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They were a marvel to see. Decked in orange safety vests and carrying clipboards, sixth graders at Dayton Boys Preparatory Academy wanted a crosswalk to keep fellow students safe. Their drive and study caught the recent attention of some national publication editors.

The students’ concern began 3 years ago when they observed, if there was an emergency of any kind, students would have to leave the building and wait in the school parking lot across the street. Getting there meant they would have to cross the busy intersection at Kammer and West 3^rd St. and to them, that meant danger.

The problem provided the catalyst for DBPA teacher, Gregory Powell to give his young sixth graders a lesson in civic duty and pedestrian safety. Under the leadership of teacher Powell, coordinators from Wright State University and the City of Dayton, the boys began using math, computer science and geography to plan their course of action. They assessed the need, collected the data and surveyed how to prepare a sidewalk for safety.

“They worked in groups, counting the cars travelling east and west, surveying the types of vehicles that turned the corner,” said Dr. Anna Lyon, the students’ Wright State liaison. “And they presented their findings to the Dayton School District and the Dayton traffic engineer, John Zielinsky,” she said. The collected data proved there was a need for a crosswalk at that intersection.

Fast forward 3 years and the students, a handful now in high school, are ready to literally put the finishing touches on the project which included the work of second  graders from DBPA teacher Linda Sheffield.  Their labor and planning have grabbed the attention of the editors of the publication, Social Studies and the Young Learner because of an article written by Dr. Lyon and Mr. Powell.  It is a national publication teaching tool that encourages the study of people, cultures and geography.  The cover of the March/April issue features the DBPA students and Friday, April 20th^th at 1 pm, the students, city traffic engineer Zielinsky  and representatives from Wright  State will gather at the intersection of Kammer and W. Third to paint the crosswalk.

“This service learning project taught our students about taking pride in community and to approach the proper authorities with data and evidence to support needed changes in a civil manner,” said DBPA teacher Gregory Powell.

This work, using graphs, charts, science and language arts (the students interviewed the city traffic engineer and created a power point presentation), developed accurate analysis.

Yet the collected data did not meet the full criteria for a street light at the cross walk. But the students were so impressive, the city created a compromise with the painted sidewalk. This, at least, will add a safety measure to get them across a busy street.

Join these young engineers and mathematicians at their celebration and for some, a reunion, Friday, April  20th at Dayton Boys Preparatory Academy, 1923 W. Third St., 45417.

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