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?
Kandee Alexander
Kern Valley High School
Lake Isabella, California
Kandee loves to be involved in the community and is ready to be more involved as a TAB member. As a member of the TAB she will be able to use her voice to promote the Teens in the Driver Seat message and make a difference in teen’s lives. Kandee describes herself as funny, outgoing, smart, competitive, and down-to-earth.
Sydney Alvarado
Second Year Member
Midlothian High School
Midlothian, Texas
Sydney believes in the Teens in the Driver Seat message. She is a returning TAB member and is ready to use her leadership skills to promote teen safety. “Teen safety is one crucial thing that should be taken seriously, spreading the message is something I am not shy about doing,” states Sydney. Sydney describes herself as leader, outspoken, organized, a perfectionist and thinker.
Kelsey Booker
Second Year Member
Naaman Forest High School
Garland, Texas
Kelsey is a returning TAB member and she is happy that she will be able to continue to help other students. Her position on her school’s newspaper will help her to focus attention on the Teens in the Driver Seat message and its importance. Kelsey describes herself as creative, kind, funny, mysterious and imaginative.
Hope Boyd
Pepperell High School
Lindale, Georgia
Hope was one of 22 teens appointed by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal to serve on the Governor’s Commission on Teen Driving, where she served as vice-chair on the impaired driving subcommittee and presented to many representatives of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, legislation, prosecutors, and other organizations representatives such as SADD and MADD about revamping the current Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program (ADAP). She is also the Vice-President of Pepperell’s SADD chapter and President of my Key Club. Hope describes herself as reliable, random, goofy, smart and outgoing.
Amy Cano
Ventura High School
Ventura, California
Amy is outgoing and wants to contribute to her peers and community. She is currently a mentor to 8th graders, helping them learn about the dangers and how to avoid alcohol and drugs. She believes she can do this through the Teens in the Driver Seat program. Amy describes herself as smart, caring, experienced, dependable and easy going.
Marcely Castro
El Dorado 9th Grade Academy
El Paso, Texas
Marcely is dedicated to the Teens in the Driver Seat program and message. She wants to help her community and as a TAB member, she will continue to spread the word regarding the dangers of underage drinking and driving. Marcely describes herself as beautiful, smart, dedicated, leader and honest.
Anthony Cortez
Jefferson High School
El Paso, Texas
Anthony has been involved with the Teens in the Driver Seat program at his school for the last two years. He believes that all teens should be safe behind the wheel and encourages others to know the dangers of teen driving. He is involved in his community and as a TAB member he believes he can help others strengthen their knowledge about the risks teen drivers face. Anthony describes himself as funny, responsible, helpful, caring and respectful.
Diana Diaz
Silva Magnet High School
El Paso, Texas
Diane is active in her community and wants to put her leadership skills to good use as a TAB member. She wants to set the example for safe teen driving habits and wants to use this opportunity of being a board member to speak up and encourage her peers to use good driving habits. She is also looking forward to this experience to show other teens the opportunities they have to make a change. Diane describes herself as optimistic, dedicated, hard-working, outgoing and nice.
Arely Escalera
Jefferson High School
El Paso, Texas
Arely is committed to educating her peers about the risks and dangers of teen driving. As a TAB member she will get the opportunity to inform both students and parents on the Teens in the Driver Seat program and mission. She is also an active member of her Campus Crime Stoppers. Arely describes herself as energetic, honest, social, responsible and outgoing.
Sydney Franklin
Creekview High School
Carrollton, Texas
Sydney is an Executive Officer of my school’s Student Council, VP of Public Relations for the Law and Criminal Justice Academy, and very active with her community. She would like to use her experience to advocate for Teens in the Driver Seat program and teen safety and learn more ways to reach her community. She feels that as a TAB member, she can help make the world a safer place by educating teens and adults about driving distractions and how to avoid them. Sydney describes herself as hones, charismatic, intelligent, hard-working and fun.
Halle Hanks
Pepperell High School
Lindale, Georgia
Halle is very involved in with her high school with the Teens in the Driver Seat program where she is dedicated to educating her peers about driving safety. She is very creative and is always looking for new ways to spread the message about safe driving habits; as a TAB member she feels that she has the opportunity to do so. Halle describes herself as trustworthy, willing, benevolent, hard-working and outgoing.
Cassie Henk
Third Year Member
Bandera High School
Bandera, Texas
Cassie is a returning TAB member and has helped with numerous TDS statewide projects. She is Vice President of her school’s Key Club, is involved in her community, and believes it is her responsibility to spread the message of Teens in the Driver Seat because she realizes the impact it can have on teen’s lives. Cassie describes herself as outgoing, responsible, respectful, honest and athletic.
Taylor Hudson
Second Year Member
Mayde Creek High School
Houston, Texas
Taylor uses her position as current Miss Harris County Outstanding Teen 2013 to spread the message about the dangers of distracted driving. She works to educate teens about the risks and responsibilities of driving and being a good passenger during her speeches. Taylor describes herself as energetic, responsible, athletic, timely and dedicated.
Richard Kim
Creekview High School
Carrollton, Texas
Richard is a member of his school’s student council and TDS team where he is dedicated in leading, influencing, and making decisions that will effectively benefit the teen driving community. He also serves as Vice-President of DECA, is a member of the Leadership Team in the marching band, part of the cross country team, in the Key Club and active in his church. Richard further describes himself as dedicated, motivated, efficient, caring and initiative.
Keith King
Westwood High School
Palestine, Texas
Keith wants to help reduce the number teen fatalities and believes in the Teens in the Driver Seat mission. He was instrumental in starting the TDS program at his school and is working hard to make is successful. He feels as member of TAB, he will bring new perspective to board. Keith further describes himself as loud, crazy, smart, witty and outgoing.
Joseph Leal
Brandeis High School
San Antonio, Texas
Joseph is an active volunteer at his school, is a member of the student council and will be involved in making Teens in the Driver Seat a success in the school. Joseph is creative and has many ideas and would like to share the message of Teens in the Driver Seat and motivate others to also share the message. Joseph describes himself as funny, artistic, happy, nice and outgoing.
Mitzi Martinez
Irvin High School
El Paso, Texas
Mitzi works with her student council to raise awareness of driving dangers and now, as a TAB member, she will be able to further motivate and encourage her teen peers about the Teens in the Driver Seat program at her school. Mitzi describes herself as energetic, happy, friendly, smart, and eager to learn.
Tony Mendoza
Riverside High School
El Paso, Texas
Tony is member of his high school’s student council and has participated in promoting safety for young drivers. As a TAB member, he feels he can further educate his peers and help save teen lives. He is passionate about the Teens in the Driver Seat message and wants to spread the dangers of driving while distracted. Tony describes himself as outgoing, friendly, optimistic, organized and honest.
Arron Newman
Chisum High School
Paris, Texas
Arron has been a leader in his schools Teens in the Driver Seat program for the last three years and wants to increase his involvement through the TAB. His personal mission is to better inform drivers of all ages about the five risks, especially the dangers of texting and driving. Arron describes himself as honest, dedicated, mature, kind and observant.
Jessica Perez
Chisum High School
Paris, Texas
Jessica has been very active in her school’s TDS program this year, even though she has not started driving. She believes her communication skills will help her tell more teens about the choices they have to stay safe in vehicles and feels it is important to learn about safe driving at a young age. Jessica describes herself as respectful, hilarious, optimistic, helpful and intelligent.
Scott Pofahl
Bandera High School
Bandera, Texas
Scott is the longest standing TAB member this year. He has been involved in TDS since middle school and throughout high school. He knows the importance of the Teens in the Driver Seat program and feels many youth are at risk and programs like TDS are necessary to save lives. Scott describes himself as analytical, articulate, cooperative caring and a leader.
Presley Price
Brandeis High School
San Antonio, Texas
Presley recently lost a friend in a car crash and wants to honor her memory by becoming active in saving other’s lives. She is currently Miss San Antonio’s Outstanding Teen 2013 and is comfortable speaking about important teen topics in front of large audiences. She would like to inform her peers of the risk and have all her peers sign a pledge and commit to avoiding the five risks of driving. Presley describes herself as honest, relatable, reliable, inspiring and passionate.
Julio Reyes
Vidal M. Trevino
Laredo, Texas
Julio has been an active participant of the Teens in the Driver Seat program at his high school for the last two years. He is active within his school, well-spoken and will be President of the Student Council next school year. He is looking forward to continuing to share and learning new ideas to spread the message of Teens in the Driver Seat. Julio describes himself as intelligent, outgoing, honest, a leader and trustworthy.
Reina Salazar
Ventura High School
Ventura, California
Reina wants to bring awareness to distracted driving and believes the message of Teens in the Driver Seat will help her to do this. She is active in her community and as a member of the TAB; she will be able to communicate the five risks to teen drivers. Reina describes herself as unique, intelligent, cooperative, dependable and trustworthy.
Meredith Spillane
A&M Consolidated High School
College Station, Texas
Meredith wants to have the opportunity to lead other teens to the Teens in the Driver Seat website and message. She has a unique perspective since she has spent time in the courtroom (her dad is a judge) seeing first-hand what happens when teens make bad decisions. Meredith describes herself as dedicated, energetic, curious, happy and funny.
Alejandra Valdez
Vidal M. Trevino
Laredo, Texas
Alejandra is currently a member of the Teens in the Driver Seat chapter at her school and serves as the secretary. She is an active participant in her community and would like to be an example for her peers as a safe driver by being a member of the Teen Advisory Board. Alejandra describes herself as honest, independent, creative, dedicated and trustworthy.
Rachel Velasco
Kern Valley High School
Lake Isabella, California
Rachel believes in the Teens in the Driver Seat message and cause. She is one of the winners of 2013 Teens in the Driver Seat poster contest. Rachel describes herself as determined, punctual, creative, organized and social.
Megan Yackley
Bronte High School
Bronte, Texas
Meagan has been involved with her high school’s Teen in the Driver Seat chapter for the past three years and has been an integral part of the activities at her high school. She believes the importance of reminding her peers to drive safe and wants to continue to impart the message. Meagan describes herself as punctual, dedicated, responsible, attentive and motivated.
David Yeverino
Irvin High School
El Paso, Texas
David believes Teens in the Driver Seat is an effective program and believes in the cause. He wants to be able to show teens how to be safe drivers and feels that as a TAB member, he will have the platform to show teens how bad driving habits affect everyone. David describes himself as honest, friendly, hard-worker, happy and trustworthy.