Drive to Succeed Program
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce that we have received a grant from the Ohio Traffic Safety Office for the Drive to Succeed Program. This program will provide a scholarship to low-income families with teens who may not have the ability to complete driver’s training due to financial hardship.
The importance of driver safety and training cannot be overstated. Data suggests that drivers under the age of 24 are involved in nearly one-third of all crashes in Ohio. The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office is dedicated to keeping all citizens and drivers safe on roadways within Ottawa County and wherever their travels may lead.
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with American Driving School LLC in administering the grant. For more information on American Driving School, please click here
In order to qualify for the Drive to Succeed Program, the following criteria must be met.
1. The student must be a resident of Ottawa County and between the ages of 15-17 prior to starting the desired class. The student must also have a learner’s permit.
2. A financial need must be proven by the student and family. The financial need will be determined by the poverty guidelines as set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services. A link to a table that shows guideline rates can be accessed here. Financial need will be determined by total number of household occupants at 150% of the federal poverty level.
3. The student will also need to confirm that they have not received any formal teen driver training.
4. The student must possess a minimum GPA of 2.0 AND provide a letter of recommendation from a teacher, coach, school employee, or school resource officer.
Once an application is received, it will be reviewed by Director Jeff Griffin who will be adminstering the grant. Director Griffin will then be in contact with the applicant to discuss the status of the application.
For any questions, contact Director Jeff Griffin at 419-734-0116 or by email at jgriffin@ottawacountysheriff.org