The Youth ORCA program is wrapping up its first full school year! And it’s been a great year – students in the program have taken 374,000 transit trips this school year – that’s a savings of $565,000 for the 2,500 students in the program! The ORCA cards students are using this school year expire at the end of the school year, so SDOT has decided to expand the program for high school participants through summer 2018. 
To be eligible for a new card, students must have enrolled in the program prior to May 1 and they must be in grades 9 – 11. The new ORCA cards will be valid this summer, next school year, and the following summer.
SDOT staff will be hosting events at high schools throughout June. Students need to bring their current ORCA card and student ID to one of the events. They will trade in their old ORCA card for a new ORCA card at the event.
- Ballard – June 12 & 14 at lunch
- Chief Sealth – June 5 at lunch and June 6 after school
- Cleveland – June 7 & 8 at lunch
- Garfield – June 13 at lunch and June 15 after school
- Nathan Hale – June 5 & 6 at lunch
- Rainier Beach – June 9 @ 1:30 – 2:30
- World School – June 15 & 16 at lunch
SDOT staff are working to setup events at additional schools, check back for events at additional schools.
Youth ORCA program participants are in high school and middle school. They live in the walk zone of their school and are not eligible for an ORCA card from their school. The program began distributing ORCA cards on September 1 at Rainier Beach High School orientation. SDOT staff held more than 30 events at high schools in the fall across Seattle to distribute the ORCA cards. Students have continued to sign up for the program throughout the school year. Program participants attend 11 high schools and 13 middle schools.