Natick High Recognized by MassDOT for Safe Streets Video

Photo via MassDOT Youtube page

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) recognized Natick High School students as runners-up within a statewide high school video contest to promote Safe Streets. Smart Trips., an initiative within the Massachusetts Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) to promote safe walking, bicycling, and driving behaviors throughout the Commonwealth. The winning students and their teachers, were recognized at MassDOT’s annual Moving Together Conference in Boston. The runner-up acknowledgement went to Addison Dlott and Kidest Assefa-McNeil.

“Safe, healthy, and active transportation initiatives have been at the forefront of the MassDOT mission and I am pleased to award students from Natick High School as our runners-up for their demonstrated understanding of safe bicycling, pedestrian, and driving behaviors,” said Acting MassDOT Secretary and CEO, Frank DePaola. “These students are spreading a valuable message of safe shared roadways within our transportation system among their peers and within their greater communities. I encourage Natick High School to continue to spread the students’ message so that we may reach an even broader audience in our efforts to decrease bicycle, pedestrian, and driving fatalities within our neighborhoods”

The contest was designed to raise awareness of each traveler’s roadway and behavioral safety across three modes of transportation – walking, bicycling, and driving – in order to prevent accidents on our roadways and to encourage healthy and active transportation choices.

The contest received more than forty entries from sixteen Massachusetts communities. MassDOT recognized four videos for their demonstrated understanding of roadway and behavioral safety. A group of students from Melrose High School were awarded the grand prize while students from Natick High School were recognized as the runners-up. MassDOT also acknowledged two honorable mentions representing Mashpee High School and another group of students from Melrose High School.

“We are pleased to have received so many positive responses and insightful videos from high school students across the Commonwealth,” said DePaola. “These students did an outstanding job with the production of their video. They are helping to raise awareness of save travel behaviors amongst their peers in Melrose and throughout the Commonwealth. It is our hope that Melrose Schools and schools statewide will use the winning videos as valuable teaching tools to increase the safety of our teens when bicycling, walking and driving.”

Former MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard Davey announced the contest as part of a multiagency and multidisciplinary effort within the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Awareness and Enforcement Program, at an event at Somerville High School back in May. The announcement and introduction of the winners took place at the MassDOT annual Moving Together Conference, which brings transportation professionals together to share in dialogue regarding active transportation initiatives throughout the Commonwealth. The winning students were invited to attend the day of breakout sessions and recognized during a lunchtime ceremony.

“The Safe Streets. Smart Trips. video contest was a great way to get my video production class involved in an issue relevant to them,” said Anthony DiBenedetto, teacher at Melrose High School. “I am extremely proud with the creativity, effort, and results demonstrated by my students, and the message of safe traveling behavior they’re sharing with their peers.”

Article submitted by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation