Local students have led a six-week long campaign against texting and driving since mid-January.

Over 300 students who play for the St. Joseph's CYM basketball program and their parents have campaigned the Hillsborough community to stop texting and driving. Each of the 13 girls and boys basketball teams ages 10 through 17 staffed kiosks outside each game and collected pledges by parents, family members and other game attendees.

More than 500 pledges were signed and collected by the students and volunteer parents—these pledges state that the signor will not text and drive.

"This program was a fantastic way to reach the community about an important topic, improving safety in our town and elsewhere by stopping texting while driving," John Lanahan, volunteer program director, said.

Volunteer Program leaders Paula Obenauer, Claudine Lanahan and Noreen Koval jumpstarted this campaign by having their daughters' teams create posters advertising this campaign.  Prior year's volunteer programs for this basketball program have included collection of cleats for children who would otherwise not be able to participate in sports, collection of cell phones to aid domestic abuse victims at the Resource Center of Somerset, and collection of T-shirts for Haiti for the earthquake victims.

Among the students helping with the project were Shirley Kruskall, Shannon Donoghue, Emily Lanahan, Stephanie Wickman, Alanna Ryan, Hannah Hopson, Cate Lanahan, Cameron Howell, Jess Koval, Caroline Pabst, Tara Herterich, Emily Obenauer, Allie Benadon.