JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Randolph High School was one of five schools selected by Silver and Black Give Back's Team Up Challenge judges to win a $20,000 check April 13 for the Drive SMART campaign they created. Randolph competed against more than 80 other local applicants.
These kids are taking a message and spreading it all over San Antonio, Joseph Bray, Team Up Challenge judge and official NBA sponsor representative, said.
"The reason why I selected the project is because these young men and young women recognize the importance of driving safely," he said.
Silver and Black Give Back is a charity focused on giving children the ability to attain goals and enrich their environment. The organization works with San Antonio teams, including the Spurs and the Rampage.
The charity's Team Up Challenge is dedicated to motivating students to create and pursue a program to benefit their community. The emphasis of this challenge is to give young people the support they need to shed a positive light around the world, starting directly in their hometown.
Randolph Student Council members worked all year to implement a Drive SMART campaign around their campus. This movement is focused on educating people of the risks that come from unsafe driving habits.
SMART is an acronym the students came up with to explain the program, Amanda Bauer, Randolph Student Council sponsor, said. It stands for: stay off the road at night, minimize distraction, always wear your seatbelt, resist the urge to speed, and take responsibility for your life - don't drink and drive.
The students did things all year to promote safe driving, she said. They set up booths, made posters and did many other things to encourage the community. Within one school year, DriveSMART cumulated nearly 500 likes on its Facebook page and more than 2,000 signatures pledging to drive safe.
"The kids said whether we were a winner or not, they felt like they had won already because of the contacts they made and the positive feedback they have gotten," Bauer said.
While some schools might look at $20,000 as a way to beautify their campus or invest in the newest technology, Randolph High School plans on putting the money toward building its program and bringing it into the community.
"One of our goals is that we would like to give a few other schools the opportunity to implement the DriveSMART program on their campuses by funding them a little bit," she said. "We would also like to use the money to make some public service announcements."
The student council is excited to continue its program and the members are already discussing their goals for the years to come.
"No idea is too big," Louis Myrie, Randolph High School Student Council member, said. "Just go out there and get the word out. Let them know you're trying to make a difference."
Due to their hard work and dedication, the students at Randolph High School were able to create a goal, chase it and achieve it.
"Make sure you get involved and are passionate," Bray said. "Your legacy is not what you do in your job; your legacy is what you leave your community with."
"Enjoy your journey," he said. "Enjoy your journey."