Join the Teens in the Driver Seat All-Stars and win cash for your school. Every hard-working team has a chance to win cash for their school and to be recognized as a 1-star, 2-star, 3-star, or 4-star school. Teams receive points for completed and reported activities to earn their place as an All-Star! We keep track and post a Point Tracker throughout the calendar year so you know where you’re at and how much more you need to do to place as an TDS All-Star. Each level has a different cash value and a set of criteria you must meet. All activities must be reported on a semester basis (Fall/Spring) and the TDS All-Stars tallies close October 18, 2019. See complete rules, below.
NEW!
Watch out because we have semester deadlines where you must turn in your activity forms to get points! Deadlines are listed here and in the planning calendar shipped with your toolkit.
To be recognized as a 1-star through 4-star school, you must meet a certain set of criteria, which may be found here.>
IMPORTANT ITEMS TO REMEMBER
- To earn credit for TDS All-Star Activities an Event/Activity Form must be submitted, before the deadlines. Activity forms only need to be completed for activities within your school or community. We will keep track of all other points, such as returned surveys, contest entries, Zero Crazy Observations, etc.
- 5 Bonus points will be awarded for reporting activities within a month (30 days) after your activity was conducted.
- For all Texas schools, to earn full credit for TDS All-Star Activities each Event/Activity Form must be accompanied with student sign-in sheet(s) OR a one-time signed letter from the Principal or Superintendent (download) confirming attendance for the event, start and end time and for the planning hours leading up to the event. All sign-in sheet(s) must be submitted to TTI – Teens in the Driver Seat® prior to the deadline. Sign-in sheets or confirmation letters may be submitted as an attachment in the Event/Activity form, mailed, faxed, emailed to: TTI – Teens in the Driver Seat, 1100 NW Loop 410, Suite 605, San Antonio, TX 78213, Fax: 210-979-9694, Email: tdswebmaster@ttimail.tamu.edu
POINT EARNING SCALE
March 21, 2018 through October 18, 2019
SURVEY – REQUIRED TO QUALIFY FOR TDS ALL-STARS
20 points For completing and returning annual school surveys by May 31, 2019. Surveys have a mandatory minimum number of surveys that must be completed based on school size. (No Activity Form Required)
High Schools with a student population of:
- 449 students or less complete a minimum of 200 surveys or half of the population
- 450-1059 students complete a minimum of 250 surveys or half of the population
- 1060+ students complete a minimum of 300 surveys or half of the population
Junior High Schools with a student population of:
- 359 students or less complete a minimum of 150 surveys or half of the population
- 400 – 749 students complete a minimum of 200 surveys or half of the population
- 750+ students complete a minimum of 250 surveys or half of the population
(APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 8, 2019)
1 point For each student that applies for Teens in the Driver Seat® Teen Advisory Board (TAB) by March 8, 2019. Maximum 5 points per school. (No Activity Form Required)
5 points For each student selected for the Teens in the Driver Seat® Teen Advisory Board (TAB). (No Activity Form Required)
3 points For each quarterly meeting your TAB member attends. (No Activity Form Required)
5 points For each student elected as TAB co-chair. (No Activity Form Required)
ONLINE INVOLVEMENT
1 point For every student that comments on an online story. Student must disclose the school on the comment form. A student is counted only one time per article. Maximum 10 points per school. (No Activity Form Required)
2 points For sharing a story on t-driver.com. Student must disclose the school on the comment form. Maximum 6 points per school. (No Activity Form Required)
1 point For each photo of an activity you share on the TDS Facebook wall, Instagram (must tag @teensinthedriverseat), or Twitter (must tag @TeensDriverSeat). Duplicate entries are not eligible. It must be apparent what is school is posting. Maximum 20 points. (No Activity Form Required)
5 points For each student selected for the Teen of the Month. (No Activity Form Required)
10 points For each school selected for Teen Takeover. 10 points are awarded per event/activity day. Maximum 20 points per school. (No Activity Form Required)
5 points For the winner of each online contest, other than the Driving the Message annual contest. (No Activity Form Required)
LOCAL TEENS IN THE DRIVER SEAT® ACTIVITIES
Be sure to turn in to turn in all Event/Activity Forms and follow NEW Semester deadlines – All activities conducted March 21, 2018 – December 31, 2018 are due before January 31, 2019. All activities conducted January 1, 2019 – May 1, 2019 are due before June 30, 2019. All activities conducted June 1 – October 18, 2019 are due October 18, 2019.
1 point* For holding a team meeting to plan Teens in the Driver Seat® outreach. Meeting must be at least 30 minutes. An Event/Activity Form and sign-in sheets (or signed affidavits by a school administrator) must be completed. Maximum 10 points per school.
3 points* For conducting a Teens in the Driver Seat® activity at your school or participating in a large school-wide event. An Event/Activity Form and sign-in sheets (or signed affidavits by a school administrator) must be completed. Maximum 30 points per school.
5 points* For conducting a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) event using the provided Respect the Rig materials in the TDS Resource Kit. An Event/Activity Form must be completed.
5 points* For each school that collaborates with a community partner (i.e, TxDOT Traffic Safety Specialist (TSS), local State Farm Agent, Safe Kids Coordinator, Law enforcement, or First responders) and attends an event or activity. Must include picture and contact information of the partner. An Event/Activity Form must be completed. Maximum 20 points per school.
5 points* For hosting a large school-wide Teens in the Driver Seat® activity with attendance of 50-100 people or participating in a city-wide event. An Event/Activity Form and sign-in sheets (or signed affidavits by a school administrator) must be completed.
10 points* For hosting a large city/regional-wide Teens in the Driver Seat® activity (separate event held outside of school) with attendance of 100+ people. An Event/Activity Form and sign-in sheets (or signed affidavits by a school administrator) must be completed.
5 points For referring the program to a new High School. Points will be awarded only if the new school starts their own Teens in the Driver Seat® program, and notes the referrer on their first order form. (No Activity Form Required)
5 points For referring the program to a new Junior High School (Texas and Georgia only). Points will be awarded only if the new school starts their own Teens in the Driver Seat® program and notes the referrer on their first order form. (No Activity Form Required)
10 points For each school selected to hold a Teens in the Driver Seat® news conference. (No Activity Form Required)
10 points* For each school whose TDS team or TDS activity is featured in a newspaper or television story. Story must include and be relevant to a top risk of teen drivers. Please include link or copy of article / story in activity form. School newspapers/ closed networks are not eligible. An Event/Activity Form must be completed.
*5 Bonus points will be awarded for reporting activities within a month (30 days) after your activity was conducted and for returning all required sign-in sheets (or signed affidavits by a school administrator).
DRIVING THE MESSAGE CONTEST INVOLVEMENT
(CONTEST DEADLINE: JANUARY 25, 2019)
1 point For each eligible contest entry received. Maximum 10 points per school. (No Activity Form Required)
3 points For each contest entry that places 3rd place. (No Activity Form Required)
4 points For each contest entry that places 2nd place. (No Activity Form Required)
5 points For each contest entry that places 1st place. (No Activity Form Required)
SPONSTAR INVOLVEMENT
(NOMINATION DEADLINE: November 2, 2019)
1 point For each eligible nomination received from your school. Maximum 3 points per school. (No Activity Form Required)
5 points For the school of a SponStar winner. (No Activity Form Required)
ZERO CRAZY! INVOLVEMENT
15 points For completing and returning pre- and post-observation data by the deadline. (No Activity Form Required) Schools may participate in both fall and spring Zero Crazy! Activity.
- Fall ’18 (seat belts) can be done any time during the FALL semester and must be completed by DECEMBER 14, 2018
- Spring ’19 (distracted driving) can be done any time during the SPRING semester and must be completed by MAY 1, 2019
- Fall ’19 (seat belts) can be done any time during the FALL semester and must be completed by October 18, 2019
10 Bonus points An extra 10 points are awarded to schools who complete both Zero Crazy seat belts and the Zero Crazy distracted driving activity by October 18, 2019. (No Activity Form Required)
RIDE WITH ME INVOLVEMENT
10 points For High Schools who sign up by February 28, 2019 and complete all activity requirements before October 18, 2019 deadline. Completion after this date, points will be awarded the next TDS All-Stars contest year. An Event/Activity Form must be completed.
15 points For Junior High Schools who sign up by February 28, 2019, complete all activity requirements and provide feedback before October 18, 2019 deadline. Completion after this date, points will be awarded the next TDS All-Stars contest year. An Event/Activity Form must be completed.
RULES
- Teens in the Driver Seat® All-Stars is open to all program schools. A program school is a high school or junior high that has completed an order form and received a resource kit for the 2018-2019 school year.
- To be recognized in an All-Stars category, High Schools must complete:
- 4-Stars ($1,000): 350+ points, TDS Surveys, Seat Belt and Distraction Zero Crazy, Ride With Me
- 3-Stars ($500): 250+ points, TDS Surveys, Seat Belt or Distraction Zero Crazy
- 2-Stars ($250): 150+ points, TDS Surveys, Seat Belt or Distraction Zero Crazy
- 1-Star: 75+ points and TDS Surveys
- To be recognized in an All-Stars category, Junior High Schools must complete:
- 4-Stars ($1,000): 200+ points, TDS Surveys, Seat Belt and Distraction Zero Crazy, Ride With Me
- 3-Stars ($500): 150+ points, TDS Surveys, Seat Belt or Distraction Zero Crazy
- 2-Stars ($250): 100+ points, TDS Surveys, Seat Belt or Distraction Zero Crazy
- 1-Star: 50+ points and TDS Surveys
- Activity points for activities completed within the school or community will be awarded upon the submission of an Event/Activity Form and it is the responsibility of each school to submit their activity forms. All other points are automatically given when items are completed (returned surveys, contest entries, website comments, etc.).
- Points will be awarded according to the point earning scale.
- Participation in the Teens in the Driver Seat® Teen Driving Experience survey is required to be considered an All-Star school. TDS verifies school enrollment on the following websites to identify the minimum number of surveys required for each school. https://www.greatschools.org/ & https://tea.texas.gov
- For the Teens in the Driver Seat® All-Stars, teams will have the opportunity to earn points for the academic year of 2018-2019 beginning March 21, 2018 through October 18, 2019.
- Points for activities occurring after October 18, 2019 will count towards the 2020 TDS All-Stars.
- The final deadline to submit points to be qualified as a Teens in the Driver Seat® All-Stars is October 18, 2019.
- All winners must submit their Teens in the Driver Seat® team name list and W-9 (required for prize check) within one week of being notified of winning Teens in the Driver Seat® All-Stars School.
- All entry activities and photographs may be used to advance and support the Teens in the Driver Seat Program or the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
- The Texas A&M Transportation Institute is not responsible for lost, damaged, misdirected or delayed activity forms or entries towards points.
- The Texas A&M Transportation Institute reserves the right to withdraw, terminate, suspend, cancel or modify all or part of the contest at any time without notice.
- It is the responsibility of the school to monitor awarded points (updated monthly on leader board) and bring any discrepancies to the attention of the Teens in the Driver Seat staff before the October 18, 2019 deadline.
- For Texas Junior High and High Schools, it is the responsibility of the school to monitor awarded points, affidavit letters and sign-in sheets (updated monthly on leader board) and bring any discrepancies to the attention of the Teens in the Driver Seat staff before the October 18, 2019 deadline.
- Teens in the Driver Seat ® reserves the right to change any of these rules.
- All decisions are final.