Teen Advisory Board
Teens in the Driver Seat® is the nation’s first peer-to-peer safety program for young drivers, involving teenagers directly in developing and delivering driving safety messages. The goal of Teens in the Driver Seat® is to raise awareness of the top driving dangers for teens and prevent crashes involving young drivers. The program empowers teens to spread the word among their peers about deadly driving risks and encourage them to make smart choices while behind the wheel and as passengers. Teens in the Driver Seat® is committed to fighting the number-one killer of teenagers in America, but it can only succeed with the involvement and commitment of young people who are represented by the Teens in the Driver Seat® Teen Advisory Board.
TAB members are selected for the next year at the end of the previous school year. If you are interested in being involved, watch for nomination announcements.
Check out the TAB album on Facebook for snapshots of the board in action.
The board members:
- Provide insight on how to engage their peers and sustain their interest in Teens in the Driver Seat®
- Assist in organizing program-oriented events and activities
- Provide feedback, ideas and opinions on new program materials, safety messages, promotional items and related elements
- Participate in quarterly meetings
- Serve as ambassadors and leaders for Teens in the Driver Seat®
So who are the members?
Misty Adams
Wells High School
Wells, Texas
Misty loves to help people and being a member of the TAB will help her do that. She is also involved in the FCCLA- Can Food Drive for community, Pink Out for American Cancer Society and volunteers at a local christian music radio station and local churches.
Misty describes herself as out-going, caring, boisterous, kind and nice.
Sydney Alvarado
Midlothian High School
Midlothian, Texas
Sydney likes to speak to people about things she is passionate about. Her school lost two students in car crashes and would like to continue their memory by asking teens to drive safely. She looks forward to helping in a bigger way, in her community and through the TAB.
Sydney describes herself as motivated, prompt, creative, persistent and eccentric.
Chase Apperson
Duncanville High School
Duncanville, Texas
Chase has been on the Student Council for three years and they have had multiple projects that promote safe driving and tell about the risks of being on the road. With the TAB, he “hope[s] to diminish the amount of these accidents by teaching fellow teens about the responsibility and dangers of being a driver.”
Chase participates in community service for his school and church. He attends mission trips throughout the year and volunteers at different homes around the area. As the Vice President of my school’s HOSA chapter, he has organized several community service projects.
Chase describes himself as confident, friendly, helpful, kind and fun.
Tony Bondoc
Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts
Laredo, Texas
Tony is actively involved in community theatre and is president of the Theatre Arts Department at VMT. He has also worked and tutored students with autism with his father for as long as he can remember and, through this, has learned patience when expecting results. His strengths include a determination to complete tasks, the ability to speak to different crowds, and successful when meeting new people and telling them about TDS.
Tony describes himself as energetic, determined, a leader, supportive, and friendly.
Kelsey Booker
Naaman Forest High School
Garland, Texas
Kelsey wants to become involved to give creative ideas and help come up with the best solutions to the problem of drunk driving. She knows one beer is all it takes, and wants to help spread that message in her community. While in middle school, she worked with the Wild Club and made posters about the effects of drunk driving and has continued that work as a current member of the L.I.G.H.T. Brigade where she has made a video and participates in every safety week/drunk driving event.
Kelsey describes herself as patient, clever, kind, caring and creative.
Kaitlyn Braswell
Bronte High School
Bronte, Texas
Kaitlyn works within the TDS program to spread the message to stay focused while behind the wheel and make smart choices to save lives. Her community has lost several students to distracted driving and she sees TDS as a way to help peers stay focused. She is a member of the Bronte Teen Chamber, the National Honor Society, and the Bronte FCA. She also contributes to community service fund raisers for a scholarship in memory of a student who lost her life to distracted driving, is a state qualifier on the debate team and actively involved in varsity volleyball, basketball, and track.
Kaitlyn describes herself as optimistic, intelligent, athletic, witty and determined.
Michael Caballero
Creekview High School
Creekview, Texas
Michael is a returning TAB member. Michael wants to work with others to learn about how they promote the importance of teen driving safety and share what Creekview does. Michael has been on my school’s mock trial team for the last two years, improving his public speaking skills. Michael serves as treasurer of his class and vice president of his school’s nationally recognized student council.
Michael describes himself as devoted, passionate, charismatic, honest and genuine.
Naomi Cadena
Riverside High School
El Paso, Texas
Naomi wanted to become more involved after she suffered a loss of a friend who died in a car crash. She wishes she could have talked to her friend to ask him to drive safely and possibly saved his life. She recently completed a law enforcement class, where she learned about traffic rules and the dangers of driving. She would like to use this knowledge and the experience of losing a friend and share her message with other teens.
Naomi describes herself as smart, honest, humorous, athletic and unique.
Amanda Castañeda
Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts
Laredo, Texas
Amanda wants to serve because she knows she can make a difference and is a leader. She would also like to help the program grow and become more nationally recognized. Amanda volunteers at the El Cerizo Volunteer Fire Department where she is the Captain of Junior Volunteers and, during the summer, volunteers at the Laredo Medical Center. Both volunteer positions give Amanda a first-hand view of what can happen when teens are involved in car crashes.
Amanda describes herself as dependable, smart, brave, friendly and trustworthy.
Jeremy Dowell
Creekview High School
Carrollton, Texas
Jeremy wants to serve as a Teen Advisory Board member to prevent future teen accidents. He describes himself as very responsible and dedicated, and wants to work to better the program any way possible. Jeremy has volunteer experience with his church youth group. He also holds a leadership position in the student council.
Jeremy describes himself as smart, honest, having integrity, and determined.
Destiny Ferguson
Wells High School
Wells, Texas
Destiny admits she still has a lot to learn about driving, even though she has learned to drive boats, tractors, four-wheelers and trucks. She knows she can be a positive influence on teen drivers and wanted to help more once she learned what impact she could have being a TAB member. She enjoys volunteer work, such as food drives, bake sales, outreach, and a community volleyball tournament.
Destiny describes herself as outgoing, caring, helpful, energetic and independent.
Selena Froese
Chisum High School
Paris, Texas
Selena is a current officer on her school’s Teens in the Driver Seat committee and also attended a peer leadership training to learn how to better give messages to her friends. She wants to be the difference in the way her friends and family drive and think about being safe. She feels her dedication and trust-worthiness will be a real asset to the board.
Selena describes herself as trustworthy, respectful, reliable, honest and caring.
Cassie Henk
Bandera High School
Bandera, Texas
Cassie is a returning TAB member and wants to continue the work the board has started. She is an experienced public speaker after making a presentation at a National Student Safety Conference and participating in a web video. Being so involved in the program has made Cassie realize the impact it can have on teen’s lives. She is involved in athletics, and has volunteered as a Vacation Bible School teacher. She also helps with food drives, church festivals and her youth group.
Cassie describes herself as responsible, outgoing, focused, athletic and honest.
Daniel Holt
Cypress Falls High School
Houston, Texas
Daniel participates in the Teens in the Driver Seat committee at Cypress Falls and was involved in the recent photo shoot held at the school. He wants to become more involved because he feels it would be a great opportunity to serve his peers and community and would put his leadership and creative skills to use. Daniel is involved in his church youth group volunteer activities, Habitat for Humanity, Computer Science Club and the school band.
Daniel describes himself as honest, hard-working, reliable, a musician and a computer tech.
Mindy Le
Garland High School
Garland, Texas
Mindy is a returning TAB member and has been on the TDS committee for Garland Youth Council for two years. She helped lead a workshop at a summit, updates the youth council Facebook page and is working with her school’s activity director to make TDS a more vital program within the school. As a TAB member, she is excited about the work they have done and wants to continue it during her last year in high school. Mindy has worked with the following organizations: American Heart Association, Child Abuse Prevention Center, Texas CARES, March of Dimes, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, UNICEF and Legal Hospice of Texas.
Mindy describes herself as honest, organized, eccentric, detailed and adventurous.
Alex Luna
Naaman Forest High School
Garland, Texas
Alex is currently involved in the Garland Youth Council and worked on the Teens in the Driver Seat committee where he performed research on teen driving safety and has since become passionate about informing peers about safe driving. He wants to serve on the board to inspire, inform and educate peers on the responsibilities of being behind the wheel. He is currently active in the Young Life Leadership board; Garland Youth Council (TDS committee); Youth Leadership Garland, Class 7; Lumberjacks (school spirit organization); Vice President Church Youth Choir; National Honor Society; National Spanish Honor Society; FCA leader; FUMC Garland Youth Council; Mu Alpha Theta; a class officer and has been an All Naaman Forest High School Awardee (3 years in a row) – chosen by Faculty members.
Alex describes himself as outgoing, energetic, involved, compassionate and personable.
Velia Martinez
Silva Health Magnet High School
El Paso, Texas
Velia is not afraid to let her friends know about safe driving and tells them safe driving tips whenever she gets into a vehicle with them. Velia believes her persuasiveness and confidence will be an asset to the board. She has volunteered at a hospital and works at a restaurant.
Velia describes herself as responsible, caring, dedicated, friendly and patient.
Emi Mata
Duncanville High School
Duncanville, Texas
Emi wants to contribute towards getting the word out that teens should be very careful while driving and considers serving an honor. She believes her passion for promoting well-being for others will move her towards succeeding in Teens in the Driver Seat. Emi is the current Corresponding Secretary for the Student Council and has been on the student council since the seventh grade. She has assisted in planning blood drives, food drives, fundraisers, donations, and more. She volunteers at a local retirement center.
Emi describes herself as a leader, intelligent, honest, creative and dedicated.
Manny Munoz
C.C. Winn High School
Eagle Pass, Texas
Manny led the his student group to make Teens in the Driver Seat it’s own committee this past year, and as a result, has held more projects within the community. He wants to become more involved, represent his school and make the program even larger. His community recently lost a student who was ejected during a crash because she was not wearing a seat belt and he knows this danger will be a large part of their messaging in the coming year. Manny is an officer on the student council and is involved in “Paint the Town” to cover graffiti in the community and help with “Candles for Life” to raise money for breast cancer research.
Manny describes himself as trust-worthy, funny, outgoing, intelligent and a good leader.
Asia Phomparky
El Dorado Ninth Grade Academy
El Paso, Texas
Asia believes in Teens in the Driver Seat. She has been actively involved in activities, including presentations, community fairs and wearing her t-shirt every Thursday. She also talks to others about safe driving whenever she can. She believes her outgoing personality will fit in with the board.
Asia describes herself as smart, beautiful, funny, friendly and loyal.
Scott Pofahl
Bandera High School
Bandera, Texas
Scott is a returning TAB member and enjoys being involved and knows the program has done a lot to help people. He wants to continue those efforts. Scott has served as public speaker at several Teens in the Driver Seat awareness assemblies and attended the last Day at the Capitol. He is comfortable in public speaking and is a regional qualifier in both Lincoln/Douglas Debate and Persuasive Speaking.
Scott describes himself as articulate, reflective, creative, cooperative and a leader.
Dyllan Retos
Chisum High School
Paris, Texas
Dyllan has been involved in multiple community activities at his school and wants to serve on the board to be involved and dedicated to a good cause. He believes awareness is the most important way to keep his peers safe. He enjoys coming up with creative ways to spread the message to others and works to make sure tasks and activities are completed.
Dyllan describes himself as helpful, outgoing, responsible, respectful and dedicated.
Lakota Withrow
Murray County High School
Chatsworth, Georgia
Lakota works hard to spread the message about safe teen driving and knows his ideas will help the Board. As a sophomore and member of his school’s SADD team, he works with the leadership team for Operation Drive Smart Pledge and Expo. He is also an officer on the student council, helps recycle and helps manage an Adopt-a-Mile project. Lakota is also our first Georgia teen to serve on the Board.
Lakota describes himself as honest, serious, smart, studious and sarcastic.