Safe Routes to School

Published October 25, 2007

The state of Tennessee is awarding nearly $500,000 in funds to three Williamson County schools.  Nolensville Elementary will receive $250,000, and Heritage Elementary and Heritage Middle will receive a combined $240,100. 

The grants are part of the Safe Routes to School program, which is a statewide initiative designed to make bicycling and walking to school a safer, more appealing and healthier alternative for students.

The three schools will use the Safe Routes to School funds to either build or improve sidewalks near the schools.  Funds will also be used to provide an educational program focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety as well as promotional activities to encourage walking and biking as a safe and healthy initiative.

Chapman's Retreat Bookkeeper Karen Desselle wrote the grant when she worked in the Construction and Facilities Department at the Central Office.  She says, “As a community, we are constantly hearing reports from various news mediums about the growing cases of childhood obesity and the effects of this on children’s health. The Safe Routes to School initiative works to not only inform the public of the problem, but actually do something to solve the problem."