VERMONT
Green Driving America (the organization was named Idle-Free VT during this period) outreach and educational sessions in Vermont, funded by the High Meadows Fund and Vermont Community Foundation.
NOTE: Vermont legislative law: § 1045. Driver training course mandates that "All driver education courses shall include instruction on the adverse environmental, health, economic, and other effects of unnecessary idling of motor vehicles and on the law governing prohibited idling of motor vehicles." Green Driving America presentations incorporate this requirement.
DRIVER EDUCATOR ACCOLADES
“I have had Wayne Michaud at Springfield High School to teach students about the Idle Free laws in Vermont. Wayne brings energy and dedication to this topic when I observe him teach. This is an important message students must hear and Wayne does an amazing job with it.”
-Kevin Anderson, driver educator
Springfield High School, Springfield, VT
(Vermont State Police officer 1982-2006)
“When I first heard of Vermont's mandate to add idle information to the DE curriculum, my reaction was sort of typical of any harassed teacher who is being pushed by politicians to do more with less and over less time. Then you appeared with your first and subsequent presentations and put my fears to rest.
Your presentation was inclusive of vital facts and interesting for the students. They were presented with facts they didn't know about in such a fashion they could and can not ignore. Since that time they remind me almost daily when I stop to instruct them, of the need to turn off the engine of the DE car. Their actions are ongoing proof of the effectiveness of your presentation and message.”
-Hubert Pfingst, driver educator
Burlington High School, Burlington, VT
“Thanks again for coming to present to my classes. It is always good to have ideas and behaviors reinforced by people outside the school community. Many students noticed the overlap between what our curriculum teaches about safer, pro-active driving and the methods you described to drive more efficiently. I look forward to your visits in the future.”
-George Rooney, driver educator
Middlebury Union High School, Middlebury, VT
120+ PRESENTATIONS: TIMELINE
2012
MAY: PRESENTATION on green driving concept, featuring the Ford Driving Skills for Life EcoDriving module by Wayne Michaud at Vermont Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association (VDTSEA) conference, Vermont Technical College, Randolph
JUNE: Educators in science, energy and drivers education join idle-free advocates at Peoples Academy, Morrisville, to discuss green driving classroom project action plan
NOV: PRESENTATION: green driving updates by Wayne Michaud at VDTSEA conference - Holiday Inn, Rutland
DEC: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Barbara Brody, Peoples Academy, Morrisville
2013
FEB: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, The Compass School, Westminster
APR: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Kevin Masse, Mt. Abraham Union H.S., Bristol
MAY: Gov. Shumlin signs into law bill that includes Driver Training Course mandate (eff. 7/1/13), that driver educators instruct on adverse effects of idling and about new Vermont idling law (eff. 5/1/14)
JUL: PRESENTATIONS by Wayne Michaud at 2013 ADTSEA national conference, Portland, ME:
July 13 to NSSP (National Student Safety Program)
"Practicing Green Driving"
July 14 to ADTSEA (American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Assoc.) "Incorporating Green Driving in your Curriculum"
DEC: 3 SESSIONS: for driver educator George Rooney, Middlebury Union H.S.
2014
JAN: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Barbara Brody, Peoples Academy, Morrisville
MAR: Wayne Michaud becomes Friends of VDTSEA member
APR: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, South Royalton School
APR: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, The Compass School, Westminster
APR: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Roman Smiechowski, Rutland H.S.
MAY: 3 SESSIONS: for driver educator George Rooney, Middlebury Union H.S.
MAY: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, Stratton Mountain School, Stratton
MAY: PRESENTATION on green driving curriculum by Wayne Michaud at VDTSEA conference, Vermont Technical College, Randolph
JUN: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Barbara Brody, Peoples Academy, Morrisville
JUN: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, The Sharon Academy, Sharon
JUL: 3 SESSIONS: for driver educator George Rooney, Middlebury Union H.S.
AUG: SESSION: for Green Mountain Driving Academy driver educator Joseph McGovern for Stowe H.S. students, Stowe
OCT: SESSION: for Allstate Driving School driver educator Tejal Dholakia for U32, Spaulding H.S. students, Berlin
OCT: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Michael Alexander, Lamoille Union H.S., Hyde Park
OCT: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch for Rutland & Black River H.S. students, Rutland
OCT: SESSION: for Green Mountain Driving Academy driver educator Joseph McGovern for Stowe H.S. students, Stowe
OCT: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Hugh Pfingst, Burlington H.S., Burlington
NOV: 5 SESSIONS: for driver educator Kevin Anderson, Springfield H.S., Springfield
NOV: Wayne Michaud renews VDTSEA membership and attends VDTSEA conference, Rutland Holiday Inn, Rutland
NOV: 3 SESSIONS: for driver educator George Rooney, Middlebury Union H.S.
NOV: 3 SESSIONS: for driver educator Patricia Buttice, North Country Union H.S., Newport
NOV: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Tony Stevens, Oxbow Union H.S., Bradford
DEC: SESSION: for Allstate Driving School driver educator Tejal Dholakia, Woodstock Union H.S., Woodstock
DEC: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch for students from Upper Valley schools, Norwich
DEC: SESSION: for D & R School of Driving driver educator Pam Ricker, Twinfield Union School, Plainfield
DEC: SESSION: for D & R School of Driving driver educator Pam Ricker, Northfield Union H.S., Northfield
DEC: 3 SESSIONS: for driver educator Brian Grimm, North Country Union H.S., Newport
2015
JAN: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, Long Trail School, Dorset
FEB: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Hugh Pfingst, Burlington H.S., Burlington
MAR: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, Sharon Academy, Sharon
MAR: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Kevin Anderson, Springfield H.S., Springfield
MAR: SESSION: assembly for driver educator John Kresser, Lyndon Institute, Lyndon Center
MAR: SESSION: for Allstate Driving School driver educator Tejal Dholakia for students from Upper Valley schools, Norwich
MAR: SESSION: for Green Mountain Driving Academy driver educator Joseph McGovern for Stowe, Harwood, and Lake Region H.S. students, Stowe
MAR: SESSION: for driver educator Dave Holloway, Windsor H.S., Windsor
APR: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, So. Royalton School, So. Royalton
APR: SESSION: for driver educator Pam Ricker, Cabot H.S., Cabot
APR: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, Compass School, Westminster
APR: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, Putney School, Putney
MAY: 3 SESSIONS: for driver educator George Rooney, Middlebury Union H.S., Middlebury
MAY: PRESENTATION on green driving curriculum by Wayne Michaud at VDTSEA conference, Vermont Technical College, Randolph
JUN: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Hugh Pfingst, Burlington H.S., Burlington
JUN: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Barbara Brody, Peoples Academy, Morrisville
JUL: SESSION: for driver educator George Rooney, Middlebury Union H.S., Middlebury
AUG: SESSION: for Allstate Driving School driver educator Tejal Dholakia for U32, Spaulding H.S. students, Berlin
AUG: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch for students from Upper Valley schools, Norwich
OCT: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Tony Stevens, Oxbow Union H.S., Bradford
OCT: SESSION: for Allstate Driving School driver educator Tejal Dholakia for U32, Spaulding H.S., and Williamstown H.S. students, Berlin
2016
JAN: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch for Black River H.S. students, Wallingford
FEB: SESSION: for Allstate Driving School driver educator Tejal Dholakia for Middlebury Union H.S. students, Middlebury - by Green Mountain College intern Taylor Benner
MAR: 3 SESSIONS: for driver educator Bob Hill, Burlington H.S., Burlington - by three UVM interns
MAR: 6 SESSIONS: for driver educator Kevin Anderson, Springfield H.S., Springfield
MAR: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Tony Stevens, Oxbow Union H.S., Bradford
APR: SESSION: for science teacher Kerry Walker, Champlain Valley Union H.S., Hinesburg
APR: 3 SESSIONS: for math teacher Kerry Walker, Champlain Valley Union H.S., Hinesburg - by UVM intern Will Schroder
APR: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Kevin Masse, Mt. Abraham Union H.S., Bristol
APR: SESSION: for math teacher Lea Ann Smith, Essex H.S., Essex Jct. - by UVM intern Will Schroder
APR: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Karren Meyer, Leland & Gray Union H.S., Townshend - by GMC intern Taylor Benner
APR: SESSION: for Green Mountain Driving Academy driver educator Joseph McGovern for Stowe, Harwood, and Lamoille Union H.S. students, Stowe
APR: 3 SESSIONS: for driver educator George Rooney, Middlebury Union H.S., Middlebury - by GMC intern Taylor Benner
APR: 2 SESSIONS: for science teacher Meghan Wilson, Hartford H.S., White River Junction
APR: SESSION: for Allstate Driving School driver educator Tejal Dholakia for Middlebury Union H.S. students, Middlebury
APR: SESSION: for D & R School of Driving driver educator Pam Ricker, Cabot H.S., Cabot
MAY: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, So. Royalton School, So. Royalton
MAY: SESSION: for D & R School of Driving driver educator Pam Ricker, Northfield MHS, Northfield
MAY: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch for students from Upper Valley schools, Norwich
MAY: 2 SESSIONS: for science teacher Amy Ulring, Northfield MHS, Northfield
MAY: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, Thetford Academy, Thetford
MAY: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, Compass School, Westminster
JUN: SESSION: for Yankee Driving School driver educator Gabriella Netsch, Sharon Academy, Sharon
JUN: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Barbara Brody, Peoples Academy, Morrisville
JUN: SESSION: for driver educator Michael Pluta, Mill River Union Academy, N. Clarendon
JUN: 2 SESSIONS: for driver educator Hugh Pfingst, Burlington High School, Burlington