Follow the Green Ribbon Road

Meagan Waite, Assistant Director - My Discovery Destination!

I used to work for a local school district. I had summers off, and they always flew by. I once had a boss tell me, “Once July 24 (which is a holiday in Utah) is here, summer is OVER!” She wasn’t wrong.

Before long we will again be acutely aware of school zones, crossing guards, small human bicyclists, and that occasional elementary child that may dart out in the street. Back-to-school time can be a little scary as we all get used to the start-of-the-year school-yard melee.

My Discovery Destination! and the Discovery Family Coalition have “gamified” prevention in their quest to get every family talking about important issues like pedestrian safety, mental health, drug safety, online safety, bullying prevention and more.

Green Ribbon Week is an annual safety program held in conjunction with the beginning of school to educate families and communities about pedestrian and bike safety and to ensure every child knows how to get to school safely. The goal is to empower parents to teach their kids the importance of pedestrian and bike safety in a way that they can 'experience' these important lessons through interactive family Adventures. This is done through the Green Ribbon Week–Pedestrian & Bike Safety Prevention Week Hunt.

Together students, their parents, and siblings can participate in activities that remind them to use the buddy system, help them recognize potential hazards en route to school, and even play pedestrian safety charades.

Students and their families need all the protection they can get. Want to get involved? Sponsor Prevention Week Hunts in a school you know and care about. How do you get involved? Email Info@RibbonWeekFun.com.

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