for the youth of New Jersey. We celebrate their making a difference in the way teenagers of NJ look at driving today. We wanted to share what we have learned through the years because of our partnership with BIANJ. Our Campaign shows ten months of responsible driving, giving tribute to 10 years of excellent opportunities to make our NJ roads safe. Thank you BIANJ, through the years you never let us down.

Target Audience:
Our targets are all our students,parents, drivers, passengers. and bystanders in the RBC family and friends. Once school became virtual we believe our campaign message reached out far and wide because of our kids social media. Since our message was different each month, our audience was curious to see what we were promoting and what song we would play became very popular.

Execution:
We took the ten months of the school year and chose a creative way to get a safe driving message across to the school community The message was usually guided by what was being celebrated that month. For example September, back to school and being aware of school buses and congested school zones. We made announcements through the month as reminders and played a song that in someway promoted our message.we also had banners made that we hung in our school lobby for all to see as you came into our school. Some months had videos, some had poems, others even had a little dancing. Believe it or not, because of covid -19, and being faced with what now, we decided to make a scrap book into a video that says it all. It challenged us to be more creative in promoting our message

Teamwork:
Before the pandemic, our Hot Topics club met twice a month on T days , which are really our club days. Some months had more to do than other and we would meet during lunch.in ht As you can see from the “TEEN News” clip we divided into groups for certain tasks. We had a video group, creating banner group, writing out promo for month and song group, and creating tee shirt group. This worked out well and the groups shared their progress on T days. Corona hit and April was different. Our members wanted to support our Just Drive and all 15 members did in some way. I understood, as a counselor, this time was very stressful for so many kids, I had to change my expectations too. So it came to be they would do what they could and share when it was too much. The highlight for me was seeing all my kids and teachers participate in the just sat home video and seeing their smiles and looking good. We would meet on “House Party ” a free app, it was quick to access and even I could call a meeting. We always would bring ideas to our meetings and together made decisions.I do have pictures I will post at the end of this report. I feel the bond of my students grew once we faced a variety of emotions that came with this sudden change of life. We got it done, some parts even stronger than I could ever ask for.

Use of Resources:
All our resources came from RBC. We used our kids, teachers and parents input to create our messages. We researched topics of safe driving , talked to our crossing guards, our bus drivers and parents who drove their kids to school.
We also contacted our town newspaper, Two River Times and we were interviewed for our April Story and will be in next’s week edition.

Use of Media:
As I mentioned we will be in the Two River Times with pictures and quotes,next week. We were on Teen News and that viewing information went out to our entire school and many sent it to family and friends.
our school website carried all our Just Dive information , facebook and instagram and twitter. Our students were our best marketers, they put everything out there and that was very positive.
We also participated in the Tuesdays postings to spread the word!!

Thoroughness:
We tried to make each month focus on a different aspect turning distracted driving into safe driving. After reaching out to our bus drivers, our crossing guards and our kids themselves we believed we covered the dangers of distracted driving they may be challenged by during their daily driving routine. It was very interesting when February came up for discussion and love was a topic because of Valentines day. The idea of parents not always safely driving was a sensitive but real conversation and was wanted to show the kids wanted their parents home safe.

Impact:
This campaign was received positively as was shown by the reactions to the monthly presentations. The idea that we asked different kids to take part and be included for different months helped unite the school in some way. The messages were obvious and the kids seem to like the songs and poems that will likely remind them of the message. In the past we have used surveys but this year we are doing one question. We talked about kids voting on their favorite month message and why. That will show if they understood the campaign and more.

Sustainability:
Next school year, each month we will remind the school about this campaign and the message that was for that particular month. Ask are they doing their best to keep with that message.

In the past we would ask the kids to where their favorite Just Drive Tee Shirt. Unfortunately we designed our shirts for this campaign but was not able to purchase them because of being home during this pandemic.

Unexpected Lessons Learned:
Up to March, our campaign was working well, getting work in on time and the kids shared the work and brought it to the table. When we went home in March I saw a change. The kids were more sensitive to each other and understood that these times were difficult and that though they knew we wanted to produce , it was getting through his pandemic that was more important. So everytime we would meet we had an open to share anything if we wanted to and that was truly amazing. I would have never met with this group if it was not for this Just Drive Campaign, I am so thankful for this opportunity.

Stipend Reporting:

Banners, signs, crafts: $500

As the U Got Brains Champion Schools Program is funded through the Division of highway Traffic Safety, funds raised as a result of the stipend received must be reinvested into transportation safety. If yes, please briefly report the total amount and how this money will be reinvested into transportation safety for your school/community?
We were not able to order t shirts. We had to cancel our speaker Steven Benvenisti who was suppose to come to RBC in may. We were suppose to sign his parent student agreement.

MEDIA