Teens participate in safe driving competition

On Wednesday, April 24, the 27th annual Teen Driving Roadeo took place at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds.

Hosted by the Tuscarawas County Health Department, this year’s event featured high school students from seven area schools who competed in safe driving tests and maneuverability courses to win cash prizes and bragging rights for themselves and their schools.

The event helps young drivers learn better driving skills and the rules of the road and encourages them to think about their actions while driving. The focus is to reduce traffic accidents and injuries involving teenagers in Tuscarawas County.

At the event students competed through written tests, safety poster designs and driving skills.

The Teen Driving Roadeo is made possible thanks to resources from the Tuscarawas County Community Foundation, Nissan Parkway Auto, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office, Dover Police Department, Gnadenhutten Police Department, Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio State University Extension Office, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Tuscarawas County Coroner’s Office, Tuscarawas County Health Department, Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds, Milestone Company LLC, WJER, WBTC, WTUZ and school supporters.

This event is funded, in part, through a grant from the Tuscarawas County Community Foundation.

The winners from the 2024 Teen Driving Roadeo event are as follows:

—Team rankings (top 3): Dover, first; New Philadelphia, second; Garaway, third.

—Best Written Test Scores: Macie McMillen, New Philadelphia, first; Briar Sharrock, Indian Valley, second; Cade McGarry, Dover, third; Gracie Keith, Dover, fourth; and Derek Shimek, New Philadelphia, fifth.

—Best Safety Poster: Tusky Valley.

—Best Driving Skills: Morgan Schlabach, Garaway, first; Jonah Marks, Dover, second; Blaine Lintern, Garaway, third; Connor Rippeth, New Philadelphia, fourth; and Vincent Migoni, New Philadelphia, fifth.

—Individual Driving top scorers: Serpentine, Brady Geibel, Garaway; Star, Keane McIntosh, Dover; Backing and Lane Change, Kiley McIntosh, Dover; Right Parallel Park, Lauren Grafe, Dover; and Left Parallel Park, Madeline Smith, Garaway.

For the second year in a row, the Dover team won with just 10 points separating them from second-place New Philadelphia. The Dover team of Lauren Grafe, Gracie Keith, Jonah Marks, Cade McGarry, Keane McIntosh and Kiley McIntosh earned a school trophy for their successful efforts at the Teen Driving Roadeo. Their team was supported by coordinators Daniel Ifft and Jaf Maize.