If you live and work in this small town, you wear many hats, as
Stephanie Braddock can attest to. She is an Elementary School
Counselor, District Homeless Liaison, District Safe and Drug Free
School Coordinator, Elementary Health Committee Chairperson,
School-wide Behavior Committee Chairperson (STARS Committee), Crisis
Prevention Intervention Instructor, as well as “Mom” and a few other
non-paying titles.
Bushland, Texas is fourteen miles west of Amarillo on Interstate
40. At one time the land had been part of the Frying Pan Ranch
located in the southwest corner of Potter County. In 1908 the town site
was dedicated for a right-of-way for the Rock Island and Gulf Railway.
Since then a school district was established, a post office opened, a
Baptist church, and a grain elevator were added. Farmers and ranchers
settled in to increase the population to 130. Today it is home for
Conservation and Production Research Laboratory established by the USDA
Soil Conservation Service and the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
to address erosion problems.
Preparations for the Day Camp started months before when Braddock
contacted this Texas Bicycle Coalition Local Outreach Coordinator Joyce
Cunningham to provide information on bicycle safety. Approximately 40
students attended the day camp for Kindergarten through 5th graders on
Thursday, May 31st, 2007. Many of these kids are homeless or at-risk
due to economic conditions in this small community. A bicycle is more
than just entertainment for them. In many cases, it is a transportation
necessity. The students were so hungry to learn everything Cunningham
and
Martinez presented on Rules for Riding, Texas Bicycle Laws, why you
should always wear a helmet (egg drop demonstration), proper Helmet
Sizing and Adjustment, proper bicycle size/fit, A-B-C Quick Check (bicycle
safety check list), hand signal demonstration, and Bicycle Parts
Identification quiz. Handouts were given to take home to display to
their family and friends the many facts they learned and will want to
remember from now on.
Thank you Stephanie, for inviting us to present our Safe Routes to School Program to your eager summer-time pupils.
