Annual poster contest a reminder for kids to make safety a daily routine
South Fallsburg, N.Y. – October 12, 2011 – With National School Bus Safety Week upon us this week, Rolling V Bus Corp. and Gershowitz Transportation are gearing up for their annual school year safety campaign.
The 2011-2012 School Bus Safety Poster Contest highlights Rolling V and Gershowitz’ efforts to remind children in the six school districts they serve that school bus safety is routine and should be practiced every day. This year’s national theme, “Be Aware – Know the Danger Zone” reminds students of the most important rule when getting off the bus every day.
Rolling V/Gershowitz President Phil Vallone said, “We begin every school year encouraging our school districts to increase school bus safety awareness. We find the poster contest to be a fun way for our children to not only learn about school bus safety, but become part of the awareness campaign themselves.”
Linda Kleingardner, director of the 2011-2012 School Bus Safety Poster Contest, added, “We look forward to seeing the kids’ artwork every year. It really shows us how much they pay attention to school bus safety and what it means to them. Good luck to all of this year’s participants!”
The safety-themed poster contests, judged by Rolling V and Gershowitz employees, award one first, second and third prize to elementary school children in each of the school districts that choose to participate. Rolling V and Gershowitz also award the winners a small monetary gift for their efforts.
Winners will be chosen by grade level to participate in a Tri-County Association for Pupil Transportation poster contest, at which they will be judged collectively by category, with the winners going to the New York state finals. State finalists will then have a chance at achieving national recognition against artwork from around the United States at the end of the school year. First place at the national competition also comes with a monetary prize.
In addition to the poster contest, Rolling V and Gershowitz teach the children they transport year round the importance of proper loading and unloading procedures as well as how to avoid injuries and fatalities in the “Danger Zone,” the blind spots in front of and around the bus where most injuries occur.
Ken Engle, safety director at Rolling V and Gershowitz, added, “Be sure to encourage your kids to thank his/her school bus driver on Oct. 21, the first official New York School Bus Driver Appreciation Day. It’s due to our drivers’ dedication to the safety of our children that they are able to ride the school bus safely every day, and that Rolling V and Gershowitz are able to score some of the lowest incident rates in New York State.”
Rolling V and Gershowitz currently provide student transportation for Ellenville, Fallsburg, Liberty, Livingston Manor, Roscoe and Tri-Valley school districts.
Rolling V Bus Corp and Gershowitz Transportation are proud members of the New York School Bus Contractors Association and the American School Bus Council. The companies are family-owned and operated by the Vallone and DeSabato families. The Vallone family has been in the passenger transportation business for more than 50 years.
