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Artists lend a hand to promote highway safety

Young artists support important highway safety messages with 2007 calendar
Elementary school students from throughout Idaho applied their artistic skills to the 2007 Highway Safety Kids Calendar to help promote important highway safety messages.

The calendar featured the top 15 winners chosen from the sixth annual statewide Elementary School Safety Driver Art contest sponsored by ITD’s Office of Highway Safety, according to Margaret Goertz with OHS.

“We asked students to develop a written safe driving message or slogan and to pictorially depict their message through artwork,” Goertz said.

Winning entries came from Paris, Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, Boise, Lapwai, American Falls, Council, Eagle and Fruitland.

“This year’s calendar is dedicated to law enforcement liaisons who promote statewide cooperation among law enforcement agencies,” Goertz said. “These regional representatives focus on traffic safety education, and promote saving lives and preventing injuries on Idaho roadways.”

Artists ranged from kindergarten through sixth grade. Safe driving themes were divided among grade levels: grades K-2, “seat belts, child safety seats or bicycle safety;” grades 3-4, “aggressive driving or bicycle safety;” and grades 5-6, “impaired (drugs and alcohol) driving for adults and teens.”

This is the second year for producing the calendar in a monthly format. For each month, the winning student’s name is printed on the calendar next to his or her artwork, along with their grade, school name and location. Students will each receive a framed recognition award for winning submissions. The calendars are distributed to elementary schools and law enforcement agencies throughout Idaho.

Calendars are available to the public in limited supply. For more information, contact Goertz at 334-8104 or by e-mail.

Published 1-12-07