Children all over the state are learning what it is to be safe through Delaware’s Risk Watch program, a comprehensive injury-prevention initiative in schools. This year’s poster and essay contest asked students to examine bicycle safety, and classroom responses came back by the dozens.
Coastal Point • Ryan Saxton
Mary Veith’s class display the certificates they earned for their posters on bicycle safety.
The pre-kindergarten and kindergarten winners this year were none other than Lord Baltimore Elementary’s own, from teacher Mary Veith’s class. Her class was honored with an impressive finish for their posters on wearing a bike helmet, while one student took top honors in the entire state.
Lord Baltimore kindergartener Nicholas Hall took first place with his poster that netted him a night out at the Wilmington Blue Rocks game near the end of last month.
“It was fun,” he said with a grin.
He received baseball memorabilia, met the players and was even introduced on the field. The class also earned prizes and incentives at school for their participation, as well as a monetary donation for the classroom.
“It’s great to see what these kids can do,” said Veith. “I’m proud of each and every one of them. I believe every child has vested qualities, and it’s our job to bring that out. We need to expose them to everything possible.”
Although just rounding out her third year as a teacher at Lord Baltimore, Veith has been active in the school as a teacher’s assistant for the past decade. She was honored as one of Delaware Risk Watch’s newest teachers to join the program, as were fellow Lord Baltimore teachers Elizabeth Helm, Andrea Kalmbach, Michelle Klenedinst, Wendy Murray and Patricia Reichert.
Veith’s award-winning class was part of a select group of extended-day kindergarteners.
“These children go to another class in the morning,” she said, “and I gave them the opportunity to do a little more, because I have that leeway and extra time with them.”
A recent referendum vote denied tax-based funding for all-day kindergarten for the Indian River School District, even though the program has been mandated by the state. The district has a waiver for that mandate through the 2008-2009 school year.
“This is a perfect example of why we need all-day kindergarten,” Veith commented. “We need it badly. The children are going to learn more and do much more during the day. These kids are making huge strides.”
The class has been keeping up with their poster skills, too, with a contest for Memorial Day.
Veith said she is pleased with her students’ enthusiasm and participation, and hopes it will continue.
“They’ve done an excellent job,” she said.