Program Name: Kids Teaching Kids About Unintentional Childhood Injury
Nominator's Name: Maryellen Moffitt
Title: Gifted & Talented Teacher/Coordinator
Address: 720 Locust Street
City/State/Zip: Roselle NJ 07203
Nominator's Telephone Number: 908-298-3354
Organization: Safe Kids NJ
Address: Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems, 425 Hoes Lane
City/State/Zip: Piscataway NJ 08855-6800
List of Community Partners: Roselle Police Department, Roselle Mayor's Office, Roselle Elementary School, Parents
The nominated program focuses on the following grade level or area: Elementary
District:  Roselle Public Schools
County: Union
Address: 720 Locust Street
City/State/Zip: Roselle NJ 07203
District Superintendent: Darlene M. Roberto
District Telephone Number: 908-298-2046 ext. 16
Date of Program Initiation: October 1995

Kids Teaching Kids About Unintentional Childhood Injury:
A Partnership between the Roselle Gifted & Talented Program and SAFE KIDS NJ

Area 1: Goals:

Pedestrian injury is the third leading cause of injury-related death in the United States for children ages 5 to 14. In 1999, an estimated 25,000 children ages 14 and under suffered motor vehicle-related pedestrian injuries. In order to help combat this problem and find solutions, the Roselle Gifted & Talented Program has worked in partnership with SAFE KIDS New Jersey (founding sponsor Johnson & Johnson and lead organization, NJ State Safety Council) to create yearly projects in the area of unintentional childhood injury prevention. Beginning in 1995 after New Jersey passed a mandatory bicycle helmet law for cyclists ages 14 and younger, G&T students studied the law and developed a project to spread the message across the state. Elementary and middle school students employed the strategy of "kids teaching kids" and presented their safety project at malls, SAFEKIDS statewide conferences, press conferences and even at the Governor's Office in Trenton. The project proved so successful that the G&T program has continued to work together with SAFEKIDS NJ for eight years to address the issue of preventable childhood injuries as long-term district/community-wide educational awareness projects.

The Childhood Pedestrian Safety Project addresses the following Core Curriculum Content Standards:

• Standard 1.1-1.3 Visual & Performing Arts. G&T students create and perform an hour-long assembly program filled with student-written songs and poetry. Students also create original dances and safety cheers.
• Standard 2.1-2.2 Health & Physical Education. G&T students explain how childhood injuries can be prevented. Potentially dangerous situations along walking routes are identified.
• Standard 3.1-3.5 Language Arts Literacy. G&T students use listening, writing, and reading to assist with their oral presentation. Data from various sources is collected and examined.
• Standard 6.1 Social Studies. G&T students understand the responsibilities of their role as citizens to identify a problem in their town and to do something about it. The project allows students to work directly with the mayor, police officers and safety officials.
  

There are several overall goals for our G&T Childhood Injury Prevention Project::

1. To research childhood pedestrian injury data and unintentional injury prevention information.
2. To employ the strategy of "kids teaching kids" about preventable childhood pedestrian injuries.
3. To provide students in grades Pre-K through 4 with instructions on how to cross the street safely.
4. To develop a partnership with outside agencies in order to work cooperatively towards a common goal.
5. To identify and address hazardous environments in the routes children take to and from school each day.
6. To present an hour-long assembly program (entirely written and presented by G&T students) of original safety songs, poems, dance numbers and cheers.
7. To provide safety information to parents and teachers so that proper safety precautions are reinforced in the classroom and at home.
8. To establish a task force of stakeholders in the school (parents, school board officials, educators, law enforcement officers, etc.) to work together with our community policy makers (mayor, town council members) and school leaders to make sure every child is safe while walking to/from school each day.
9. To provide the opportunity for G&T students to understand that their voice can make a difference in the world.

Area 2: Activities:

The project begins with G&T students brainstorming various areas of childhood safety issues and deciding which area is most problematic in our town. The theme for 2002-03 is Childhood Pedestrian Safety. Meetings were held with Mrs. Carol Ann Giardelli, NJ Director of SAFEKIDS, to establish responsibilities and roles of everyone involved with the project.

The students identified the problem and conducted in-depth research on childhood injury data and corresponding unintentional injury prevention information. Following data collection, G&T students visited each class at the designated elementary school (average enrollment between 350-500 students) and presented a lesson on the proper way to walk to school each day. Each student signed a safety pledge and completed a survey about their individual walking routes to and from school.

Painter's caps were distributed to decorate and wear while walking to school on October 3, 2002 (National Walk Your Child to School Day). Letters were sent home to each parent (English, Spanish and French-Creole translations) explaining the project and extending an invitation to parents/guardians to walk their child to school on that day. Letters of invitation were also sent to the Mayor, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Safety Officials, Superintendent of Schools, Board of Education members, and School Crossing Guards.

The G&T students hosted a parent meeting upon arrival at school. Each parent completed a questionnaire about any unsafe areas they noticed along their child's walking route that morning. These questionnaires were given to SAFEKIDS NJ for investigation. When the arrival bell rang, G&T students directed all children to enter the auditorium that they had covered in signed safety pledges. The G&T students then presented an hour-long assembly program filled with original safety songs, dances, poetry and cheers. Invited guest speakers addressed the students.

Unique features of the program: This Safety Project is unique in its ability to allow students to be both creators and receivers of information. The G&T students are given the opportunity to employ higher order thinking skills to identify a problem and find an appropriate solution. The students not only acquire information through intense research, they also must figure out how to appropriately disseminate their findings. Many of our gifted and talented students will become our nation's future decision makers. This project enables these students to become involved in a cause that directly impacts all students. The project presents an opportunity for students to understand the power of information and education as a means to prevention.

Volunteers: students parents, teachers, corporate and community involvement: All activities were planned and implemented by G&T teachers, G&T students, and staff from SAFEKIDS NJ. Parents became volunteer participants as they agreed to walk their child to school on October 3rd, and as they agreed to attend a parent meeting upon their arrival at school. Each regular classroom teacher received a packet of materials and helped by reinforcing the information in their daily lessons. The students worked with Officer Elmer Ertl to coordinate the effort with the Roselle Police Department. Federal Express stationed 15 trucks throughout Roselle with 15 volunteer drivers to help the students walk to school.

Area 3: Outside Resources:

Outside resources include: a) SAFEKIDS NJ: Because our partnership with SAFEKIDS has grown so strong, we were given $1500.00 towards our project this year; b) Federal Express: trucks and drivers; c) New Jersey State Safety Council: printed safety materials, Vince and Larry Crash Dummy costumes; d) Roselle Police Department: stationed police officers on bicycles along walking routes; and e) Roselle Mayor Joseph Croteau: the Mayor speaks at every assembly and gives unlimited support.

Area 4: Evaluation:

The impact of this educational partnership is twofold: the needs of the G&T students and the needs of the regular education students. Because of the alarming statistics of childhood pedestrian injury (third leading cause of injury-related death in the US for children ages 5-14) there is an overwhelming need for ALL students to receive this safety information. Education is a form of prevention. To date, the safety message has been delivered to over one thousand elementary students in Roselle alone, not including the audience reached at off-site performances and coverage in newspapers.

The most important impact is the long-term safety record of the targeted school. To date, there has not been a child unintentionally injured while walking to the school. Students are observed applying safety rules while walking to and from school. The children have changed their attitudes toward crossing guards and now address the guards by name and are more willing to listen at crosswalks. Success of the project is also evidenced in the parental participation in the project and nearly 100% return of the parent safety survey forms.

Increased student achievement: All research, creative problem solving, and artistic development are intertwined and presented in the form of an assembly program. G&T students become both givers and receivers of information. Students identified as gifted and talented are usually very sensitive to current events and issues directly affecting children. The assembly program allows these students the opportunity to observe the strength of their own voice, the power of their commitment, and the ability to make a change in their world. Because G&T students are often looked upon as role models, it is important that they understand the responsibility that comes with leadership.

Area 5: Stability:

The Roselle G&T Program has worked closely with SAFEKIDS NJ since 1995. The organizational components of the program have not only been created, they have been fine-tuned. The following projects have been completed during the partnership: 1995-Bicycle Helmets, 1997-Creating a Safe School Environment, 1998-Safety in the Home, 2000-Childhood Pedestrian Safety, 2001-Childhood Pedestrian Safety, 2002-Childhood Pedestrian Safety.

Miss Moffitt, G&T Teacher/Coordinator, has taught school in Roselle for 22 years. Mrs. Giardelli has been Director of SAFEKIDS New Jersey for ten years. For the last two years, SAFEKIDS donated $2000.00 (2001) and $1500.00 (2002) to be applied towards helmet giveaways, costumes and refreshments. Awards have been received for this project from the NJ Association for Children (John W. Alexander Outstanding Project Award), Scholastic Magazine (National Project Award), National Safety Council (Gold Award presented in Chicago, Illinois.)

Area 6: Endorsements:

All major stakeholders in this partnership extend tremendous support of this program.

"Since the inception of SAFEKIDS nearly fifteen years ago, the Roselle Gifted & Talented Program has played an exemplary role and has positively impacted both students and their communities with injury prevention messages. They have undoubtedly contributed to the reduction of the number one killer of kids, unintentional injury, by spearheading these unique and innovative programs."

Carol Ann Giardelli, Director, SAFEKIDS NJ

"Working together with SAFEKIDS NJ allows the students to observe the strength of their own voice, the power of their commitment and their ability to make a change in their world."

Maryellen Moffitt, Teacher/Coordinator, Roselle G&T Program

"Addressing the area of unintentional childhood injuries with SAFEKIDS NJ is the perfect vehicle for G&T students to understand the power of education and information as a means to prevention. The program is extremely important to staff and students of Roselle Public Schools."

Barbara Tedesco, Principal Harrison Elementary School