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Fomer University of Idaho football standout and current Seattle Seahawk's offensive lineman Mike Iupati delivers individual scholarships to Madison Garner of Ridgevue (1st place) and Brady Adams of Ridgevue (2nd place).

Getting It To Click:
Nampa's Ridgevue High wins
Idaho and National
"Battle of the Belts" Challenge

Each year, Idaho high school resource officers (SROs) initiate a safety campaign known as “Battle of the Belts”, and this year Nampa’s own Ridgevue High swept the Best Overall Campaign both on the state and national level.

“Along with Idaho Battle of the Belts, participating schools also enter the National Organization for Youth Safety's “Seat Belt Saves” challenge, which is a national competition,” said ITD Highway Safety Grants Officer Tabitha Smith. “Ridgevue won best in the state, as well as the national competition. We are pretty proud of them!”

The Ridgevue Warhawks didn’t stop with the two school scholarships they earned by winning the state and national team competitions. The top two individual scholarship winners, Madison Garner and Brady Adams, also both attend Ridgevue. Garner received scholarship money in the amount of $2,500, while Adams received $2,000.

The month-long campaign not only won over the judges in the creative department, it also delivered results.

“When we were done with the campaign, we had a 96% seat belt use rate on campus,” said SRO Stu Hobson. “Usually most of the numbers are 90-92% so to hit 96% was a very big surprise.”

Ridgevue’s campaign included school announcements, pledges to buckle up, and a booth at the school carnival. What really set the campaign apart was more than 800 orange ribbons the team made with the words “buckle up” written boldly in black letters. The ribbons were then distributed to their fellow students, who tied the ribbons to backpacks as a reminder to click their seat belts every time they enter a vehicle.

“We still will see the little orange ribbons tied on people’s backpacks,” said Adams. “It’s really cool and shows we made a big impact for sure!”

The sobering statistic that fatal crashes are the leading cause of death in teens ages 15-20 is the driving force for safety campaigns like “Battle of the Belts.”

“Literally, that two seconds it takes to put on your seatbelt can save your life,” said Garner. “It’s something I think of every time I get in the car now because of this campaign.”

Prizes for the school and individual winners were provided by State Farm Insurance. Ridgevue’s scholarships were presented by Seattle Seahawk Mike Iupati at the Warhawk air museum in front of the school’s mascot, a P-40 Warhawk.

Iuapti's parting words to teen drivers, “Just always make sure you’re safe because it’s your life!”

Nampa Police Officer and Ridgevue SRO Stu Hobson visits with Ridgevue Principal Robert Gwyn while Idaho Office of Highway Safety Grants Officer Tabitha Smith watches from the background.