Riverhead Central School District Partners with Anti-Bias Task Force to Create New Safety Project

Superintendent of Schools Nancy Carney recently shared an overview of a safety project with the Board of Education at a meeting held last month.

The project, “Reflectors Are Our Protectors”, is based on a poster designed by student artist Timothy Krulder, a fourth grader at the Riley Avenue Elementary School.

The Riverhead Central School District partnered with the Riverhead Anti-Bias Task Force with a goal to have every bike in the community equipped with reflectors, according to Carney.

“The initiative was inspired by a lesson I observed in Tracy Martin’s 5th grade classroom on student activism, and a discussion that occurred at an Anti-biased Task Force meeting about bicyclists and pedestrians on roadways at night who can’t be seen by drivers. This led to the proposed project,” Carney said.

The task force and the school district teamed up to create a district wide initiative to give students an opportunity to make a difference in the community.

It began with a slogan contest where Krulder came up with the winning entry, ‘Reflectors are our Protectors.’

The schools then held a poster contest inviting students to create a super hero who would represent their school, which are going to be turned into artwork on collection jars and be placed at businesses throughout the community to collect money to purchase reflectors.

Student groups will then hold events to distribute reflectors to bicyclists throughout the school district and the community.

Board of Education President Gregory Meyer and the Board members presented each of the winners of the poster contests with a certificate of recognition.

The winning posters were made by the following students: Alexis Laskowski (Aquebogue 2nd grade), Joseph Smith (Phillips 2nd grade), Ava Lily Sumwalt (Pulaski 5th grade), Timothy Krulder (Riley 4th grade), Emely Yanes (Roanoke 4th grade), Marissa Tedesco and Sarah Wegley (team of 8th graders from the Middle School), Ta Shae Jackson (10th grader at Riverhead High School).

Photo Caption #1: Student Artist of Reflector Slogan Contest: Timothy Krulder in Mrs. Vengilio’s 4th grade class at the Riley Avenue Elementary School made a poster which became the slogan for the contest. Watch for these collection jars in area businesses and our schools.

Photo Caption #2: The winners of the poster contest received recognition at the April 28th Board of Education meeting.

Photo Caption #3: The winners of the poster contest received recognition at the April 28th Board of Education meeting.

Photos courtesy of Riverhead Central School District

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