Tammy Guido McGee moves through the audience, engaging with Upper School students as she connects their lived experiences to crucial decisions on the road
Hampton Roads Academy prides itself on preparing students to achieve academic success and excel in college, but the school’s mission is in fact far more ambitious than this. We aim to equip each Navigator with the skills to thrive in every aspect of life, no matter where their personal and professional paths lead.
For our Upper Schoolers, gradually developing the independence that defines adulthood, a key aspect of this broader education is learning to make safe and responsible choices—especially as they begin to drive and ride in their friends’ cars. On the afternoon of Thursday, April 9, students in Grades 9 through 12 had the opportunity to hear from nationally recognized highway safety advocate Tammy Guido McGee, who drew on her own experience to underscore the critical importance of exercising sound judgment on the road.
In 2019, McGee’s son Conner Guido, known to his friends as “Gweedo,” was the passenger in a car operated by an underage, unlicensed, known reckless driver and lost his life in a preventable crash. His mother has since channeled tragedy into a movement to transform how communities across the country approach teen driver safety.
McGee honored her son’s memory by founding the Gweedo Memorial Foundation (GMF), an organization that, in her words, “exists to save lives by empowering young drivers and passengers to make safer decisions behind the wheel and to speak up when they see dangerous behavior.” Through education, advocacy, and legislation, the GMF works to prevent fatal crashes and ensure that no young person’s story ends as Conner’s did.
Introduced by her niece, HRA sophomore Peyton Ashe ’28, during the Upper School Homeroom period, McGee conveyed her message to the student body through a highly interactive presentation grounded in relatable everyday decisions they will soon face, if they have not already. The goal of the presentation was not to “scare the students straight,” but rather to inspire them to lead in the fight to ensure the safety of every young person in their community.
Transformative Work
McGee shares the moving story of losing her son Conner in a preventable car crash—a heartbreaking experience that inspired her nationwide advocacy for teen driver safety
One would be hard-pressed to find someone more qualified to prepare students for this responsibility than Tammy Guido McGee. Having felt the cost of destructive driving decisions first-hand, she has built her son’s legacy into one of positive change throughout Virginia and beyond.
Through the GMF, McGee has delivered moving presentations that raise awareness and empower young drivers to make responsible choices behind the wheel and granted thousands of dollars in annual scholarships for graduating seniors. She created the anonymous reporting platform IfYouSeeSomethingSaySomething.org to allow teenagers and other members of the community to report reckless driving, bullying, or other troubling behavior, providing a means to speak up before tragedy strikes, rather than when it is already too late.
She has also successfully advocated for the passage of five pieces of state legislation that have strengthened driver’s education in Virginia, increased accountability, and established legal consequences for adults who allow unlicensed minors to drive, along with a gubernatorial veto of a bill that would have weakened teen driver education standards in the Commonwealth.
McGee’s tireless efforts and far-reaching impact have earned her the Governor’s Highway Safety Association National Award and multiple statewide honors in Virginia.
When she visited the Academy, McGee did not only bring her important message to a new audience of teenage drivers and soon-to-be drivers. She also charged our students to be part of the solution.
Voices for Change
While this was McGee’s first formal presentation at HRA, she said, “the school already feels like an extension of my family.” Her nephew, HRA alumnus and current trustee Scott Ashe ’99, and his two children, Peyton ’28 and Harper ’32, have all been actively involved in volunteering with the GMF, and she hopes that other Navigators will join them in building a culture of responsibility and safety that extends well beyond campus.
Students eagerly raise their hands to participate during McGee’s highly interactive presentation
During Homeroom, McGee engaged directly with Upper School students as she recounted Conner’s tragic story and connected it to concrete choices they will have to make as drivers and passengers. Sharing impactful visuals, short videos, and a conversation centered around real-world scenarios, she covered such topics as distracted and impaired driving, speeding, and the perils of operating a vehicle without a license. All of these unfortunate choices, she explained, contribute to a “teen-demic” of fatal automobile crashes that claim the lives of seven teenagers every day in the United States. Throughout the interactive presentation, she challenged students to “think about decisions in the moment—before a crash ever occurs.”
McGee invited every Upper Schooler in the auditorium to become a voice for change by submitting their concerns to IfYouSeeSomethingSaySomething.org and, more importantly, setting a positive example for, and starting conversations about driver safety with, their friends and others who could benefit from them.
According to Upper School counselor Elizabeth Rous, chair of HRA’s Safety Planning and Response Team, McGee’s action-oriented presentation resonated perfectly with the school’s emphasis on “community and the responsibilities that come with being a member of a community.”
“We look out for one another and speak up when we see something that concerns us,” Rous said. “We also emphasize that safety comes in many forms—physical, emotional, and psychological—and our core values at HRA inform how we comport ourselves in our efforts to maintain a safe and welcoming community where every member feels valued.”
Shaping Responsible Leaders
Following Homeroom, students collect wristbands and lanyards that McGee provided to serve as a reminder of their role as leaders in the campaign for teen driver safety
As Upper School English teacher and Dean of Student Life Laurie Hager observed, McGee’s visit was not only a valuable learning opportunity, but also a testament to the power of student leadership.
Tenth grader Peyton Ashe ’28 did not simply take on the responsibility of introducing her aunt’s presentation. She played an active role in coordinating the event from the beginning, taking the initiative to speak with Hager and Head of School Jay Lasley about what her peers could gain from learning about the work of the GMF.
“Supporting our students as they truly take ownership of their own initiatives has been at the heart of my philosophy as Dean,” Hager said. “I trust them to lead, to grapple with the practicalities of facing any complex challenge, and to find the inner strength to ask for caring adult assistance when they need it.”
In the past two years, HRA Director of Theatre and public speaking teacher Kate Goddin has been instrumental in enriching Upper School Homeroom with outside speakers—from local elected officials to representatives from environmental organizations like Wetlands Watch and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation—while also reimagining this biweekly period to center student leaders like Ashe.
Each session is led by the Student Council Association president, and students oversee the tech booth to provide a seamless and engaging experience. When clubs have announcements to make, student representatives, not faculty sponsors, deliver the message. Throughout the school year, Varsity Club members rally their classmates for upcoming athletic events, performing arts students share their talents through musical performances, and students who have completed internships, mentorships, and other professional experiences through the REACH Initiative speak about what they learned from participating in this program and how their peers can get involved.
These regular presentations offer students “an opportunity to practice their public speaking skills and learn how to communicate well,” Goddin said. “Homeroom is a great place for the entire Upper School to learn together.”
Indeed, during her visit, McGee embraced this meaningful platform for educating and shaping future leaders, encouraging students to “take leadership roles within their peer groups, model safe behavior, and bring these conversations back to their families and communities.”
“The most important message is this,” she said: “your choices matter, and your voice can save a life.”
