Statewide Youth Traffic Safety Awards Program to Honor Virginia Schools and Students

(Harrisonburg, Va.) Traffic safety advocates from across the commonwealth will be recognized at the annual Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO) Awards Banquet on Saturday, July 13 at 6:00 p.m. at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va. in the Festival Conference Center Ballroom. Whitney Simmons, Associate Professor of JMU’s Physician Assistant Program who started her career with YOVASO, will give the keynote address. The banquet, “YOVASO Jam: Showcasing Superstars for Safe Teen Driving” will honor students, schools, youth groups, teachers, businesses, and law enforcement from across Virginia who demonstrated exemplary efforts during the 2023-2024 school year to encourage safe driving and passenger safety among teenagers.

The majority of awards presented will recognize youth group and school-based YOVASO clubs and their student members, such as the youth leadership awards and club honorary awards. Several awards will be presented to law enforcement officers and teachers who have supported the YOVASO peer-to-peer safe driving programs at the local and/or state level. The prestigious “Steve D. Goodwin” Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Jennifer Underwood, SRO and YOVASO Sponsor at Eastern Montgomery High School in Montgomery Co., for demonstrating a lifelong commitment to youth traffic safety and the prevention of crashes, injuries, and fatalities among young drivers and passengers. Another very special award, the “Shining Star Award” will be presented to Brad Hughes of Chesterfield Co. for his courage in speaking out about a personal tragedy in order to save other young lives.

Awards will be presented in 23 categories.  A list of award recipients is attached.

YOVASO is Virginia’s peer-to-peer education and prevention program for teen driver safety. YOVASO is a program of the Virginia State Police and is funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. YOVASO has existed since 2001 and works with schools and youth groups across the commonwealth to improve young driver and passenger safety.