News - News releases
November 5, 2009
Thirty Pennsylvania Schools Receive Grants to Support Safe Routes to School Initiatives
HERSHEY, Pa. – Pennsylvania's Safe Routes to School Academy (Academy), in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, is pleased to announce that 30 Pennsylvania schools have received funding to build support for walking and bicycling to school.
The 30 recipients each received $5,000 for school-based efforts to promote the five priorities of the federal Safe Routes to School Program: Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Evaluation, and Engineering.
"Whenever possible, we encourage students to walk or bike to school. This promotes health and community cohesion," said PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler. "However, we want to make sure that students are traveling as safely as possible. These grants will help ensure that schools are educating students and their guardians about walking and biking, as well as help the community find out how to become more walking and biking friendly."
Following is a list of Pennsylvania schools that have been awarded Safe Routes to School Grants for the 2009/2010 school year:
- Center Grange Primary, Central Valley SD (Beaver County)
- Willow Creek Elementary School, Fleetwood Area SD (Berks County)
- West Reading Elementary Center, Wyomissing Area SD (Berks County)
- Towanda Area SD (Bradford County)
- Hillside Elementary School, Tredyffrin-Easttown SD (Chester County)
- Hoover Elementary School, Camp Hill SD (Cumberland County)
- Schaeffer Elementary School, Camp Hill SD (Cumberland County)
- Marcus Hook Elementary School, Chichester SD (Delaware County)
- Jefferson Elementary School, Erie City SD (Erie County)
- McConnellsburg Middle School, Central Fulton SD (Fulton County)
- Eisenhower Elementary School, Indiana Area SD (Indiana County)
- Brockway Area Elementary School, Brockway Area SD (Jefferson County)
- Palmyra Area Middle School, Palmyra Area SD (Lebanon County)
- Central Elementary School, Allentown SD (Lehigh County)
- McKinley Elementary School, Allentown SD (Lehigh County)
- South Mountain Middle School, Allentown SD (Lehigh County)
- Heights-Murray Elementary School, Wilkes-Barre Area SD (Luzerne County)
- Williamsport Area SD (Lycoming County)
- St. Michael School (Mercer County)
- JM Hill Elementary School, East Stroudsburg Area SD (Monroe County)
- Pottstown SD (Montgomery County)
- Calypso Elementary School, Bethlehem Area SD (Northampton County)
- Mitchell Elementary School, Philadelphia City SD (Philadelphia County)
- Philadelphia School (Philadelphia County)
- Prince Hall (Philadelphia County)
- Oswayo Valley Elementary School, Oswayo Valley SD (Potter County)
- Youngsville Elementary-Middle School, Warren County SD (Warren County)
- Claysville Elementary School, McGuffey SD (Washington County)
Grant funding can be used to advance the Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation priorities of the federal program. Past recipients have used the funding to participate in International Walk to School Day, host school assemblies on pedestrian and/or bicycle safety, create a safety patrol program, and implement "drop and walk" and "Walking School Bus" programs.
In addition to the $5,000 grant, schools will also receive a free walkability audit, during which a team of trained experts will observe main walking routes to school and develop a comprehensive plan on how to improve the safety of those routes. This costly service is free to all schools selected to receive the grant.
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The Academy is a program of the Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital (Center). It is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal
Highway Administration. Through the Academy, schools receive funding and free
technical assistance to support educational programs, special events and activities, and enforcement of safe pedestrian and driver behavior.
The Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital works collectively with state and national partners to conduct research, develop programs and evaluate promising obesity prevention practices. Since 2003, this important work has been translated into programs and events implemented by the state network Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity (PANA). For more information about the Center and its programs, please visit www.nrgbalance.org.
“The stellar interaction between the Center and administrators at six PA public schools led to a very successful week-long health ride. I enjoyed working with the Center and would highly recommend them as partners in any future projects.”
