WOAS FM S4SD Campaign 2025
WOAS-FM 91.5 wrapped up its tenth consecutive STRIVE 4 A SAFER DRIVE public service campaign on April 16, 2025. The S4SD program is sponsored by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) and Ford Philanthropy. All Michigan high schools are eligible to apply for these yearly grants. WOAS-FM 91.5 is owned by the Ontonagon Area School District and is the only Upper Peninsula district participating this year. WOAS-FM began having student DJs participate in S4SD as a public service project a decade ago. The $1,000 grant awarded to the school each year is used for materials and prizes for various contests and giveaways used to spread the word about safe driving practices. The local S4SD theme is Don’t be Distracted (DbD) and it aims to involve all students in grades K-12.
Elementary students take part in coloring contests. The coloring pages were created by OASD students Kylie Saari, Kylee Uotila, and Adrianna (AJ) Rowley. Winners in each grade level this year were: Kade Sullivan (K), Sofia Kretzschmer (1), Braylee Blodgett (2), Haddie Skalitsky (3), Selena Jiminez (4), and Landon Knack (5).
Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 were asked to create original button art work this year. Grade winners included Ailee Kaarto and Aylie Hokans (6), Lexie Ferrard (7), and Alaina Rahkola (8). The HS Communications Class also made buttons with Olivia Lockhart and Jace Padden taking the top honors. Winning entries in grades K-8 are awarded gift certificates from Connie’s Place in Ontonagon for their efforts.
A poster contest for students in grades 9-12 asks them to create original artwork illustrating the Don’t be Distracted theme. There were more than sixty entries in this contest and the winners by grade level were: Abby Hermanson and Gracie Guzek (9), Cody Robeson and Emma Lakkala (10), Katie Robeson and Savannah Pharis (11), and Anna Ollila and Evelyn Deerwester (12). Poster contest winners earn a $20 gift certificate to either Up North Cafe or Syl’s Cafe, both in Ontonagon.
On the final day of this year’s S4SD / DbD10 activities, the student volunteers visited all of the classes and distributed wristbands and magnets with the campaign logos. When you see pink shirts (worn by the volunteers) and the above mentioned wristbands and magnets, think about the message they are sending about safe driving.
WOAS-FM 91.5 wrapped up its tenth consecutive STRIVE 4 A SAFER DRIVE public service campaign on April 16, 2025. The S4SD program is sponsored by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) and Ford Philanthropy. All Michigan high schools are eligible to apply for these yearly grants. WOAS-FM 91.5 is owned by the Ontonagon Area School District and is the only Upper Peninsula district participating this year. WOAS-FM began having student DJs participate in S4SD as a public service project a decade ago. The $1,000 grant awarded to the school each year is used for materials and prizes for various contests and giveaways used to spread the word about safe driving practices. The local S4SD theme is Don’t be Distracted (DbD) and it aims to involve all students in grades K-12.
Elementary students take part in coloring contests. The coloring pages were created by OASD students Kylie Saari, Kylee Uotila, and Adrianna (AJ) Rowley. Winners in each grade level this year were: Kade Sullivan (K), Sofia Kretzschmer (1), Braylee Blodgett (2), Haddie Skalitsky (3), Selena Jiminez (4), and Landon Knack (5).
Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 were asked to create original button art work this year. Grade winners included Ailee Kaarto and Aylie Hokans (6), Lexie Ferrard (7), and Alaina Rahkola (8). The HS Communications Class also made buttons with Olivia Lockhart and Jace Padden taking the top honors. Winning entries in grades K-8 are awarded gift certificates from Connie’s Place in Ontonagon for their efforts.
A poster contest for students in grades 9-12 asks them to create original artwork illustrating the Don’t be Distracted theme. There were more than sixty entries in this contest and the winners by grade level were: Abby Hermanson and Gracie Guzek (9), Cody Robeson and Emma Lakkala (10), Katie Robeson and Savannah Pharis (11), and Anna Ollila and Evelyn Deerwester (12). Poster contest winners earn a $20 gift certificate to either Up North Cafe or Syl’s Cafe, both in Ontonagon.
On the final day of this year’s S4SD / DbD10 activities, the student volunteers visited all of the classes and distributed wristbands and magnets with the campaign logos. When you see pink shirts (worn by the volunteers) and the above mentioned wristbands and magnets, think about the message they are sending about safe driving.
High school students who conducted this year’s DbD campaign work at the station as DJs. The majority of these volunteers do their studio time and S4SD activities during their Communications Class. The student’s who ran DbD10 include Abi Pestka (WOAS FM student manager), Emma Lakkala, Owen Pantti, Olivia Lockhart, Cody Robeson, Anthony Badgero, Jacob Hurst, James Oger, Sophia Robinson, Jace Padden, Jaasiel Garcia, Ryan Holmstrom, Kylie Saari, Kylee Uotila, and AJ Rowley. Faculty advisors for the S4SD – DbD10 group are Betsy Guilbault, Natalie Rios, Jon Uotila and WOAS-FM station manager Ken Raisanen.
All of the contest entries can be seen on the cafeteria windows and the bulletin board in the library hall at the Ontonagon Area School building on Parker Avenue.
Photo: S4SD volunteers from WOAS-FM 91.5 (l-r): Natalie Rios (advisor), James Oger, Cody Robeson, Jace Padden, Abi Pestka (student manager), Jacob Hurst, Ryan Holmstrom, Olivia Lockhart, Owen Pantti, Sophia Robinson, and Anthony Badgero (not shown – Emma Lakkala).
Top Piece Video: If Sammy CAN’T DRIVE 55, he better not be distracted!! FOR SOME REASON, the Sammy Hagar videos keep disappearing from the web site so we will rely on our old stand bye from Sir Paul . . .