Raiders Ride Safe

NHS Promotes Safe Driving 

Nutley High School’s Radio/TV III students were able to engage with the entire student body on Thursday, June 5th, maintaining the “Raiders Ride Safe” message. This message is one that delivers and emphasizes the importance of safety when driving, as well as pedestrian and passenger safety. Raiders Ride Safe helps remind people of the importance of speed limits in school zones, staying off the roads when under the influence, and staying undistracted while at the wheel.

Each year, Mr. Jim Kelly, teacher of the TV and Radio courses in Nutley High School, and his students take action in developing a project-based video in order to partake in an annual U Got Brains Champion Schools Program, presented by the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey. This is a program which gives the students and staff of New Jersey high schools an opportunity to produce campaigns that place emphasis on the safety of teen driving. This helps give more awareness as well as educate students and staff members. After observing driving behaviors on Franklin Avenue to assess the knowledge of speed zones and gathering the data, Mr. Kelly’s students were able to realize that the student body and community needed to be better educated.

“We are looking at an opportunity to create public awareness in a New Jersey crusade to save lives on our roads,” Mr. Kelly stated. The purpose of the Raiders Ride Safe program is to engage the students and the citizens of Nutley, New Jersey, as well as community stakeholders, to become aware of a seemingly common thread from Nutley High School, as well as the community-at-large.

Mr. Kelly explained that this year during the April Board of Commissioners Meeting, the Raiders Ride Safe campaign was recognized for civic involvement with an official township proclamation for the group’s dedication and commitment to driver and pedestrian safety. The Raiders Ride Safe program has also received civic awards and recognition from state associations and sponsors.

The students in his classes, and Mr. Kelly himself,  have a goal to make a difference in the community while utilizing Raiders Ride Safe as a catalyst  for town and country officials to address and speak more about driver and pedestrian safety. This program provides a visual to the importance of driver safety, leaving the students with a strong mental impact.