CHS Students Win RIDOT's 'Buckle Up Shuffle Relay'

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) recently announced that the Coventry High School Clicks won the “Buckle Up Shuffle Relay” Seat Belt Challenge.

The challenge finals, held on May 18 at the RIDOT Midstate Maintenance Facility on New London Tpke., RI kicked off the state's participation in the National Click It or Ticket It Enforcement Campaign (from May 20-June 2, 2013). The contest emphasized the importance of wearing seat belts to young drivers. 

Four-person teams from eight high schools competed in the finals. Rules required each four-person team to buckle up in each position of a vehicle while being timed. Students enter a vehicle, properly buckle up, unbuckle, exit the vehicle and repeat the process for all four seating positions. As each team member is buckled up, the driver sounds the horn. Every time the horn sounds, team members move to the next seating position, repeating the process until all team members return to their original seats. 

The Coventry High School Clicks, with a winning time of 37.8 seconds, won the State Championship and a grand prize of $1,000, courtesy of AAA of Southern New England. Second place went to the Middletown High School Islanders, with a time of 39.5 seconds. The Cranston High School East Bad News Bucklers rounded out third place with an impressive time of 41.7 seconds.  

The Clicks team was advised by Asst. Principal Joseph Lucian and School Resource Officer Richard Pendola of the Coventry Police Department during the weeks leading up to May 18 as they participated in local challenges to earn their spot in the finals.

In addition to the top three teams, the other participating high schools and teams were the Cumberland Eye of the Tiger, the Lincoln Locusts, the Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College RINI, the Smithfield Lady Sentinels, and the Tiverton Sammy’s Speedsters.

The four Coventry High School students, Team Captain Katina Gustafson, Matt Lee, Jill Ward and Kyle Willett will be recognized for their success at an awards ceremony to be held at the school on Friday, June 7 at 10 a.m.