Newmerella Primary School is celebrating a safer and more user-friendly bike track by holding a grand reopening today.
The reimagined track, complete with new signs and bikes ready to go for all year levels, is the result of a nine-week program aimed at students in years five and six.
Facilitated by Blue Light Victoria, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to creating positive connections between young people and their communities, DASH is a fun and interactive program that sees students, police, emergency services and others work together to build trust, respect and awareness.
Blue Light Victoria’s chief executive officer, Elissa Scott, said DASH is unique and research based.
“At its heart is the development of a student-led community project,” Ms Scott said.
“This sees students, police, emergency services and other local stakeholders come together to raise awareness or resolve a local community concern.”
Funded by the East Gippsland Community Foundation (which provides funding for eight programs over the region across two terms), two DASH programs were run at Newmerella Primary School in term two.
After a friendly competition, class 5/6L’s “Bike Track Safety” was the winning project.
Students Zac and Lynken identified the issue: the school bike track wasn’t being used because students didn’t really understand the road rules.
The boys then came up with a proposed action: to add signs (stop, slow down, turn, etc) so the students learned to follow road rules.
They also needed to fix the bikes already owned by the schools and new bikes were needed for the preps and years one and two.
With help and guidance, the better-than-ever bike track is now ready to go.
Blue Light Victoria facilitator, Jasmin McMillan, said learning road rules early will help make students safer drivers. “It will also build healthy habits in childhood for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Ms Scott said DASH gives young people a voice.
“Our results show this has a significant impact on wellbeing and connection for young people,” she said.
“This is particularly important in the years prior to secondary school transition and adolescent development.”
