Connecticut and Alabama School Teachers Named Winners in Toyota Teen Driver Educators’ Challenge

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Silver Spring, Md. (July 6, 2011) – Toyota and Discovery Education announced today the Grand Prize and First Place winners of the Toyota Teen Driver Educators’ Challenge. For the Challenge, teachers across the country were tasked with developing three 90-minute project-based driving safety lessons for high school students. The winning lessons will function as public service announcements for the winners’ schools and communities regarding safe teen driving.
 
“Toyota is dedicated to saving the lives of teen drivers, and recognizes the critical role that educators and schools can play in their awareness of safe driving behaviors,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president, national philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation. “With Discovery Education, we congratulate the winners of the Toyota Teen Driver Educators’ Challenge and all those who participated for their commitment to safety.”
 
This year’s Educators’ Challenge winners are:
 
Grand Prize Winner:
Nick Aprea, Seymour Public Schools, Seymour High School, Seymour, CT
 
First Place Winner:
Gina McCarley, Lawrence County Schools, Lawrence County High School, Moulton, AL
 
The Grand Prize winner will receive a free, in-person Toyota Driving Expectations event for their local community. Toyota Driving Expectations is a free program for teen drivers and their parents that has educated nearly 18,000 participants since 2004. The program takes teens the next step beyond driver’s education and introduces "real world" obstacles, conditions and distractions in a safe and controlled driving environment.
 
The First Place winner will receive two virtual driving simulators, provided by Virtual Driver Interactive. The simulators are programmed with One Simple Decision™ — a program designed to stop impaired and distracted driving with a first person experience that focuses on real life consequences.
 
“Discovery Education is a firm believer in not only educating students on subjects inside the classroom, but teaching important lessons outside the classroom as well,” said Mary Rollins, vice president of education partnerships, Discovery Education. “The Educators’ Challenge is an exciting and effective way to get communities involved in promoting safe teen driving habits and teaching teens the consequences of distracted driving.”
 
The Educators’ Challenge is just one part of Toyota and Discovery Education’s joint program, Toyota Teen Driver, which aims to provide resources to schools, educators, parents and teens to help educate teens and keep them safer behind the wheel. For more information on the program, visit www.toyotateendriver.com. For more information on the Toyota Driving Expectations program, visit www.toyotadrivingexpectations.com.


About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants, including one under construction. Toyota directly employs nearly
30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.
 
Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than half a billion dollars to philanthropic programs in the U.S. 
 
For more information on Toyota’s commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community
 
About Discovery Education
Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) revolutionized television with Discovery Channel and is now transforming classrooms through Discovery Education. Powered by the number one nonfiction media company in the world, Discovery Education combines scientifically proven, standards-based digital media and a dynamic user community in order to empower teachers to improve student achievement. Already, more than half of all U.S. schools access Discovery Education digital services. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Christina Scripps, Discovery Education
240-662-6502
[email protected]

Javier Moreno, Toyota
212-715-7469
[email protected]

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