A program to call your own
So you’ve decided that it’s time to start a Safe Routes program in your community, but you don’t have funding yet. The great thing about Safe Routes is that there are many ways you can get involved and make a positive impact in your community right away!
Finding the right people is the first step in starting your own Safe Routes to School program. Identify and encourage people in your community that share the same passion as you do to join your program. A variety of enthusiastic community members will allow your Safe Routes group to overcome obstacles. Look for existing groups that you can network with such as a city or school district safety committee, physical education teachers, health educators, PTA, school site council, neighborhood associations, local businesses, and other community leaders.
Hold a kickoff meeting to create a common vision and start brainstorming about what the next steps for your program should be. Start by asking participants what they would like to see the program accomplish over a five-year time span. The sky is the limit and there is no such thing as a bad idea or suggestion. Encourage others to talk openly by asking them to share their previous positive childhood experiences associated with walking or biking to school.
Gather information and identify any issues that your program has. This will help your program by identifying some needed elements, and the information can also provide a means to measure the impact of your program later. You may also want to determine how many children are currently walking or biking to school. The school may already know this, but if that isn’t the case, you can survey parents and identify their thoughts and perceptions about having their kids walk or bike to school.
Identify solutions to the issues that your program or community faces. The overall safety for the kids should be the very first consideration. Make sure that there is a safe way for children to walk or bike to school. Other problems might require creative solutions, education, encouragement, or enforcement. This is where the varying expertise of participants comes in handy. Prioritize the issues in your communities to make the most of your time and resources. Are there some quick fixes in your community that you can identify as a group that will help to generate enthusiasm early in the program? Making a plan that includes encouragement, structure, and education early on is critical for the success of a budding program.
Fund your plan when you’ve accomplished all that you can on a limited budget. Parts of your program will cost very little money, and most International Walk to School Day coordinators say they spend less than $100 on their events. There are many low-cost solutions that can be put into place in your community in a relatively short amount of time, such as new signs or fresh paint or tape crosswalks. However, some issues your group may have identified can require significantly more capital. These changes may include sidewalk construction or the addition of a caution light or speed hump. After you get as far as you can on a tight budget, consider using the success and participation that your program has achieved as credibility and reason for additional funding. Some places for your program to seek funding once it has been established include surface transportation federal programs, state Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs, environmental and air quality funds, health and physical activity funds, county and city funding, and philanthropic organizations.
Safe Routes Nebraska has materials for your program that are free and easy to use! Included in these materials you will find Safe Routes News You Can Use for the kids, strategies for educating children, and other helpful information to make the process easier.
Safety as the seasons change
Even though the leaves are falling and snow might be in the forecast, kids can still walk and bike to school. However, around this time of year we need to be extra careful in preparing children for the trek.
Gloves, hat, scarf? Check.
When kids walk or bike to school in the fall and winter, they need to be prepared and well equipped for the journey. Make sure that all of their extremities are covered adequately with a winter hat, gloves, and perhaps a scarf to help keep their face warm. These are all important to ensuring comfort and safety.
Make sure that shoes are in good repair and there are no holes in their socks. It might be a good idea to double-layer socks, or put a spare pair in their backpacks so if their socks get wet with slush, snow, or water, they can change into a dry pair.
Get a grip!
If weather conditions cooperate, biking remains a travel option during fall and winter. On days that are dry, there should be no problems with riding a bicycle to school. On days when rain or light snow may be in the forecast, it would be beneficial to check the treading on the bike tires. If they are worn down and bare, then the child should consider walking. Tire traction is very important during periods of inclement weather.
Plan B
Weather can change quickly, and this seems to apply even more so to Nebraska. Always make certain that kids have a backup plan to get home. Equip them with an alternative phone number or a safe and trustworthy person they can call to give them a ride should the weather change drastically, or have them be part of an optional car pool should they need a last-minute ride. You can also talk with neighbors or friends that have children going to the same school, and together you can organize an alternative method for the kids to get home should walking or biking be out of the question due to the weather.
Watered down
People naturally lose extra water through perspiration while walking or biking when they are wearing extra clothing (coat, gloves, or a hat). To avoid dehydration, make sure your kids are drinking plenty of water before and after they travel to and from school.
Hydration isn’t the only thing that kids need. A healthy breakfast and even a snack in their backpack ensures that they will have enough energy to get to school safely and interact within the learning environment effectively.
What’s the weatherman say?
When there is a winter storm warning or a wind chill warning, you may want to arrange reliable, warm transportation for kids to get to school. There are some instances when the weather can be very unforgiving in Nebraska, and these are the times when a car ride or a bus ride is a perfectly acceptable way to make it to the classroom.
Safe Routes in action: No Child Left on Their Behind – A Rural Community Project
Diane Epp, the No Child Left on Their Behind project developer and coordinator, has shown that there are many great ways to get creative with your Safe Routes program. She describes her program as an environmental, obesity, and safety intervention within the community. Diane integrates these three intervention components into all program activities.
What makes this program work?
Diane credits community support for the success of this program. The goal of the project was to create a supportive environment in five rural communities—Diller, Deshler, Exeter, Wilber, and Wymore—to increase physical activities and exercise in students and parents.
Against all odds
Getting any program off the ground can be tough, and the support of the community is vital. One of the biggest obstacles in communities is the lack of sidewalks. Many students walk in the street because they don’t have a safer alternative.
“Starting a program takes time and it doesn’t happen over night . . . work with the community and get feedback and thoughts instead of going in and calling the shots,” Diane said.
The winds of change
No Child Left on Their Behind is focused on kids’ health; however, it has also started to make an impact with the adult population. Diane talked about the program’s positive impact in the community. In particular, she mentioned a gentleman who lives one mile from the local coffee shop. “Now he walks each time to the coffee shop instead of driving. This program has impacted not only the students and parents but the entire community.”
Spread the word
People can’t actively participate in a program if they don’t know anything about it. The No Child Left on Their Behind program creates awareness by sending informational backpack mail and fliers to parents. The Diller/Odell communities even went as far as getting entire families involved with a walking challenge. The goal of the challenge was to have families walk together and document the time and distance spent walking. The winning family received a prize as an incentive to participate.
At the conclusion of their walking challenge program, the communities had an awards presentation involving the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s very own Lil’ Red and Cheer Squad. Lil’ Red and the Cheer Squad presented awards to the students in a gymnasium filled with community members, parents, and students. “It turned out to be a big event, thanks to the local committee’s hard work. There was such an air of excitement!” said Diane. The kindergarten class even participated by creatively using a paper chain to track walking activities since they did not have pedometers. Diane said, “Parents came up to me after the presentation expressing gratitude for the project and their appreciation for how it benefits their community.”
Get connected
Setting up initial contacts and connections can be the toughest challenge to starting a new program. Remember to start early to gain support for your program, or if you already have a program in your community, you can help out by participating in and supporting that program.
Safe Routes in action: Crete’s No Child Left Inside outstanding Walk to School Day event
There are many things to consider when holding a Walk to School Day event. Sometimes you have to dig deep and analyze your community to find the best way to succeed. The folks leading the program in Crete did just that.
Know your community
Natalie Kingston helped to make sure that Safe Routes materials were printed in both English and Spanish to encourage support and participation from everyone in the Crete community. Getting the community on board with the event is just one of many steps. Natalie encourages programs that are putting together a Walk to School Day event to begin planning at least two months in advance to ensure all details are covered.
The feet on the bus go round and round
Crete successfully encouraged approximately 650 students to participate in Walk to School Day. This event used walking school buses as a way for the students, parents, and volunteers to get excited and walk to school together. An astounding 142 volunteers met on a chilly October morning to assist with the Walk to School Day event.
The health department recruited volunteers. The original target ratio was to have one volunteer to supervise five students. Volunteers included the Doane College men’s and women’s basketball teams, coaches, Crete High School students, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Crete High School TeamMates, the Crete Police, Gamma Phi Iota social sorority, and the National Honor Society.
Natalie found that giving volunteers two weeks notice prior to the event is best for an optimal turnout. After the event she said, “I was told before this project that Crete wasn’t a volunteer community, but after this project I beg to differ.”
Make it official
During the Walk to School Day event, volunteers wore orange reflective vests at the drop-off points. Volunteers displayed safe walking behaviors and encouraged students to stop at intersections and look both ways before crossing the street. In addition, local law enforcement assisted by directing traffic at key intersections. The structure and organization of the event really gave parents peace of mind. Another way to make your event official is by spreading the word to gain support and build excitement within the community. Kids went home with stickers on their shirts that announced the date of Walk to School Day. This creative solution was implemented to reach the parents that don’t traditionally read school letters.
Natalie encourages starter programs to involve local partners. “Sometimes it’s the people that you least expect that have the expertise and leadership to help out. The process can be very surprising,” she said. Prizes (such as bags, stickers, and charms) are also huge incentives for kids to participate.
Questions for Kelly
Kelly Morgan serves as the program coordinator for Safe Routes Nebraska. Throughout the year, she receives and responds to any question you can imagine. Here are some of the most common queries to cross her desk:
Q: What is a walking audit? And who should be involved?
A: Through a walking audit data is gathered about an environment’s conditions (physical, social, natural) that affect walking. The objective of a walking audit is to determine factors that hinder walking in the area and to establish a plan to make improvements. These factors may include street lighting, walking path width, traffic volume, topography, and the presence of dogs, trash, and debris. Walking audits help key stakeholders (parents, children, local planning and/or traffic department, school staff, and law enforcement) gather information they need to analyze and design the transportation network and create a school route map plan. Walkability checklists are helpful to follow as you identify any needs. You can also involve students in the walking audit by having them take photographs of things they like the best and least about their walking route.
Q: I’ve heard there are quite a few requirements to obtain Safe Routes funding. What requirements are involved and why?
A: With federal funding there are always requirements that must be followed based on federal law, e.g., materials and services procurement, environmental impact review, right-of-way acquisition, and design standards. As the program consultant for the Nebraska Department of Roads, Sinclair Hille Architects has developed a Guidelines for Project Development booklet to help funding recipients implement their projects. Typically most federal programs require a 10%–20% cash match; however, Safe Routes funds are 100% federal where funding recipients are not required to provide a cash match. The extra effort to meet the federal requirements seems minor in comparison to the benefit of 100% funding and the opportunity to better the lives of children in our communities.
Q: I missed this year’s Safe Routes Nebraska Intent to Apply deadline. Will there be another funding cycle?
A: Through the 2005 passage of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy of Users, Congress designated $612 million toward developing the National Safe Routes to School Program. This money is distributed to the Nebraska Department of Roads to fund education, planning, and implementation of Safe Routes to School plans and programs. The 2005 legislative bill expires in September 2009. It’s unknown if Congress will be able to designate funding for the National Safe Routes to School Program again. What we do know is other similar programs have operated under continuing resolution until the next bill is signed. If funding is available for Safe Routes to School, the next funding cycle will begin with the Intent to Apply deadline in the fall of 2009. Please remember to check the Web site for the schedule. Keep in mind that you can make a difference in your community by utilizing the free resources provided by the Nebraska Department of Roads.
Q: A nearby community received Safe Routes Nebraska funding, and I’d really like to learn more about its program. Can you help?
A: All funded project descriptions are located on the Web site. In addition, any materials that have been created with Safe Routes Nebraska funding are available for free. As always, please feel free to contact me at kmorgan@sinclairhille.com for further information. The Nebraska Department of Roads understands the importance of stretching limited funds and ensuring that materials are available to all communities and schools across the state.
