Work Zone Safety
ELEMENTARY
STUDENTS
Raise Work Zone Safety Awareness
through artwork
Twelve
elementary students from around the state are making
Illinois’ roads safer by raising awareness about work zone
safety to the motoring public. These students are the
winners of the 2010-2011 Illinois Work Zone Safety Calendar
Contest. Through their artwork, these students will help the
Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) communicate the
importance of driving safely in work zones to motorists in
Illinois.
This is
the 6th year IDOT has sponsored the contest. Every year it
reaches more and more students in grades Kindergarten
through sixth. This year 4,491 students participated and
13,590 students in total have participated in the contest
over six years.
The 12
finalists will have their drawings displayed in the 2012
Illinois Work Zone Safety Calendar. This year’s work zone
safety campaign is titled See Orange. Slow Down. Save Lives.
IDOT,
along with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE),
American Traffic Safety Services Foundation (ATSSF) and the
Illinois Chapter of the American Traffic Safety Services
Association (ATSSA), coordinated this statewide calendar
contest for elementary students. The contest is sponsored
by:
•
Illinois Radio Network
•
Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association
•
Amtrak
•
Midwest Region Laborers
•
Southern Illinois Construction Advancement Program
•
COUNTRY Financial
The 12
finalists were honored at an awards ceremony on Wednesday,
May 11, 2011 at the
Illinois
State Museum in Springfield. Each winner received prizes and
promotional items from the contest sponsors.
The top
six winners’ drawings were sent to ATSSA’s national contest
in March 2011 to vie for a spot in its national calendar.
Julia Williams from Elverado Primary School in Elkville, IL
placed 2nd in the Kindergarten-1st grade category in the
National Contest. Julia was the only national winner from
Illinois.
The
purpose of the contest is for students to help IDOT promote
work zone safety by becoming aware of work zones and
encourage their parents or caregivers about the importance
of driving safely in work zones.
The
contest began in the fall of 2010 with elementary schools
around the state submitting children’s drawings that
portrayed their view of a work zone. Each school had to
choose four entries from each category and submit them to
IDOT for the state contest. The contest categories consisted
of K-1st grade, 2nd- 4th grade and 5th-6th grade.
The
Department received 723 entries from 115 schools throughout
the state. The entries were given to three judges who
narrowed them down to 30. From there, the top 30 drawings
were sent to a panel of five judges, who then selected the
final 12 contestants. Each entry was judged on a series of
questions to determine if the entry portrayed a work zone
and if the student had a clear understanding of a work zone.
By
introducing children at an early age to safe driving
practices, IDOT hopes to instill a lifelong awareness of
work zone hazards and foster safe driving behavior in the
future. Teachers or parents who are interested in entering
their students or children in the 2011-2012 calendar contest
can contact IDOT’s contest coordinator, Jessica Keldermans
at (217)785-3062.
By Jessica Keldermans
Work Zone Safety Calendar Contest Coordinator/
Bureau Chief of Safety Data & Data Services
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