Planning & Real Estate Services
Boca Raton Middle School – Safe Routes To School Grant
On March 17, 2011 Angela Usher, Manager, Facilities Planning & Coordination, received a Non-Infrastructure grant for $129,200 to keep our students safe as they walk and ride their bicycles to school. This is the second grant Mrs. Usher has received from the Florida Department of Transportation for this purpose.
This grant is being used to assist students at 12 schools in Palm Beach County; 9 Elementary Schools and Boca Raton, Okeeheelee and Roosevelt Middle Schools. The objective is to prepare a comprehensive plan for each school which identifies the obstacles for walking or bicycling to school and solutions for improvements. The program encompasses the five E’s: Engineering, Education Encouragement, Enforcement and Evaluation.
In order to effectively provide Safe Routes to School for all students, the Palm Beach County Safe Routes to School Coalition was formed to implement the grant. Please click on the above link for more detailed information.
Yexsy Schomberg, the Safe Routes to School Project Coordinator, has been working with the 12 schools along with Elly Zanin, Co-Founder of Commit2BFit, an organization that provides a solution for childhood obesity by delivering programs that effect positive and healthy behavioral change in children and their families. It is being implemented in the After School Program. Ms. Zanin is also a Coalition member.
Elly Zanin, left, and next to her, Yexsy Schomberg
On Wednesday, April 11, 2012, Boca Raton Middle School had their Commit2BFit End of the Program Award Event. Angela Usher attended and commented: “Yesterday I attended a presentation to the students of Boca Raton Middle School who participated in the Commit 2BFit program. The students, under Mr. Alexandre’s, After School Director, direction did an exemplary job implementing the program. There were a few testimonials from the students on how the program has changed their lives, allowing them to lead healthier lives by walking or bicycling to school, drinking more water instead of soda. Some of students mentioned how they have lost weight and have become more active. The representatives from Commit2BFit were also there. The Principal, Peter Slack, and his two Assistant Principals were present to hand out the certificates. I am particularly thankful to Yexsy Schomberg, who is our Safe Routes to School Project Coordinator under the Safe Routes to Schools grant. She has done an outstanding job in implementing the Safe Routes to School Program at the schools included in the grant.”
Boca Raton Middle School has taken the lead in our program and was selected to be a model for our Safe Routes to School (SRTS) video production this year. They will produce 2 videos to showcase the program. Afterwards, their After School Program will get to keep a brand new top-of-the-line video camera!
