Safe Walk Home

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

In response to concerns by residents of Montgomery Village, a community in Montgomery County, the Safe Walk Home program was started by Montgomery County Recreation. Teen volunteers from the local high school RecZone, a Montgomery County Recreation after school program, served as escorts to provide safe routes home from school for elementary school students. The program helped create a safe, bully-free environment and discourage risky and negative behavior. High school students were given a brief training before gathering at Whetstone Elementary School to meet the walkers. There they greeted the elementary students with high fives, fist bumps and cheers at the end of the school day and proceeded to walk students home. The high schools students could earn Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for their volunteer service. School and RecZone staff worked to include “walk and talk” topics – such as healthy snacks, sports, summer plans, weekend plans and life plans. Safe Walk Home was a chance for the high school students to build relationships with and mentor the young students while ensuring they have a safe walk home. It became a great community building activity as the students learned each other’s names and a little about their likes and dislikes. Meeting each other around the neighborhood became friendly and comfortable.