“If you’re driving in the middle of the night and don’t see any cars on the road, do you still use your turn signal?” asks Drive Carmel instructor William Perlstein.
“Yes!” 22 enthusiastic students answer in unison.
“That’s right,” Mr. Perlstein says. “Does anyone know what black ice is?”
“Ice that’s on black pavement that blends in?” A student towards the back of the room says with some uncertainty in his voice. Mr. Perlstein clicks a remote to display an image on the overhead project that confirms precisely what the student described.
“Yes,” he commends the soon-to-be driver. Black ice is dangerous because we can’t see it.”
Of course, these students will most likely never encounter black ice in Salinas, but they still must know what it is and how to handle it while driving to get their driver’s license.
Winter break has already started, so the Rancho Cielo campus feels like a ghost town. However, this group of students has committed to forgoing their four-day vacation to take driver’s ed classes followed by the written test at the DMV (RC provides transportation to and from the DMV).
Getting a driver’s license in California is costly and no longer regularly offered through public schools. In addition to the cohort driver’s education course, Rancho Cielo covers all DMV-related costs for all participants. A driver’s license means much more than independence; it’s crucial for finding and maintaining good jobs. The program is another example of Rancho’s commitment to adding all the puzzle pieces necessary for students to succeed.
