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Local seatbelt campaign for student drivers has somber tone

By WTOP Staff

Ari Ashe, wtop.com

ASHBURN, Va. – A ceremony honoring students who pledge to wear seat belts while driving had a somber tone after attendees learned that a Manassas teen, who recently died in a car accident, was not buckled up.

Michael Murphy Schmelzinger was 17 when he crashed his 2008 Ford Mustang into a tree on Lake Jackson Drive in Manassas Thursday morning. A source tells WTOP he was going almost 90 mph at the time.

“It was a tragic event that shouldn’t have happened,” says Sgt. Alvin D. Blankenship with the Virginia State Police. “We hope the people that aren’t wearing it will take Michael’s sacrifice and use it as a positive and put your seat belt on.”

Lt. Jeff Dube of the Leesburg Police Department says Schmelzinger’s story was used during the presentation to other students.

“It was timely to be able to reinforce his story to the young drivers in our presentation, to show a real world tragic event with consequences, and that if he buckled up, he could’ve been here today,” he says.

Both officers unveiled the winner of the 2012-2013 “Put it Together” challenge on Friday, which pitted three Loudoun County high schools in a competition to generate the most student participation and safety belt usage.

The winner of the competition is Heritage High School in Leesburg.

“A seat belt can save your life,” says Mercy Andrade, a Heritage High School senior. “Even if you think you’re invincible, it doesn’t hurt to just put on your seat belt. It doesn’t take effort and it doesn’t take any more time.”

Andrade won an individual award for her efforts to buckle up and to get fellow students to follow suit. She says she takes the issue seriously after her father was injured in a crash. He was not wearing a seat belt, but he survived.

The Governors Highway Safety Association released a study earlier this week showing that deadly crashes involving 16- and 17-year-old teens jumped nearly 20 percent between January and June 2012, compared to the same period of 2011.

In Virginia, 306 drivers who weren’t wearing seat belts were killed in crashes in 2011.

The GHSA tells WTOP in a tweet, “Virginia is in desperate need of a primary seat belt law.”

Under Virginia law, a driver cannot be pulled over for not wearing a seat belt, but can receive a ticket if pulled over for another reason. Virginia is one of 18 states without a primary seat belt law.

In an informal poll of students in the “Put it Together” program, about 16 percent of teens admit to not wearing a seat belt regularly when driving.

“Some people think they’re too cool for that,” says Andrade. “Some of them say they’ll just drive slow or

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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