Our Impact

Most Creative: Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy 

The campaign from Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy was divided into three sections: School, Youth, and Community. At the school level, the students promoted the RWJ Safety Ambassadors program, recruited and trained a dedicated team to educate younger students on brain injury prevention, and gained visibility through posters and club fair participation. For the Youth component, the Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy team presented at Lincoln Elementary School, responded to safety concerns raised by staff, and created educational materials to improve signage and parent awareness. In the broader community, one Safety Ambassador shadowed public health professionals to help organize events, including a training session for municipal workers on physical and mental safety. 

Best Use of Teamwork: Dumont High School 

Dumont High School’s Get Home Safe Campaign aimed to promote responsible decision-making and safety awareness among students as drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, with a year-round program that fosters community engagement and long-term impact. Monthly planning meetings, committee work, and partnerships with faculty and community members—like the Dumont Police Department—fostered accountability, communication skills, and a shared sense of responsibility that made the campaign both cohesive and impactful. 

Best Use of Community Engagement: Oakcrest High School

The Oakcrest team engaged in pre-planning meetings to determine their focus and implementation strategy, ultimately launching a comprehensive safety initiative that impacted individuals of all ages across the school and wider community. Their efforts included collaborations with organizations such as EndDD.org (End Distracted Driving), Cooper Hospital, NJM Safe Teen Driving, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, incorporating guest speakers, data analysis, and presentations. Students also partnered with local officials and the Hamilton Township Police Department to create PSAs, develop a road safety improvement plan, and educate younger students on pedestrian and driver safety. 

Best New School: Passaic Arts & Science Charter School - Clifton High

The project of Passaic Arts and Science Charter School – Clifton High focused on promoting helmet safety by teaching students the importance of wearing helmets correctly through educational materials such as posters, demonstrations, and interactive activities. These resources were shared during school assemblies and classroom visits, particularly targeting younger students to encourage early adoption of safe habits. The goal was to create a lasting impact by making safety education engaging and age-appropriate. 

Best New School: South River High School

The objective of the South River High School campaign was to educate first-grade students on pedestrian safety by teaching essential habits such as using crosswalks, obeying traffic signals, wearing visible clothing, and avoiding distractions while walking, biking, or riding a scooter. Additionally, the program aimed to promote safe driving habits among high school students within the driving-age population.