Illinois Department of Transportation Summer 2009 Traffic ... - Caution

WORK ZONE SAFETYThe 12 finalists will have their drawings displayedin the 2010 Illinois Work Zone Safety Calendar. Thetop six winners’ drawings were sent to ATSSA’snational contest to vie for a spot in its nationalcalendar.Of these six winners, two students won thenational contest. Mia Garrison, a first graderfrom Algonquin Primary Center in ParkForest placed 3rd in the Kindergartenthrough 1st grade category. ChelseaMcTeague, a fifth grader fromPleasant Valley ElementarySchool in Peoria received anhonorable mention for herdrawing in the 5th-6thgrade category. BothMia and Chelsea willhave their drawingsshowcased in the ATSSAnational calendar. Over6,500 students participated inthe national contest.The 12 finalists were honored at anawards ceremony on Wednesday, May 20,2009 in the Illinois State Capitol Rotunda inSpringfield. Each winner received cash prizesfrom the Illinois Chapter of ATSSA, and the topsix winners received savings bonds provided byATSSF. The finalists also received t-shirts andother items from the contest sponsors.The purpose of the contest is for students to helpIDOT promote work zone safety by becomingaware of work zones and encouraging their parentsor caregivers to remember the importance of drivingsafely in work zones.The contest consisted of three categories: K-1stgrade, 2nd-4th grade and 5th-6th grade. Last fall,elementary schools around the state were invited toparticipate in the contest. Children were asked todraw their view of a work zone. Each school had tochoose four entries from each category and submitthem to IDOT for the state contest.IDOT received 181 entries and these entrieswere given to three judges to narrow downto 30, the top 10 from each category.From there, the top 30 drawingswere sent to a panel of six judges,who then selected the final12 contestants. Eachentry was judged on aseries of questions todetermine if the entryportrayed a work zoneand if the student had a clearunderstanding of a work zone.By introducing children at an early ageto safe driving practices, IDOT hopesto instill a lifelong awareness of work zonehazards and foster safe driving behavior in thefuture. Teachers or parents who are interested inentering their students or children in the upcoming2009-2010 calendar contest can contact IDOT’scontest coordinator, Jessica Baker at 217/785-3062.By Jessica Baker,Work Zone Safety Calendar Contest Coordinator/Acting Bureau Chief of Safety Data & Data Services20 CAUTION!-Summer 2009