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Calendar promotes highway safety messages

“Don’t drink and drive,” “Wear a seat belt” and “Don’t speed” are some of the important highway safety messages that elementary school students across Idaho trained their colored crayons, pencils and markers on for ITD’s Office of Highway Operations and Safety.

ITD’s 2009 Highway Safety Kids Calendar features the talents of the top 14 young artists whose work was chosen from entries submitted by K-6 teachers from throughout the state, said Margaret Goertz, with ITD’s Office of Highway Operations and Safety.

Winning entries came from Coeur d’Alene, Filer, Glenns Ferry, Blackfoot, Sugar City, Boise, Lapwai, Rexburg, Parma, Salmon, Weippe, Lewiston and Soda Springs.

Each year the calendar is dedicated to people who work to save lives and prevent injuries on roadways. The 2009 calendar is dedicated to Anna Beauregard, a seat belt advocate who speaks about buckling up to school children, community service groups and at local government meetings.

“Anna speaks from her heart. She tragically lost a child who was not properly restrained many years ago, and now takes every opportunity to prevent another family losing a loved one,” said Mary Hunter, ITD highway safety manager.

“One local family wrote her a special thank you because they were buckled up in a serious traffic trash, thanks to Anna’s efforts.” She was asked by Monsanto to travel to their headquarters’ office in St. Louis, Mo., and share her message.

Artists ranged from kindergarten through sixth grade. Safe driving themes were divided among grade levels: grades K-2, seat belts, child safety seats or walking safely to school; grades 3-4, bicycle safety, aggressive driving or walking safely to school; and grades 5-6, impaired driving, driving safety for teenagers or seat belts.

The calendar is produced in a monthly format. For each month, the winning student’s first name and photograph are printed on the calendar next to his or her artwork, along with their grade and school location.

Each student received a custom-made calendar frame in which to display the art. 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 (208) 334-8104.

Editor’s note:

Following are students selected for the 2009 Highway Safety Kids Calendar and the schools and cities represented:

Katie Johnson, (Grade 6) Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy, Coeur d’Alene
Colton Farnsworth, (Grade 4) Filer Elementary, Filer
Kyleigh Sanchez, (Grade 2) Glenns Ferry Elementary, Glenns Ferry
Alysia Martinez, (Grade 5) I.T. Stoddard Elementary, Blackfoot
Michael Rhoton, (Grade 4) Kershaw Intermediate School, Sugar City
Serea Dubon, (Kindergarten) Koelsch Elementary School, Boise
Natalie Wilson, (Grade 3) Lapwai Elementary School, Lapwai
Sierra Kinckley, (Grade 6) Madison Middle School, Rexburg
Jasmine Brooks, (Grade 5) Parma Middle School, Parma
Taylor LaMont, (Grade 1) Pioneer Elementary School, Salmon
Emma Brown, (Kindergarten) Timberline Schools, Weippe
Jimmy Martinez, (Grade 6) Whitman Elementary School, Lewiston
Steven Telly, (Grade 6) Whitman Elementary School, Lewiston

Another winner was not available for identification.