In preparation for National School Bus Safety Week that will be celebrated Oct. 18-22, the American School Bus Council (ASBC) announced the winner of its 2020-2021 poster contest.
Huyen Pham, a student at Northbrook Middle School in Atlanta, won this year’s theme, “Be Safe – Know the Danger Zone.” In a press release, the ASBC explained that the danger zone “is an area outside of the bus where children are in the most danger of being hit, either by another vehicle or their own.”
The danger zone extends at least 12 feet from the front of the bumper and rear of the bus, and 10 to 12 feet from the left and right side of the bus. The area to the left of the driver’s seat is also considered dangerous due to passing vehicles.
Pham was selected from entries submitted in 13 different states and will be showcased during this year’s National School Bus Safety Week.
Thousands of school districts in over 40 states normally participate, but the contest was disrupted last year by COVID-19. As a result, ASBC stated that the entry deadline was extended from mid-September 2020 to the end of this past February, with the goal of selecting division winners and overall winners before the end of last school year.
“But because school schedules were so significantly different than prior years, with many students and teachers engaging entirely online, ASBC members decided to select one overall winner from posters that were submitted by March 1, 2021” ASBC stated in the release.
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In addition, the ASBC will be awarding prizes to every student who drew a poster that was submitted by the deadline, and any late entries for the 2021 content will be included in the 2022 contest in a separate category.
The theme for the 2021-2022 poster contest is “1 bus + 1 driver = a BIG Impact on Education.” Entries may be submitted anytime between Aug. 16 and next April 1. A panel of judges will select winners in each five divisions, as well as an overall winner by May 1 of next year.
Editor’s Note: Are you celebrating National School Bus Safety Week? If so, send all pictures and comments to taylor@stnonline.com.
