WHEREAS, on April 12, 2018, Kaya J. Windpainter, a junior at Blacksburg High School, won the Virginia Take Action Against Distraction license plate design competition, a statewide contest coordinated by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to increase awareness of distracted driving in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Kaya Windpainter's winning design was announced by Governor Ralph Northam, the Virginia Secretary of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, and the American Automobile Association at a ceremony held in the Virginia State Capitol; and

WHEREAS, in a competition in which more than 17,000 votes were cast, Kaya Windpainter's license plate emerged as the most popular design and was ultimately selected as the winner from an initial pool of nearly 200 entries; and

WHEREAS, Kaya Windpainter previously qualified as one of eight finalists in the statewide competition after her entry was selected by judges in February 2018 as the most impressive design in the Roanoke District; and

WHEREAS, Kaya Windpainter's design features a drawing of a single eye overlooking a road, set against a blue background, and includes the slogan "Eyes on the Road"; the license plate she created utilizes a comprehensive and effective strategy for promoting safe driving practices by discouraging all forms of distracted driving in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Kaya Windpainter originally created her winning entry for an assignment in Graphic Imaging Technology I, a course at Blacksburg High School taught by Kelly Showalter; and

WHEREAS, Kaya Windpainter received a $1,000 prize from the American Automobile Association for her winning design, and she previously won a $300 award for her victory in the district competitions; and

WHEREAS, Kaya Windpainter's license plate design will be available to Virginia drivers in July 2018, when it will begin promoting safe driving practices on highways and roads throughout the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Kaya Windpainter's slogan "Eyes on the Road," as well as the slogans of the seven other finalists in the Take Action Against Distraction Competition, will be featured on the Virginia Department of Transportation's digital message boards throughout Virginia; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Kaya J. Windpainter hereby be commended for her first-place finish in the Take Action Against Distraction competition and her praiseworthy efforts to increase awareness of distracted driving in Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Kaya J. Windpainter as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for her aptitude for graphic design and gratitude for her commitment to enhancing the safety of Virginia's roads.