• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact Us
Monday, June 5, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
The Capistrano Dispatch
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On SJC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SJC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • Dana Point Times
    • San Clemente Times
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SJC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit A Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
    • Announcements
    • Submit An Announcement
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Inside/Outside Home
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
  • SJC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On SJC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SJC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • Dana Point Times
    • San Clemente Times
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SJC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit A Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
    • Announcements
    • Submit An Announcement
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Inside/Outside Home
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
  • SJC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
The Capistrano Dispatch
No Result
View All Result

On the Road, Off the Phone

by Capo Dispatch
April 14, 2017 3:13PM
in EYE ON SJC, LIVING, News, SJC Living
On the Road, Off the Phone

Dalton Bourne, 16, of San Juan Capistrano, received a luminary award from Disneyland Resort for his teen driver safety initiative. Photo: Allison Jarrell

0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Local student honored by Disney for innovative teen driver safety initiative

Dalton Bourne, 16, of San Juan Capistrano, received a luminary award from Disneyland Resort for his teen driver safety initiative. Photo: Allison Jarrell
Dalton Bourne, 16, of San Juan Capistrano, received a luminary award from Disneyland Resort for his teen driver safety initiative. Photo: Allison Jarrell

By Allison Jarrell

When it came time to choose his Eagle Scout project, Dalton Bourne knew he wanted to do something different—something that would stand out and make a difference in the community.

Bourne, a 16-year-old junior at San Juan Hills High School, was a sophomore at the time and while thinking of ideas, he recalled a fatal car crash involving young drivers that had happened the year before. Bourne said he’s not sure what caused that crash, but he came up with an idea to help prevent future accidents from happening due to distracted driving.

Distracted driving claimed 3,477 lives in 2015 and left 391,000 people injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NHTSA estimates that 660,000 drivers use electronic devices while driving during the day.

Bourne’s teen driver safety initiative called, “On the Road, Off the Phone,” began with having his friend’s dad help him design a phone pouch that students can put their mobile device into while driving. The goal, Bourne said, is to keep them from texting while driving.

Bourne raised $900 from local companies Reata Glen and Rancho Mission Viejo to have 600 microfiber pouches produced. Each pouch features Stanley the Stallion on one side, and the words “On the Road, Off the Phone” on the other.

This year, when San Juan Hills students went to sign up for a parking pass, they had the option to sign a pledge not to text and drive and receive a free pouch. About 400 pouches were given to students, and Bourne said he’s received a lot of positive feedback from faculty and his peers.

“The coolest thing is when I’m in the car with one of my friends and I see them use it,” Bourne said with a smile. “A lot of them don’t even know it’s mine.”

Bourne said it was his mother who encouraged him to apply for the Disneyland Resort Dreamers & Doers program, which recognizes high school students in Orange County who take action to improve their homes, schools and communities. Naturally, he wrote his essay about his teen driver safety initiative.

“I love this project. I think it’s awesome,” Bourne said. “But I didn’t expect Disney to love it as much.”

As part of his award, Dalton Bourne received $3,000 from Disneyland Resort to donate to a local nonprofit, and he chose Breakthrough SJC. Photo: Allison Jarrell
As part of his award, Dalton Bourne received $3,000 from Disneyland Resort to donate to a local nonprofit, and he chose Breakthrough SJC. Photo: Allison Jarrell

Not only was Bourne chosen as one of 33 youth to be recognized at the resort’s celebration on Feb. 25, but he was honored with a “luminary” award, reserved for the top five students. As part of that award, Bourne was given $3,000 to donate to an Orange County charity of his choice.

Bourne chose Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano, a nonprofit that aims to increase academic opportunities for highly motivated and underserved students. He said his family has supported Breakthrough for a long time, and he has good friends who are in the program.

“I want to help them keep doing what they’re doing, because I think it’s a great program,” Bourne said.

On April 4, the San Juan Capistrano City Council honored Bourne for his efforts to better his community and encourage safer driving habits.

“Your astounding achievements and your desire to serve your community speaks loud of your aptitude, character and kindness,” Mayor Kerry Ferguson said.

And as if receiving a luminary award wasn’t enough for his junior year of high school, Bourne was also honored by the Council for earning a perfect score of 36 on his ACT—something less than one tenth of 1 percent of students nationwide achieve.

It seems that Bourne plans to keep aiming high. He hopes to attend Brigham Young University after he graduates, go on a mission for his church and eventually write a book—actually a whole series of books, which he already has planned out.

Bourne said he loves biology and helping people, so his dream is to become a doctor, perhaps a pediatrician. To accomplish that dream, he hopes to attend Harvard Medical School, following in the footsteps of his father, who attended Harvard Business School.

Share this:

  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
Tags: City Councildalton bournedisneydisneyland resortdisneyland resort dreamers & doersdistracted drivingdreamers & doersdriver safetyEagle ScoutFeaturedluminaryluminary awardon the road off the phoneOrange CountySan Juan CapistranoSan Juan HillsSan Juan Hills High Schoolteen driver safety initiativeteen drivingtexting
ShareTweetPin

Capo Dispatch

Related Posts

GALLERY: San Juan Hills Class of 2023 Celebrates Graduation

GALLERY: San Juan Hills Class of 2023 Celebrates Graduation

June 2, 2023
Eat My Words: Restaurants Unveil New Menu Items and Encore Favorites

Eat my Words: Make Breakfast a Mini Vacation

June 2, 2023
Adoptable Pet of the Week: Cowboy

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Cowboy

June 2, 2023
Publisher’s Letter: A Perfect 10

Publisher’s Letter: A Perfect 10

June 2, 2023
Next Post

South County Weekend Event Guide: April 14-16

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

The Dispatch Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get The Dispatch delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Current Issue
  • Contact Us
  • San Clemente Times
  • Dana Point Times
  • About Us

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On SJC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SJC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • Dana Point Times
    • San Clemente Times
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SJC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit A Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
    • Announcements
    • Submit An Announcement
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Inside/Outside Home
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
  • SJC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.