Trailblazers
Training
Trailblazers must:
- Attend training at Budd Park in September
- Submit permission form through the school
For review, you may also:
Watch the Training Video
In January/February, your school coordinator will have you:
- Take the Skills Assessment
Maps
If your school does not have a map here, you don’t yet have a coordinator at the school. Please call us or your school to see if you can get one!
A Network of Expert Walkers
The Trailblazer program teaches older students to be confident and competent walkers and lends visibility to student pedestrians. The program brings peace of mind to parents who want their children to be equipped and supported on the walk to school.
What they do
Trailblazers are simply asked to wear a traffic safety vest and to walk a “preferred route” to school. They do not pick up students, they are not responsible for babysitting smaller children, and they are not expected to save lives. They are expected to set a responsible example, to know safe walking procedures, and to be welcoming of all other students who elect to walk with them.
Parents are still ultimately responsible for getting their own children to and from school, but Trailblazers are in place to demonstrate preferred routes to school, to add increased visibility, and to set a positive walking example for all students.
A proven model
Experience shows that the visual cue of having dozens of vested students walking in the community and converging upon the school during commute time serves as a bright alert to drivers that there are vulnerable users on the sidewalks. The numbers of vested students also demonstrates additional trained “eyes on the street,” contributing to the feeling of safety experienced by students and parents alike. We recommend 20-40 students enter the program per school to ensure great coverage.