- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Boston — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), through its Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program, held its annual awards ceremony today to recognize the Program's partner schools, community champions, stakeholders, and Crossing Guards who have made significant contributions within their communities by strengthening, promoting, and improving safety for students walking, biking and rolling to school.
“We are thankful to all the school communities and the advocates whose input through the Safe Routes to School Program helps us identify the specific strategies, resources and tools needed to better protect our school children,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “Their dedication makes a meaningful difference, and these awards are a token of our appreciation not just for the winners whom we congratulate, but for everyone who has contributed to the important mission of keeping all road users safe.”
The Safe Routes to School awards are open to all school and alliance partners. This year's Awards Ceremony honored 273 schools across Massachusetts that completed SRTS activities and events qualifying them for partner level awards of Basic, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Awards for Exemplary Program were presented to four schools (with three Honorable Mentions). The Community Collaboration and Nikki Tishler Memorial awards were also presented.
For the fourth year, the Program recognized the important role Crossing Guards have in supporting families’ safety as they access schools and neighborhoods across the Commonwealth. Over 500 Crossing Guard nominations were submitted for consideration from 48 statewide communities.
The following school and community partners, Crossing Guards, and individual stakeholders were recognized at this year's awards ceremony:
Exemplary Programs by Region:
Silvio O. Conte Community School, Pittsfield (Western Winner)
William G. Morgan School, Holyoke (Western Honorable Mention)
Somerville High School, Somerville (Central Winner)
Patrick Lyndon Pilot School, Boston (Northeast Winner)
High Plain Elementary School, Andover (Northeast Honorable Mention)
West Tisbury School, Martha’s Vineyard (Southeast Winner)
Joseph R. Dawe, Jr. Elementary School, Stoughton (Southeast Honorable Mention)
Community Collaboration:
Berkshire Bike Path Council
Brookline Safe Routes to School Task Force (Honorable Mention)
Crossing Guard of the Year:
Kim Brown, Scituate (Winner)
Peter Nelson, Andover (Honorable Mention)
Jacqueline Bellos, Worcester (Crossing Guard Champion)
Roberta “Sue” Minnehan, Winchester (Crossing Guard Champion)
David Pinkham, Needham (Crossing Guard Champion)
Nikki Tishler Memorial Award:
Jenn Martin, Newton Safe Routes to School Task Force
A full list of all of this year’s award recipients can be found in the SRTS Awards Ceremony Program.
Sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and with funds from the Federal Highway Administration, the Massachusetts SRTS Program promotes safer routes for students to get to school through a focus on the six E's—Education, Encouragement, Evaluation, Engagement, Engineering, and Equity. The Program hosts annual flagship events such as Massachusetts Walk, Bike, & Roll to School Day in May.
The Program also offers pedestrian and bicycle training activities, walk and bike assessments, and arrival/dismissal observations at schools. SRTS works with schools and their local communities to help customize safety-focused activities, provide resources to help facilitate safe student travel, and offer one-on-one assistance for each school's specific needs. By fostering partnerships between advocacy groups, municipal officials, law enforcement, education leaders, and public health departments, the program currently serves over 1,160 public elementary, middle, and high schools in over 280 communities across the Commonwealth.
For more information on Massachusetts Safe Routes to School visit:
www.mass.gov/safe-routes-to-school
www.facebook.com/SafeRoutes.MA
www.linkedin.com/company/ma-safe-routes-to-school
For more MassDOT news and updates visit:
