30 November 2021
Morawa District High School students across all ages have worked together to share important road safety messages through colourful banners and signs.
The two-stage project was developed after the School Drug Education and Road Awareness team visited the school and encouraged the students to create catchy messages and slogans about road safety.
Students Sophie Scott and Audrey Addison with the school's safety road banner.
The first stage of the project involved students from pre-primary to Year 12 where they designed and hand-painted 40 colourful banners with images of people driving and safety messages such as “buckle up for safety” and “don’t use your phone while driving.”
Tracy Tapscott, deputy principal of Morawa District High School, said they used students' art as it provided fresh new ideas as well as engaging them in the discussion of road safety.
The banners were then displayed in the main street of Morawa for all of the town to see, and to encourage safe driving in the wider Midwest region.
“The students enjoyed creating and designing their own banners and also being able to see the final product displayed in the community,” said Ms Tapscott.
Harvey Andrews, Nash Forbes and Mikayla Scott painting the refurbished satellite dish.
Stage 2 of the project involved painting repurposed satellite dishes and more banners, with the satellite dishes placed at both entrances into Morawa.
Tonia Carslake, principal of Morawa District High School, said the school staff and students were passionate about road safety as well as recycling and this was the perfect project to promote both.
“From the painting, the students learnt road safety messages relevant to country drivers, and Midwest road fatalities statistics,” Ms Carslake said.
For its innovative project about road safety, Morawa District High School was named a finalist for the Insurance Commission of WA Regional Safety Award as part of the Western Australian Community Achievement Awards.
Maddy-ann Simpson, Ariel Sauvarin, Michaela Simpson, James Olsen, Mrs Veni Inbaseelan (Art Teacher) and Aimee McGlew with their sign.
“We were very excited to be nominated for our commitment to road safety education. We feel very privileged to be recognised for such a wonderful cause and to be part of this project,” Ms Tapscott said.