4-H CARTEENS is a traffic safety program conducted by 4-H teen leaders and their program partners for juvenile traffic offenders. 4-H CARTEENS goals include:

  • reducing the number of repeat juvenile traffic offenders,
  • decreasing the number of teen traffic offenders, and
  • increasing teen awareness of traffic/vehicular safety.

4-H CARTEENS Background
Ohio State University faculty and staff located in county Extension offices recruit and engage adult volunteers and teen leaders who provide leadership to educational programs for youth in local communities. Over the years, county needs assessments conducted by OSU Extension have repeatedly identified teen vehicular safety as a priority need in Ohio’s communities.

The 4-H CARTEENS vehicular safety initiative was developed in response to this need. The original CARTEENS Program began in Brown County, Ohio in 1987. The local 4-H educator, volunteer teen leaders, the juvenile probate court, and the Ohio Highway Patrol all collaborated to develop the program. Since 1987, the 4-H CARTEENS program has expanded throughout Ohio and to several other states across the nation.

For more information about 4-H CARTEENS, visit www.ohio4h.org/4-h-youth/teens/carteens.

CARTEENS

CARTEENS is a great program for teens to become involved in!  As a peer mentor for safe driving, teens can earn leadership hours, and community service hours and build leadership and teaching skills!  The CARTEEN program meets five times per year and presents a 90-minute hands-on interactive driver’s safety program to other teens that have had a traffic violation. Becoming a CARTEEN facilitator looks great on scholarship applications, college applications and job resumes!  Past presenters have won local and state 4-H scholarships as well as local teen leadership awards.  In addition to looking good for other scholarship application opportunities, our local CARTEEN program presents one $500 scholarship to a graduating senior CARTEEN facilitator each year in March. To be eligible for the scholarship you must serve as an ACTIVE member of CARTEEN for at least two years including your senior year. All facilitators must be at least 14 years old as of Jan. 1 of the current year. To participate please contact Erin Dailey at the Extension office at 740-688-5026 or by e-mail at dailey.108@osu.edu