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SANDY -- Nearly 26 million American children ride to class on the school bus. Many of them will learn how to arrive more safely through the artwork of Utah student.
Doyoun Park, of Sandy, won the National School Bus Safety Poster Contest. Her colorful posters encourage students to cross in front of the school bus, where the drivers can more clearly see students.
Her posters will be featured during Safety Week efforts during next school year in schools, libraries, police stations and emergency rooms all over the country.
Doyoun entered the contest as a six-grader at Quail Hollow Elementary. She won $1,000 U.S. savings bond as part of her reward.
The young artist told State Superintendent Larry Shumway her goal is to be an illustrator with Pixar Animation Studios.
State and district administrators told Doyoun her award is a big honor, because school bus safety is such a widespread issue.
They referred to the following statistics from the Utah State Office of Education and the American School Bus Council to underscore their point:
- In Utah, more than 172,000 children ride to and from school on the bus.
- More than R40 million are saved annually by transporting our children on school buses.
- Nationally, for every 32,500 children transported, one life is saved each year. In Utah, that is at least five lives.
- School buses are 15 times safer than other types of transportation, including riding with an adult, walking or riding a bike.
E-mail: dwimmer@ksl.com
