According to Jackson Graf, MMS teacher and driving instructor, 49 students completed driver’s education in Milbank this summer. Graf says, “This is a very difficult and demanding course as the students spend 30 hours over four days in the classroom while covering twelve chapters. After passing, they spend twelve hours in the vehicle with six of those behind the wheel.”
Other driving instructors included Jena Schulte and Janelle Korstjens. Former instructors, Mr. Olson and Mr. Townsend, assisted in transitioning the program to new leadership.
Darin Mertens and the staff at Milbank Ford provided the vehicles. Graf says, “It has been very difficult for car dealerships to get vehicles and keep a good stock of inventory. Darin and his staff at Milbank Ford were willing to go to auction and get two 2018 Ford Escapes for our program to use. These were high-quality vehicles that were perfect for new drivers to learn from. They also installed the instructor brakes to help us maintain the safest possible driving during the behind-the-wheel portion of the class.”
Street Graphex made the student driver magnets for the vehicles. Food and Fuel provided regular car washes for the cars, and Charles Fischer served as a guest speaker to discuss the ins and outs of insurance.
Three levels of law enforcement also met with the students and focused on issues pertaining to their respective jurisdictions: Police Chief Boyd VanVooren and Officers Jacob Folk and Corey Hooth represented the Milbank Police Department. Sheriff Kevin Owen and Deputy Jeremy Steffensen represented the Grant County Sheriff’s Department. Troopers Paige Zempel, Ben Pallesen, Maria Waldner, and Devin Olson, and intern Paige Worth represented the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
Photo: (left to right) Caden Veen and Alexander De LaRosa
Staff
No comments so far.
Be first to leave comment below.