Empowering Students to Make Real Change
Author(s): Groesbeck, Lempriere, Pulfer
Slidedeck Presentation Only (no paper submitted):
Slidedeck unavailable
Abstract:
Stratford Hall School is a K - 12 independent day school with the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. With 450 students, the crosswalk in question is heavily used everyday by young students under 9 years old. In our Governance Unit, students are encouraged to tackle a real topic. This year, the grades 5 and 10 elected to take-on an unsafe crosswalk in Vancouver. As a school we wanted to take action and involve our students in the process through curriculum connections.
The Crosswalk in question has limited visibility around a curve, heading downhill in a school zone across from Clark Park, resulting in a lack of driver perception and the inability to brake in time for the crosswalk. The ultimate objective is to get a safer crosswalk
*The students wanted to prove the need to reassess the crosswalk at E 15th and Commercial Drive.
*The students demonstrated through mathematical proofs, data collection and research that this intersection is very dangerous (speed, inattentive drivers, line of sight, lack of signage).
*Through the rental of a speed reader, visual surveys and academic papers, the students determined the frequent incidents of unsafe conditions.
*The students proposed improvements in order to prevent an accident.
*The students proposed many solutions: 30km/hour speed limit, flashing crosswalk light, multiple devices, letter and poster campaign.
*Education component for the student body, including safe pedestrian practice and advocacy with the School Safety Patrol Team (vpd.ca) and the ICBC #walksafeBC
The Commercial Drive community is the Target Group - including all Stratford Hall Students, parents, Clark Park users, Trout Lake Neighbourhood and the general public.
+ Grade 10 students presented to Councillor Andrea Reimer and the VPD and the members of the Traffic and Data Management Engineering Services staff.
+ Grade 5 students each wrote a researched letter and mailed it to the City Hall
+ Students were interviewed by CTV News
+ Students held a poster campaign protest
+ Grade 10 Research papers and graphic conclusions were submitted Grade 5 students spent weeks researching different aspects of the intersections near Stratford Hall.
The students collected data on:
-how many cars (what type of cars, speed, time of day) pass the intersection of 15th and Commercial and 14th and Commercial
-how many pedestrians crossed the road at 15th and Commercial and 14th and Commercial at various times of day
-With the help of a speed reader, Grade 5 and 10 students recorded the speed of cars at different times throughout the day as they drove past 15th and Commercial.
- Grade 10 students recorded speeds using old-fashioned triangulated math data from the roof of the school. * Media coverage
* Student initiated high level meetings
* Poster campaign
* Academic papers
* Grade 10 presentations
* Grade 5 - Two assemblies for the Junior School (Grades K - 7)
* Parental notification of all activities
* VPD attention and increased on-site presence
* ICBC visit and hand-out of pedestrian safety reflectors
* 44 letters to City Hall - Winston Chou, Manager