For the third consecutive year, New Hope-Solebury High School has claimed the top spot in the 19th Annual Bucks County High School Seatbelt Safety Challenge.
The competition, which is presented by the NJM Insurance Group and managed by the transportation management association TMA Bucks, featured participation from 21 local high schools.
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New Hope-Solebury High School student drivers achieved a 98.8 percent overall seatbelt usage rate to win the competition.
Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Bristol Township earned recognition for the greatest percentage increase, raising its student seatbelt usage by 3.5 percent, from 92.6 percent during baseline fall assessments to 96.1 percent in the spring.
New Hope-Solebury High School was awarded a $500 cash grant and a perpetual trophy plaque during a school assembly on June 8.
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The school, which previously won the challenge in the 2010-11, 2015-16, 2018-19, 2021-22, 2023-24, and 2024-25 school years, is encouraged to use the TMA Bucks-donated funds for safety-related purposes.
“This remarkable streak highlights not only their creativity and commitment, but also the power of consistency in building life-saving habits,” TMA Bucks Executive Director Stephen Noll said. “By turning safety into a sustained priority, this school community has set a new standard for excellence.”
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Student government leaders Kayla Fennell, Joe Rickard, Dillon DeMeo, Nora Redfield, Olivia Conte, Quinn Bridge, Louise Knapp, and Devin Hable led the yearlong promotional campaign at New Hope-Solebury under the direction of teacher Jon Gonsiewski. Video production students taught by Drew Giorgi also created and screened public service announcements to support the initiative.
New Hope-Solebury High School Principal Patrick Sasse compared his students’ third consecutive victory to famous sports dynasties.
“You’ve echoed the relentless drive of the 1991–1993 Chicago Bulls and the flawless execution of the 1998–2000 New York Yankees,” Sasse said. “Just like those iconic dynasties, the New Hope-Solebury High School students have proven that consistency, teamwork, and a commitment to excellence always win the day.”
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Conwell-Egan Catholic High School students, operating under the direction of Angelia Micalizzi, received their cash grant and plaque in May.
“We are deeply grateful for our partnership with TMA Bucks and NJM Insurance Group in promoting seatbelt safety awareness among young drivers,” Conwell-Egan Catholic Principal Josh Bower said, adding that the community benefits from the significant increase in seatbelt usage.
The challenge began in the fall of 2025 with unannounced baseline surveys to capture accurate data on student seatbelt habits. Student groups then spent the school year promoting seatbelt usage before final, unannounced follow-up surveys were conducted in April and May to determine the winners.
Erica Rosso, consumer safety partnership and program supervisor for NJM, congratulated the winners and noted that the program reinforces how the simple act of buckling up can make a life-saving difference in a crash.
Additional supporting sponsors for this year’s challenge included AAA Mid-Atlantic, Automotive Training Center, Bucks County Community College, Jefferson Bucks Hospital, Bowman, Stark & Stark, Rothman Orthopedics, and Visit Bucks County.
TMA Bucks also announced that William Tennent High School won this year’s Teen Driver Safety Video PSA Challenge, a Comcast-powered portion of the event, beating out nine other participating schools.
