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Judges & Judging Criteria

Please use the following document as a resource to help you better understand how your applications will be scored by our national team of judges.  We encourage you to be creative as you work to meet the needs of your targeted community in the way you feel will be most effective.  If you have any questions or want to talk about your application further please contact the Project Ignition Team at projectignition@nylc.org  or 1-888-856-7026.

Also, visit the www.sfprojectignition.com website for further resources, and a list of dates for informational webinars where NYLC staff will provide further guidance and answer your questions.

Introduction [5 Points Total]

  1. Name of Project [2 Points]
    Please identify the name of your project and how this is descriptive of your intentions.

  2. Summary: [3 Points]
    Tell us the what, and how of your project as a three sentence introduction to your application.

Section One: Pre-Service [40 Points Total]

  1. Teen driver safety issues(s) chosen [2 Points]
    While working on this section, make sure the answer clearly and effectively addresses an important teen driver safety issue. Importance should be determined by the needs of your target community (the group you are trying to influence), be based on research, and be a chosen topic rather than one assigned to the PI team.

  2. Why is this topic important to you and students at your school? [3 Points]
    Strongest applications will have a clearly articulated topic that reflects what the full Project Ignition team cares about. This is a time to clearly state why you feel teen driver safety is an important issue to your team. Why are you taking on this issue now?

  3. Primary target audience [5 Points]
    This section asks you to identify a specific, appropriate audience that will be your target; an audience that is at risk for auto crashes. Your target audience should be a group that you believe you CAN influence if you use the right strategy.

  4. What you want your audience to a)know, b)believe, and c)do differently? [15 Points]
    We are looking for projects with clearly articulated goals that are relevant to your chosen issue; they should demonstrate an ability to bring new and accurate facts to your audience. In other words, what is/ are your key message(s)? Believing goes beyond knowing, it is when your opinions begin to be shaped by acquired knowledge. The best projects prove that they can change behaviors in the target audience; they cause people to do something different.

  5. How is the project integrated into the classroom or curriculum? [15 Points]
    Strong responses will indicate how state and/or local standards from core academic areas connect with key activities and events from your campaign. These activities provide a clear opportunity for students to demonstrate greater understanding of their academic goals through involvement in important Project Ignition activities. Best practices in service-learning should be applied to ensure strong connection between academics and service. Visit: www.nylc.org to learn more about service-learning.

Section Two: Service [55 Points Total]

  1. Overview of core strategies [20 Points Total]
    1. Events [5 Points]
    2. Interactive demos [5 Points]
    3. Media & Merchandise [5 Points]
    4. Norm building strategies [5 Points]
    A total of 20 points (5 points for each sub-section) will be awarded for responses that express the use of events, demonstrations, media & merchandise, and norm building strategies that allow for the target audience to better understand important information and are likely to produce changes in behavior among the target audience. Events, regardless of size or expense, are most valued when they are attention getting, bring new and important knowledge to the target audience and produce lasting changes in behavior. Demonstration activities that allow the target audience to feel more connected, gain some ownership over the issue or their ability to affect the issue are more impactful. Media & merchandise should be used effectively to engage the audience and produce a greater awareness and interest to ACT in ways that positively impact your chosen teen driver safety issue(s). Norm building strategies should help a community build a shared sense that it is normal to drive safely. For example: “Most people wear seat belts – it is normal;” “Most teens don’t drink and drive;” “It is not common to put your life and the lives of others at risk.” This section should also reveal a plan to create new ‘norms’ of behavior among teen drivers that can influence the target community’s improved commitment to safety.

  2. How will reflection be incorporated into the project? [5 Points]
    We are seeking plans that have with clear, thoughtful attempts to describe ways reflection will be incorporated in multiple ways or on multiple occasions throughout the campaign. Reflection includes a variety of verbal, written, artistic and nonverbal activities to demonstrate knowledge, skills and/ or attitudes. The greatest results arise when reflection occurs before, during and after an experience.

  3. Brief timeline of activities, events, and research [3 Points]
    This section asks you to identify a specific, appropriate audience that will be your target; an audience that is at risk for auto crashes. Your target audience should be a group that you believe you CAN influence if you use the right strategy.

  4. Youth involvement - How are youth involved in: [10 Points Total]
    1. The planning [5 Points]
    2. Implementation and evaluation of the project [5 Points]
    Maximum points will be awarded for projects that are clearly youth led and have youth voice in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the teen driver safety project. This means youth are engaged in generating ideas during all aspects of the project, as well as having a voice in the decision-making processes throughout the experience. The strongest applications will demonstrate quality partnerships between youth and adults throughout the project, where both youth and adults share the responsibility and authority to lead

  5. Youth/Adult Partnerships [6 Points Total]
    1. Own school staff [3 Points]
    2. Outside of community [3 Points]
    This section asks for projects that will clearly engage multiple members of the community; those within the school building and those outside the school. These partnerships should involve collaboration on common goals to address community needs. Quality partnerships share knowledge and understanding of what is possible and what must be done to impact teen driver safety in your community. Partnerships should ensure that everyone is respected and plays a meaningful role in the relationship.

  6. Budget plan [4 Points]
    We are looking for clear budget plans that identify likely sources for all materials/funds and outline how schools will use the entire Project Ignition grant amount. This section can also be used to indicate in-kind and additional grants used to complete your teen driver safety initiative. Your expenses should align with your program goals and demonstrate how the $2,000 grant will be used effectively to maximize the reach and impact of your project.

  7. How will you involve/invite another school into your effort? [5 Points]
    We are seeking projects that demonstrate a potential to impact your school community and beyond. 3 of the possible points will be awarded if your team has two or more strategies to include another school in your project. This may entail engaging rival schools at sporting events or making presentations to elementary schools about ways non-drivers can be better, safer passengers, etc. We will most value strategies that go beyond simply sharing a message with another school to one where the other school is seen as a partner in your campaign.

Section Three: Post-Service [25 Points Total]

  1. Measuring Impact [15 Points Total]
    1. Reach [5 Points]
    2. Changes in attitude [5 Points]
    3. Behavior changes [5 Points]
    We are looking for projects that clearly engage the largest possible target audience in active rather than passive relationship to the issues of teen driver safety (reach). How do you know that your project has changed attitudes in your community? How will you measure that change (change in attitude)? The project may identify a strategy that asks students to make observations pre and post, or compare like sample groups to determine if changes have taken place as a result of your great efforts (change in behavior). The goal of the evaluation should be to determine if the Project Ignition team has been a measurable factor in creating specific changes in the targeted community.

  2. Sharing learning with community [10 Points Total]
    1. Strategy for sharing the impact with at least two audiences [5 Points]
    2. Strategy for sharing with an audience outside of the school [5 Points]
    We are looking for projects that clearly articulate strategies for sharing the impact of the Project Ignition campaign with at least two audiences, one of which is outside of the school. This involves youth reflecting on the efficacy of their project and sharing accomplishments and key learning with invested stakeholders in the community.