Look Up 2 See Wassup / Mira Hacia Arriba Para No Perder Una Vida


How many students heard the message?
1374


Estimated percentage of your student body?
91-100%


Who has your project aimed to reach?

  • Freshman class
  • Sophomore class
  • Junior class
  • Senior class
  • Community at large

Objective:
This is our first year participating in the “U Got Brains Champion Schools Program”. The selected class of students were extremely excited to have been chosen to participate in this great opportunity to bring awareness to their community and peers. The students didn’t want to just reach one specific audience, they wanted to be able to reach everyone in their community, so they wanted to try and create the best possible campaign. In order to do that, they determined that they would have to create a campaign in both English and Spanish, since their community, of Bridgeton, has a large Hispanic population who do not speak English.The students as a whole, wanted to bring light to the dangers of distractions not only while driving, but also when walking. The community team also wanted to bring an understanding of the basic rules of the road and safety, due to the fact that a lot of the community members who move here from another country, do not know the basic rules of the roads in the US.

The main objectives of the campaign are to:

1.Bring awareness to Bridgeton’s large Hispanic Community,to address the rules of the road and issues involving distracted driving and pedestrian safety, along with drinking and driving by creating a campaign in Spanish (Mira Hacia Arriba Para No Perder Una Vida)

2.Raise awareness of teen driving safety and to reduce teen driving injuries and deaths. While there are numerous causes of such misfortunes, we decided to focus on distracted driving in particular, with our “Look Up 2 See Wassup” campaign.

3. Raise awareness, to elementary and middle school students, about traffic rules, their transportation options, and how to safely navigate age-appropriate situations when pertaining to pedestrian and bicycle safety.


Target Audience:

Hispanic Community of Bridgeton:
Bridgeton is a city, located in Cumberland County, in Southern New Jersey. It has a total population of 24,442 residents (United States Census, 2018). Bridgeton has a very large Non-English-speaking, Hispanic, population. According to the 2018, United States Census, 51% of the population is Hispanic. Out of the 51%, 47.3% of the population’s spoken language is Spanish (United States Census, 2018).

High School Students:
Bridgeton High School (BHS) currently has 1,434 enrolled students. The school district also has a large Hispanic population; 75% of the students attending BHS are Hispanic, in which 68% percent of those students’ home language is Spanish.
Out of the total student body; 9% walk to school, 4% bicycle to school, and 4% drive themselves to school.

Elementary/Middle School Students;
The Bridgeton Public School District has seven K-8 schools, totaling 4,289 overall students. The schools’ have a 75% Hispanic population, in which 63% of those students’ home language is Spanish._x000D_
The following are the total number of students per grade level, along with the percentages that walk or ride their bicycle to and from school:
Kindergarten: 428 total students; 1% walk
First Grade: 439 total students: 3% walk, 0.68% bicycle
Second Grade: 458 total students: 8% walk, 2% bicycle
Third Grade: 450 total students: 7% walk, 1.5% bicycle
Fourth Grade: 481 total students: 3 % walk, 0.62% bicycle
Fifth Grade: 506 total students: 6% walk, 2% bicycle
Sixth Grade: 487 total students: 3% walk, 0% bicycle
Seventh Grade:492 total students: 2.5% walk, 0% bicycle
Eighth Grade: 479 total students: 2% walk, 0.83% bicycle


Execution:
Campaign Slogans: “Look up 2 See Wassup” / “Mira Hacia Arriba Para No Perder Una Vida.”
Listed below are each teams’ area of focus/audience, along with their plan of implementation:

SCHOOL STUDENTS: Subgroup: High School Students
– Pre-Surveys were created, in both English and Spanish
– Morning Announcements: Messages and Videos
– Presentation by Thomas Cavallo, through NJM Teen Driver Safety Program on February 24th.
– Presentation by National Certified Motivational Speaker, Bobby Petrocelli on March 26 (rescheduled until the fall)
•“Kick It to Distracted Driving” Soccer Match! Scheduled for April 29th. Students signed-up to play and payed $5.00. There were 20 students per team. The event was going to be opened to both students and the community. Students also planned to set up information in Spanish and hold a concession stand,along with the State Farm Tent. A large,pledge banner was going to be hung at the entrance of the stadium, to be signed upon entrance to the game. Any money raised was going to be used towards purchasing safety signs for the student parking lot; reminding students to Look Up 2 See Wassup.
-Post Surveys were planned to be created
Subgroup: Elementary/Middle School Students
– Bring attention to pedestrian and bicycle safety for younger students by utilizing the NHTSA’s lesson plan resources for grades K-5th and distributing them to all the K-8 schools’ physical education teachers to implement in their classes, during the month of April. Along with parent hand-out tips in Spanish.
-Bridgeton Safe Routes to School, District Wide, Poster Contest for students in 2nd – 8th grade. Poster details created in both English and Spanish. Students had the option to create poster in English or Spanish.
COMMUNITY GROUP:
– Table outside Hispanic Markets in Bridgeton with educational materials in Spanish
– Bridgeton’s Annual Cinco de Mayo Event Celebration: see more info in community resource section.


Teamwork:
Since there was a large number of students involved in this project, they decided to break themselves up into three different teams; focusing on different areas and aspects of the intended, overall outcome for their project. Each team assigned an overall team leader to help provide direction and guidance for their team’s tasks. Once each team brainstormed and proposed ideas on how to bring awareness to their area of focus, they then established subgroups. Each subgroup assigned a leader and had clearly defined roles and a specific task to complete. Their idea of forming subgroups made communication easier and more effective, along with allowing more students the chance to contribute and have their voice heard.

The teams and their subgroups met once a week to create materials, plan events, write scripts or film announcements, etc.; for their designated task. The subgroup leaders would report to their team’s overall leader and relay information and updates on a regular basis. The overall team leaders would meet every other week to collaborate and exchange their team’s progress.

Each team had a binder that contained notes, to do lists, sign-in sheets, etc., however, I do not have access to them during this time due to the current circumstances.

Some photos of groups working on tasks are located in powerpoint presentation. During this time, obtaining any photos, taken by the students, during their activities is difficult.


Use of Resources:
Since the Bridgeton High Schools Early College Program is housed at The Rowan College of South Jersey Cumberland Campus, we reached out to Dr. Maud Goodnight, the Executive Director, regarding the students’ campaign. She approved our request to set up an informational table or booth on the college campus, regarding distracted driving, during one of their spring events. However, due to the closing of schools, we were not able carry this plan out.

A few local businesses, in downtown Bridgeton, allowed the students to set up a table outside their markets to allow students to deliver driving safety issues, in Spanish, to the Hispanic Community. The students sold a variety of snacks and provided all materials in Spanish. Sticker labels were created, with the Spanish Campaign slogan, and placed on all the goods they were selling.

Our local State Farm Insurance Agent, Randi Galan, agreed to assist us in anyway possible. She was planning on attending our “Kick It to Distracted Driving” Soccer Event. She was going to have a station at the stadium and provide educational and informational awareness material, along with her give-away spinning wheel.

She also agreed to allow us to join her tent at the Bridgetons’ Cinco de Mayo Event. The Cinco de Mayo event would have been an excellent opportunity to deliver our campaign to the Hispanic Community. We planned to be stationed next to, or under the State Farm Insurance tent to provide educational and awareness information in Spanish; especially on drinking and driving. We have also planned to have a station/activity, with the drunk goggles, to demonstrate the effects of drinking alcohol while driving and its’ impact.

Thompson’s Driving School planned to sponsor t-shirts for the soccer event. (I had already been in contact with the graphic design company, prior to the closing, on a t-shirt design for both the soccer event and a design for the students’ t-shirts for Six Flags.


Use of Media:
The students created social media accounts to help spread awareness, using both English and Spanish, for their campaign. The team posted educational and awareness posts, as well as posts to promote some of their events; especially their main event: Soccer Match.
Unfortunately, they were not able to create as many posts or videos as they intended due to the current circumstances.

Instagram: @lookup_bridgeton
Twitter: @BridgetonLookup
YouTube: LookUpBridgeton

Students were very excited to film and create videos for this project. Since we do not have access to Bridgeton High School’s Media and Recording Room, one student actually purchased filming equipment himself because he wanted his team to be able to film quality videos, rather than using a cellphone. The media team were able to film an introductory video about our campaign (in both english and spanish) at the beginning of our project. They also filmed a morning announcement to introduce the Campaign to the students and tell them about the surveys they would receive. In addition, they filmed a video to promote the soccer event, which was aired multiple times on morning announcements.

Unfortunately, they were not able to film and create, nearly as many videos as they initially planned. They planned on filming a series of announcements to air during the month of April, for Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Their PSAs, in both English and Spanish, were also not able to be produced.

A fellow colleague, planned for a small number of students to go to SNJ Today 99.9 FM Radio Station to be guests on The Morning Show, “The Positive Perspective,” to discuss on live radio, details of their campaign. However, that opportunity was not able to happen because of the current circumstances at this time, but that opportunity will still be available when we continue our campaign next year.


Thoroughness:
The students understand that there are numerous causes of misfortune related to driving; but they decided to focus on what they feel, is needed for their community, peers, and younger siblings/relatives. (According to NHTSA, 9% of distracted drivers involved in a fatal crash are teenangers ranging between the ages of 15-19 years old.) (According to NHTSA, pedestrian related crashes related to younger travelers, between the ages of 0-15, represent 9.5% of pedestrian fatalities)
This is the students’ first year participating in the program, I feel awful that they were faced with these circumstances and not able to fully carry out their campaign. However, I am very proud of what they have created and planned. Right now are campaign is on hold, but we are looking forward to picking it up and continuing with it next year.


Impact:
Unfortunately, due to this years’ circumstances with the COVID-19 Pandemic and school closures, our project has been put on hold, but we plan to continue with the project next year.


Sustainability:
Our impending impact was intended for the Non-English Speaking, Hispanic Community of Bridgeton in hopes to bring awareness, in Spanish, of the rules of the road and issues involving distracted driving and pedestrian safety, along with drinking and driving. By providing educational and informational material in Spanish, to non-english-speaking community members, we hope to increase the city’s awareness of the rules of the road and driving safety, especially when we continue the project next year.

For our student targeted group, we hope to increase students’ awareness of the dangers of distractions; walking and/or driving. When we continue to carry out our project next year, we hope to make students more aware of their surroundings and other people, whether they are walking or driving; they need to Look Up 2 See Wassup.


Unexpected Lessons Learned:
Since we were not able to fully carry out our campaign, I honestly cannot describe any unintended results that came out of our project at this time.


Stipend Reporting:
In addition to the stipend, students raised an additional $430. (No stipend money was invested into the students’ fundraising) Unfortunately, due to this year’s circumstances, we were not able to use any of the money towards our campaign. However, we will be holding over and using it for next year’s project.


As the U Got Brains Champion Schools Program is funded through the Division of highway Traffic Safety, funds raised as a result of the stipend received must be reinvested into transportation safety. If yes, please briefly report the total amount and how this money will be reinvested into transportation safety for your school/community?
In addition to the stipend, students raised an additional $430. (No stipend money was invested into the students’ fundraising) Unfortunately, due to this year’s circumstances, we were not able to use any of the money towards our campaign. However, we will be holding over and using it for next year’s project.

MEDIA