This year, National School Bus Safety Week is October 21-25, and one BC student has an integral role in promoting the nationwide safety and education effort. She is Melissa Yang, a grade 8 student at Bethlehem Central Middle School. Yang won first place overall in the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) annual poster contest. As a result, her artwork is being used by NAPT to help deliver the safety message in districts across the country this week. NAPT is the nation’s leading trade association in the student transportation industry.

The association said the theme for this year’s poster contest was “Driving Safely Into the Future.” A NAPT press release included the following:

Yang’s artwork skillfully captures this theme by creatively conveying an important message intended to motivate and educate the educational community. Yang emphasizes the importance of following school bus safety protocols to guarantee a thriving future for any school community. She also illustrates the past, highlighting a longstanding commitment to school bus safety over the years.

Yang said until last week she was unaware that she had won first place and that her artwork would be shared widely.

“Dr. Klugman came into my social studies class and said, ‘Everyone stop what you’re doing. I have some exciting news,'” said Yang. “I was really surprised.”

Niko Kita, a student at Glenmont, placed second in the K-2 division of the  NAPT poster contest.

Congratulations to our talented and influential students!