KENNESAW, Ga. | Dec 1, 2023

Kennesaw State University’s Health Promotion and Wellness department has received a more than $27,000 grant to participate in the Georgia Young Adult Program (GYAP) of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). This is the 17th consecutive year that the department in the Division of Student Affairs has received the grant.

The Georgia GOHS Young Adult Program uses strategies such as peer education, providing educational speakers to schools, and encouraging schools to develop creative, innovative techniques to reduce young adult crashes, injuries and fatalities in their communities.

“The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and our partners continue to implement programs designed to save lives and promote safe driving behaviors,” said Allen Poole, director of GOHS. “We ask everyone to help our state and nation reach the attainable goal of zero traffic deaths by driving safe speeds, always wearing a seat belt, keeping the focus on the road and not the phone, and never operating a vehicle under the influence of any substance that impairs your ability to drive."

The GYAP program at Kennesaw State coordinates events and programming such as National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, Fall Festival and Safe Spring Break.

The grant funds:

• Peer Health Outreach and Wellness Leaders (OWLs) to attend the 2024 GOHS Youth and Young Adult Conference;
• KSU’s participation in the 2024 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III to learn about students’ health habits and behaviors, including alcohol consumption;
• The creation of a campaign using data from the 2024 assessment to promote healthy and responsible choices when it comes to alcohol use and traffic safety issues among students; and
• Purchasing of ads for social media outreach for Safe Spring Break, Fall Festival, seatbelt survey results, Wellness on Wheels: Alcohol Awareness, holiday drinking and driving, and other GOHS Impaired Driving campaigns.

The grant award totals $27,724.89 and includes federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The grant period covers Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024.

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About GOHS

For more information on this grant program, contact GOHS at 404-656-6996, and for more information on GOHS and its other highway safety programs, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.