Becky Johnston Feature and Safe Routes to School

From the Virginia Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School Winter Newsletter. This spotlight features an interview with Harrisonburg’s own (and SVBC member) Becky Johnston. You can read the entire email newsletter here: VDOTSRTS December Newsletter

Often times, schools, parents, and SRTS advocates initiate and implement a Safe Routes to School program on their own, and don’t think to reach out to community organizations.  However, building support and partnerships within the community is key to developing a sustainable Safe Routes to School Program.  Becky Johnston is the Health Promotion Specialist at Rockingham Memorial Hospital (RMH) in Harrisonburg and works with schools in the community to encourage walking and bicycling to and from school. We spoke with her to discuss how schools can partner with local organizations – such as hospitals and health organizations – in the community.    

How did you get involved with Safe Routes to School?   

Rockingham Memorial Hospital (RMH) wrote a grant to secure funding from Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth to reduce childhood obesity in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.  We were awarded a $73,000 grant over two years to develop a Safe Routes to School program (mainly focusing on 3 of the E’s- Education, Encouragement and Evaluation).  As a commuter cyclist, I love the idea of making our community safer for pedestrians and cyclists — especially around schools.

I currently work with 6 schools in our area, and each has their own unique program and goals for the future.  We are also looking forward to a new middle school being built by 2016 and we have the support of the school board and city council to make it biking and walking friendly on the school’s opening day.

How do you work with Virginia Safe Routes to School program?

I work with Virginia Safe Routes to School program mostly through the Quick Start Mini Grants.  I encourage all schools that I work with– along with law enforcement, SafeKids Coalition and other community partners — to apply for this vital funding.  So far we have be given $17,000 for everything from bikes, bike racks, bike helmets for low income households, educational materials, bike rodeo equipment, Walk and Bike to School day events and more. The program’s webinars, in-person workshops, and help with collecting student travel tallies and parent surveys have also helped our program tremendously.

Nathan Barge, our Harrisonburg City Public Schools SRTSCoordinator, funded through the Virginia SRTS program is a huge asset for us.  He came on at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year and has jumped right into the walking and biking initiatives, helping to develop our program further.  It’s great to have a partner to work with!  We are now collaborating on the non-infrastructure grant application with much-needed technical support from our LTAC (Local Technical Assistance Coordinator). We have been truly grateful to the Virginia SRTS program for these opportunities.

As a Health Promotion Specialist, how do you encourage schools to participate in Safe Routes to School? 

Each school has its own unique challenges and advantages.  Some schools already have things in place like crossing guards, while others struggle with basics such as a sidewalk or shoulder to walk or ride on. I start with the principal at each school to find out which school staff members would be involved in supporting SRTS activities like Walking Wednesdays and bike rodeos during PE class, versus a school-wide event.  I talk with parents next, since they are the key to walking and biking to and from school.  They not only agree to allow their children walk and bike to school, they provide the essential supervision for them to do so, especially at the elementary school level. I have a team of parents in each school that I rely on to tell me how things are going, how we can improve, and ways to get more parents involved.

How does Safe Routes to School fit into the community’s public health goals?

Community wellness and outreach are the cornerstones of RMH’s primary mission.  Our goal is to benefit the most people with available resources.  We want to ensure that participants in our program have a well-rounded understanding of our program from where the sidewalks and safe crossings are, how to use them safely, and how to encourage others to join in the fun, so we focus on improving infrastructure, with a complementary emphasis on education, encouragement, and enforcement.  The ultimate goal is to increase the numbers of children who enjoy walking or biking for transportation so that they will eventually become adults who use active transportation.  This model, in theory, will lead to a healthier community.

Students at Thomas Harrison Middle School in Harrisonburg, walk around the school’s track as part of a monthly walking event

What’s the easiest way for a school to connect with someone at a local health organization?

Our goals intersect with schools when it comes to the health of students.  So, we encourage schools to connect with us!  We know from recent research that students who exercise before school learn better and have increased attention spans.  Schools who are interested in folding student health issues into their SRTS program can start by finding a local person or group working towards chronic disease prevention or more specifically obesity prevention.   They would love to hear from you, the school!

Are there other community organizations that you connect with to support Safe Routes to School?

Absolutely!  We would not be successful without community support and collaboration. We partner with the Harrisonburg Fire Department who sponsors our local SafeKids Coalition to educate children and families about how to ride and walk safely.  We also partner the Harrisonburg Police Department and parent groups at each school to support enforcement and education efforts.  We depend on our local Public Works and Planning departments to assist with creative solutions to infrastructure challenges, as well as to partner with us on infrastructure grants.  Also, the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition is a fantastic supporter of our work.  They have assisted us with marketing, gathered volunteers for events and even provided additional funding when needed.   I also sit on the Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization as we collaborate to design a more biking and walking friendly area together.

Is there an SRTS project you’re particularly fond of?

Keister Elementary was the first school in our area to be granted a SRTS infrastructure grant and now their students enjoy sidewalks and bike lanes around the school.  The school principal instituted a “Walking Fridays” event where each child, no matter their mode of transportation to school, walks around the track before school each week.  In September, Walking Wednesdays were added, along with two new walking school buses.  The walking school buses only happened because of school staff willing to walk to nearby neighborhoods and walk with children to school.  This small change from dedicated school staff has eliminated the need for an entire bus route on Fridays because so many students are walking to school.  We’re hoping the successes at Keister will inspire other schools in our area to do the same.

Another project I’m fond of is at Thomas Harrison Middle School.  Because of increased interest in biking and walking to school the principal instituted a “Bike/Walk Committee” with interested school staff, parents and community members.  This eager group then took on a monthly walk/bike to school event with great success.  Once students arrive at school, regardless of how they get there, they all walk the track before school, then eat a grab-and-go breakfast outside with their friends.  The bike racks have been overcrowded on these mornings with up to 83 bikes in October