Summer a time for students to challenge themselves

It's clear that summer has arrived. Temperatures are climbing. Hours of daylight have increased. And, America's students are out of school. As a former teacher, I know that kids need a break from the rigors of school. But a vacation from school doesn't have to be a vacation from learning.

There are still plenty of opportunities for our students to challenge themselves.

Students looking for ways to apply their skills, exercise they're knowledge, and help their government solve important problems need look no further than Challenge.gov. This website makes it easy for Americans to get creative and get involved.

And DOT is excited about the three challenges for students that we have open right now:

Distracted Driving Design: Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for American teens. And young people are also among the most likely to text and talk behind the wheel. That's why we’re inviting high school students to help spread the word on distracted driving by designing a profile icon that can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other social networking sites. We’re looking for icons that send a clear message: cell phones and driving don’t mix.
Motorcoach Safety Data: Choosing the right bus company for your travel is an important safety decision. Access to a carrier's safety record can make that decision easier. We challenge you to make our safety data accessible to more people so they can make better decisions.
Recognizing Aviation and Aerospace Innovation: We're looking for students at high schools and universities, including graduate programs, to develop and share their own solutions to real-world aviation and aerospace issues. This is your chance to make a measurable impact on air travel.

So, if you know a student looking for a way to beat the heat that doesn't involve diving into a community swimming pool, please let them know that DOT and Challenge.gov have just the ticket. And if you're a student looking for a way to grow --independently from school-- take the plunge at Challenge.gov.

Whether our challenges test your engineering skills, your eye for visual design, or your ability to communicate, they all offer a chance to test yourself against real-world problems. And I promise that none of them will be on the final exam!