Dawn Estes, owner of Gold Star Driving School
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Gold Star Driving School: Local entrepreneur makes wheels turn in new business
By Amanda Riesmeyer
Vermont Women's Business Center
Dawn Estes, owner and instructor of Gold Star Driving School, had a vision for many years of opening up a driving school.
It all began some five years ago when a co-worker at the
Department of Motor Vehicles told her she'd make a great
driving instructor; she exudes calmness and steadiness. Her
wheels began to turn as she gave this idea some thought and
room to grow.
She spoke with Marty Bingham, director of traffic safety
education in Montpelier, about the possibility and learned there is a definite need for private traffic safety driver educators.
"I truly came to realize that need on a personal level when the son of a close friend was of the age to begin driver education which his high school did not offer," Estes said. "They had to locate a private instructor, which took some effort. Many private and parochial high
schools do not offer driver education and the problem is only getting worse due to lack of funding."
Estes' connection with cars began long ago. Spending her childhood summers in New Hampshire at her grandfather's Dodge dealership, she learned to drive at the age of 10. Smiling, Estes reminisces, "My job was to prep the car after it had been sold and then drive the car from its place on the car lot to the wash bay where I washed and vacuumed it before driving it back up to the new owner. I worked this job for five summers until I was 15 working alongside my cousins and three uncles."
Estes raised two sons and had a house filled with her son's friends. She was a Boy Scout leader for 22 years and school bus driver for Washington County School Districts for more than 15 years. She wanted her sons to become safe and confident drivers.
"Living on secondary roads outside of Barre, transportation is a necessary and important fact of life," Estes noted. One Saturday morning, her home teeming with 15-year old boys, Estes made an unusual offer: "Anyone interested in learning how to drive needs to be here next Saturday at 6:00 am sharp." The following Saturday morning she gave her first lesson in driving instruction to a car filled with teenagers.
Five years ago, Estes began the course work necessary to meet the requiremnets set by the state. In the spring of 2005, she completed the Business Start-Up class offered by the Vermont Women's Business Center and, with a draft of her business plan in hand, she began meeting with a women's business center counselor to get it in shape before applying for financing. That summer she got a loan from Community Capital of Vermont as well as finished up her course work.
Estes went on to pass her driving and written examinations achieving state licensing. She was now ready to roll and, not missing a beat, she advertised in local newspapers and sent letters to all the high schools in Orange and Washington Counties. Central Vermont Academy quickly responded.
"They had a need for driver education classes and generously offered classroom space. I needed a central location to hold classes; it worked out well for both parties," Estes remarked.
A month later, Gold Star Driving School was born.
Her first class started October 10, 2005, with eight students. These students went on to graduate the following December. She managed all this while working as a customer
service representative with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Holding down a full-time day job and teaching driver education classes in the evenings, Estes exudes energy as she interacts and instructs her students with a zeal that can only come out of doing something one believes in and enjoys. Her relationship with the students is one of respect and enjoyment--on both sides.
Estes' classes are hands-on and full of interesting facts and up-to-date information. She holds an information night for parents and guardians to explain how they can help their teenagers. Their roles as parent/guardian/coach are examined, and practical tips and handouts to assist in ensuring more successful results are readily provided.
In one of her classes, "Mechanics Night," students meet at Midstate Dodge in Berlin with Service Manager Art Bleau, who instructs them on the importance of vehicle maintenance. Prominently on display in the service area of Midstate Dodge is the "Wall of Shame," a glass case filled with bits and pieces of car parts that have been destroyed or worn down due to neglect.
Bleau shows each part and explains what happens when such basics as not maintaining brakes or ignoring regular oil changes occurs. "Neglecting routine oil changes or regular maintenance checkups can turn into anexpensive repair," instructs Bleau emphatically. "Any odd noise that you've never heard before - get it checked out."
That night students were shown how to change the oil and then each one was required to "get their hands dirty" and
change a tire. While one of her students works on changing
a tire, Estes banters lightly with her. "Her father was one of my first students," Estes explains. "He was there that day years ago when I made that offer to my sons and their friends to teach them to drive. I?m already instructing my second generation of kids."
Mark Floyd of the Vermont Team Leadership Safety Program/SADD(StudentsAgainst Destructive Decisions) is another guest speaker. He brings with him an assortment of "fatal vision goggles" and the classroom stirs with interest. "The fatal vision goggles simulate different levels of visual impairment by level of alcohol. They
represent what a person might experience with vision only," Floyd explains. "?When a cop stops you and begins to bark out orders, you need to respond."
One by one each student puts on the goggles and is told to look straight ahead with arms down and to "walk the line," with Floyd and Estes by their side just in case assistance is needed. Looking down after removing the goggles, students are surprised when they see just how far off the line they have traveled.
Floyd says there are about 95 violations a police officer can stop you for if he suspects impairment. Frank conversation follows about the legal limits of alcohol and substance abuse other than alcohol. Stories are told, the law is reviewed and what to do when a friend over doses and passes out is discussed openly.
"In the end," Floyd emphasizes, "it's all about changing behavior to keep kids safe."
"I believe in KISMIF (Keep It Simple, Make It Fun), that I learned through my training as a Boy Scout Leader," Estes observes regarding her underlying approach to teaching. "You reach more students with fun built in, than with boring lectures and technology has allowed ease of transfer of instructional information in interesting ways,"
Estes said.
"Gold Star Driving School is committed to preparing teenagers as well as adults to be confident, efficient and safe operators in today's complex highway transportation system. The school provides innovative instruction and comprehensive training that will allow students to graduate with sincere sense of confidence and dedication to being the safest drivers they can be on all types of roadways and behind the wheel of any motor vehicle they choose to operate."
And where did the name, Gold Star come from? Clearly, that's just another example of Estes' positive attitude and encouraging ways, "Gold star for job well done!"
To find out more about Gold Star Driving School go www.centralvt.com/web/goldstardriving, call 802.476-4943 or email: garnetgalaxy@mac.com.
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