With the goal of increasing pedestrian safety, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation is inviting students to join the “Youth Ambassador Program.” The initiative teaches young teenagers leadership, communication, and education techniques to improve road safety in their community.
MCDOT has 20 to 30 openings for students to apply and participate, and the application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5.
The program also offers students the opportunity to earn up to 46 hours of Student Service Learning (SSL), in addition to learning about road safety, traffic rules, traffic laws, and highway and freeway design.
According to the MCDOT press release and County Executive Marc Elrich, the initiative will be a great opportunity for youth to “partner with local government and play an important role in driving positive change in their community.”
The Vision Zero Youth Ambassador Program goal is to reduce severe traffic related injuries and deaths. The initiative was announced weeks after an 11-year-old died after being struck by a school bus and other incidents had occurred in the county in the past year.
Students who become ambassadors will also meet county safety leaders and staff from the Department of Transportation. It is open to all Montgomery County high school students who are interested in improving traffic safety.
The program has no cost and applicants will be informed by Friday, Dec. 19 if they have been accepted into the program. Ambassadors will have to participate in one in-person orientation session plus five additional in-person sessions.
MCDOT Director Chris Conklin expects that with this program “teens gain firsthand insight into how our transportation infrastructure influences safety and how individual choices affect the broader community.”
The youth ambassadors will wrap up their training in mid-May 2026, following Safety Day. Their achievements will be recognized during a graduation ceremony, where students will share what they’ve learned and hear from invited speakers.
