SIKESTON – Three high schools in the River Region are among 43 in Southeast Missouri receiving grant funding from the Southeast Coalition for Roadway Safety for project prom and graduation events. Ste. Genevieve High School, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic High School and Perryville High School were selected to receive $200 for student lock-in events. Funding assists with event expenses such as location rental, food, or entertainment. Schools will also receive roadway safety educational items to share with students. To be eligible, schools must include a presentation or activity educating students on highway safety issues during the lock-in or the week of the event. With traffic fatalities on the rise in the Southeast District, safety education is critical to reducing serious injuries and deaths on Missouri’s roadways. Schools are choosing to educate students in various ways, including creating student PSAs, hosting their own education campaigns throughout their respective campuses, and presentations by local law enforcement and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. “We are so grateful and honored to receive the grant for our students. In order to have a successful and safe Project Prom, it takes a lot of planning and funding. Through this program, our students who are attending prom, as well as our entire 7-12 grade student body, receive education on one of the most important roadway safety concerns, distracted driving. This provides education for students who will become drivers in the future and some who are already on the road. This early intervention continues to impact our students as they prepare to make their way in the world and on Missouri’s roadways. We thank you!” says Lisa Newton, Clarkton C-4 School District Project Prom Sponsor. For additional information, contact Senior Communications Specialist Ashley Metelski at (573) 472-5885 or MoDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (888-275-6636). |