There might not be a SAFE program in the state that is as involved as Maize South’s.
From August to May, there is something always going on, but the seatbelt awareness is the most important promotion.
“On mornings in both the fall and spring semesters, our student volunteers—armed with high-
visibility vests and clipboards—conduct seatbelt counts to gather data on vehicles entering our
school grounds,” said Maize South sponsor Mark Bradshaw. “They record numbers of drivers and passengers belted and drivers texting, using phones, or otherwise distracted, and we share those numbers with our school community and with the state SAFE program. Our goal is to measure improvements over time in response to public messages and education.”
Last spring, Maize South tried something new in an effort to keep reminding students about safety.
“We staged our first ‘SAFE Spirit Week’ during which each day offered fun events like a ‘Seatbelt Selfie’ contest, a ‘Do-Not Forget Your Seatbelt’ donut table, and giveaways like sleep masks and Dum-Dum lollipops,” Bradshaw said. “We’re always working to create fun reminders that help us all keep safe decision-making top of mind.”
Maize South High School also partnered with Maize South Intermediate School for a unique Red Ribbon Week.
“This year in October, we took a group of juniors to our nearby neighbor Maize South
Intermediate School for a joint Red Ribbon Week event focused on promoting the physical and
mental health benefits of living drug-free,” Bradshaw said. “We delivered candy, visited with younger students, and joined them for games and art projects.”
