Educate, Take Action & Be Recognized

Operation TEACH hopes to harness grassroots energy to help increase proper seat belt and child safety seat use. Whether you are a civics, health, science or English teacher, school nurse, coach, scout leader or parent, you can teach kids why properly buckling up is so important. Then encourage them to write a letter, draw a poster or create their own unique way to communicate with local leaders to show their support. Community leaders, police chiefs, sheriffs, and others rely on community feedback to make decisions. The number of letters and phone calls they receive on an issue shows the level of support it has in the community. Kids' voices do count! And the more creative and effective the idea, the greater chance kids have to be recognized nationally for their efforts.

EDUCATE: Suggested background teaching activities

Class or group presentation highlighting the following topics:

  • Everyone needs to be properly restrained when riding in a vehicle, no matter how big or small or old you are. Demonstrate proper restraint for yourself and your family members.
  • The safest place for children 12 and under is properly buckled up in the back seat ­
  • particularly in cars equipped with passenger air bags.
  • You can be injured if someone else in the vehicle is not buckled up.
  • Never place an infant in a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag.

For more information to plan your Operation TEACH curriculum, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) web page at: www.nhtsa.dot.gov or make a copy of the

material fax-back form and send it to Operation TEACH. We'll then send you helpful information.

TAKE ACTION: Suggested grade level letter writing activities

  • Pre-school: pictures/posters from students
  • Lower elementary: pictures/poster activity, and group/class letter
  • Upper elementary: individual letters from students
  • Middle school and High school: individual letters from students, conduct surveys, participate in check points or write letters-to-the-editor

Then have them send their picture, poster or letter to some of the following community leaders:

  • Mayor or County Supervisor
  • Parents
  • Religious leaders
  • School Board President
  • News editors of local newspaper, TV and radio stations
  • Chief of police or sheriff
  • PTA President

BE RECOGNIZED: Your knowledge and hard work could pay off!

The most effective Operation TEACH letter-writing campaigns have the opportunity to be recognized for their success. The attached Operation TEACH material request also doubles as an activity summary form. Copy it, fill it out and fax it back to Operation TEACH at (202) 366-6916 to register your program and be recognized.