Chester Grade School students earn about seat belt safety

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Students in grades K-4 at Chester Grade School recently took part in a Chester High School Operation Teen safe Driving Seat Belt Coloring Contest to learn about seat belt safety.

Coloring Contest Chairwoman Jamie Chambers organized the event to help bring home the message to children that seat belt usage is very important. Each child in kindergarten through fourth grade were provided with a coloring sheet and asked to color it and submit it to the OTSD Committee for judging.

The picture depicted a nice police officer looking into a car window and praising a little girl for having her seat properly buckled. The caption at the bottom of the page read, "Every Time You Ride in a Car Buckle Your Seat Belt." "Ride with the Hive and Stay Alive! Operation Teen Safe Driving".

All pictures were collected and judged by members of the CHS Operation Teen Safe Driving Committee. There was a winner for best picture selected from each room. On Tuesday March 2 Chambers and fellow OTSD Committee member Rachel Young visited each class room to present the awards for best picture. They were accompanied by Operation Teen safe Driving Project Coordinator Dr. Jim Beers.

As the threesome visited each room the winners were announced and the message of always wearing a properly buckled seat belt was reviewed. Winners received a "goodie bag" consisting of a pen, pencil, a box of colors, stickers and a wide variety of candy.

Winners from the respective rooms included Alex Hennrich, Mrs. Colvis, Kindergarten; Paige Favier, Mrs. Wetherholt, Kindergarten; Freddie Alvarez, Mrs. Gorecki, Kindergarten and Ethan Stumpe, Mrs. Howie, Kindergarten.

First Grade winners included Haydon Gendron, Mrs. Wilson; Sydni Hogan, Mrs. Martinez and Alison Venus, Miss Ranta. Mrs. Kueker's class completed their pictures but submitted them after thee deadline. Each student received a small prize anyway for taking part in the learning event.

Other winners included Maddie Hasemeyer, 2nd Grade, Miss. Winterstein; Wesley Parker, 2nd Grade, Mrs. Jany and Ethan Rayburn, 2nd Grade, Mrs. Guebert. Third Grade winners were Jadi Richards, Mrs. Duncan; Samantha Kingery, Mrs. Koeneman and Hailey Asbury in Mrs. Herrell's class.

Finally there were three winners in 4th Grade. Maria Ochoa was the winner in Mrs. Fernow's class. Joslyn Abernathy was the winner in Mrs. Springer's class while Abby Myers was the winner in Miss. Niebrugge's class.

After announcing the coloring contest winners in each class each student who participated in the vent was presented with an "I Drug Free" pencil or a "Dumb-Dumb" sucker with the message, "Don't be a dummy, always buckle your seat belt".

The CHS Operation Safe Driving Committee strongly encourages all students, parents and members of the community to always use a seat belt when driving or riding in an automobile of any type.